by Bianca Salinas
Jay Cutler sustained a fractured thumb on his right throwing hand in a game with a 31-20 win over the Chargers, on November 21st, 2011. The injury will require surgery, and the Bears are hopeful that Cutler will be able to return to action before the end of the regular season. Cutler sustained the injury early in the fourth quarter while trying to tackle cornerback Antoine Cason, who had intercepted a Cutler pass after intended receiver had Johnny Knox slipped. Cutler played exceptionally well against the Chargers, completing 18 of 31 passes for 286 yards with two touchdowns and a 97.0 passer rating. He also scored his first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard plunge. Cutler will be replaced by Caleb Hanie, who has appeared in four games, all as a reserve, completing 8 of 14 passes for 66 yards with no TDs, one interception and a 39.6 passer rating.
Called upon after Cutler was injured in last season’s NFC Championship Game against the Packers, Hanie engineered two touchdown drives, completing 13 of 20 passes for 153 yards, one TD and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a score. Hanie will make his first NFL start Sunday in Oakland as the Bears attempt to win their sixth straight game. With rookie Nathan Enderle the only other quarterback on the roster, the Bears intend to pursue a veteran backup. This isn’t the first time the Bears have lost their starting quarterback. After Rex Grossman broke his ankle in a preseason game in 2005, rookie Kyle Orton stepped in and helped lead the team to eight straight wins en route to the NFC North championship. Grossman returned to action late in the season.
Cutler’s injury won’t lower expectations. While acknowledging that the Bears will miss Jay Cutler, Coach Lovie Smith insisted that the team’s goals won’t change with backup Caleb Hanie assuming the starting quarterback position. While the Bears are confident in Hanie, every player on the active roster must step up to help fill the void. If Caleb Hanie plays with the same poise and confidence that he displayed during his first press conference as starting quarterback the Bears will be fairly likely to make the playoffs.