National Football League

Watch Jay Cutler get lucky with a tipped Hail Mary TD pass

Published Nov. 15, 2016 1:40 p.m. ET

Dan Graf

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was having a miserable first half Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – at least until he found some good fortune on the very last play.

Cutler was 9-for-16 for 74 yards with two interceptions before he launched a 50-yard Hail Mary pass as time expired. The ball was tipped by the scrum in the middle of the end zone, but Bears receiver Cameron Meredith was all alone to reel it in a few yards behind that group, giving Chicago a score that cut the lead to 17-10 just before half.

Cutler returned from a thumb injury that sidelined him for five weeks to lead the Bears to a win over the Vikings in Week 8. It was his best game of the season by far, but a bye week appeared to have cooled him Sunday off before the Hail Mary.