Green Bay 21 Chicago 14

Green Bay's A game is much better than Chicago's. But Green Bay has thrown quite a few C games (and a D game or two) this season. That was Chicago's chance in this game, especially as Chicago's defense had forced a couple of sub-par efforts from the Green Bay offense during the season. Chicago's defense gave up a couple of early scores, but if you look at Rodgers' final line, they did their job. Green Bay could have put this game away multiple times, but every time, the Bears defense held, or made a play, to keep themselves in it.

Unfortunately for the Bears, Jay Cutler brought his F game. The sloppy field and cold, tough conditions that ended 51 of the 53 Seahawks players' will to live before kickoff the week before did the same thing to Jay Cutler today. Yes, Chicago couldn't run, but that had to be expected coming in. Cutler had to know that it was riding on his arm, and he came up small.

Then Cutler assumed the role of LaDanian Tomlinson circa January, 2008. That postseason the Chargers took on the Patriots in the AFC championship game, and Tomlinson, who had been injured the week prior, played 2 or 3 plays at the beginning of the game, then was confined to the bench for the rest of the game. The constant sideline shots of LDT with his helmet on (fully equipped with his usual tinted visor), looking sulky. Compare that performance to that of Phillip Rivers, who played the whole game on a torn ACL and MCL (also suffered the week prior), and people were climbing all over themselves to call out Tomlinson and question his heart. Players and coaches rushed to Tomlinson's defense, but I'm not sure everyone was ever fully convinced.

Cutler is about to face the same cavalcade of questions, fair or not. He will be compared with Tomlinson and against Rivers' performance in that 2008 game. Lovie Smith stated that the Bears' medical staff kept Cutler out, but I think this story is just beginning.

Perhaps a bigger indictment of Cutler, though, was his performance against a defense that allowed Caleb Hanie to drive down the field 3 times against them. Two of those drives ended in touchdowns, and the third ended in an interception on 4th and 5 with less than a minute remaining. If not for his pick-6 to the fattest man on the field (BJ Raji), Dom Capers and his defense might be facing a withering barrage of questions as to how Caleb Hanie was able to pick them apart so. As it is, I think those questions will turn back to Cutler as to why he couldn't lead even one scoring drive against the same defense in 2+ quarters.

I fully expect Green Bay's offense to get back to dominating in the warmer climate of Dallas in 2 weeks, the question is which Green Bay defense will show up.