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Monday meanderings: Perhaps the best thing about Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s groin injury — suffered Sunday during the second quarter of a 45-41 loss to the Washington Redskins — is the Bears have a bye week coming up. Assuming the injury that can heal in time to face the Packers at Green Bay on Nov. 4 for a Monday Night Football encounter.
A photo of a Bears player or of Playboy Cybergiril for October Ali Rose? Decisions, decisions.There also is video below of her.
* OK, reality check: There is nothing good about a groin injury — especially if it involves one’s own groin.
* A prolonged absence would not seem to work in Cutler’s favor as far as a new contract with the Bears goes. And it could go a long way for the team to let him go so first-year coach Marc Trestman can have his own QB in place for his second season.
* Speaking of QBs, Josh McCown replaced Cutler and went 14-of-20 for 204 yards. He had a 119.5 passer rating. OK, so McCown isn’t heading for induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the next few decades, but his success does speak to Trestman’s offense and how a quarterback with basic NFL skills can be successful running it. Meaning the success of the offense under Trestman may have less to do with who is quarterbacking and more to do with the system itself.
* Speaking of running, Matt Forte (16 carries for 91 yards) had two carries in the first quarter and two in the second for the Bears. There may have been extenuating cicrcumstances — such as Devin Hester’s 81-yard punt return for a touchdown — that limited his chances in the first half, but rest assured there are restless Monday morning quarterbacks wondering why Trestman didn’t run Forte more in the opening half.
* Speaking of Forte, he gained 50 of his yards on a third-quarter TD jaunt. Meanng he had 15 carries for 41 yards The statistical analysis department around here figures that his average for those 15 carries is 2.7 yards. And also figures that isn’t very good.
* Speaking of yards, the Bears defense allowed 499 against Washington. Yes, players were injured, including linebacker Lance Briggs and cornerback Charles Tillman who left the game because of injuries. But you have to think giving up that many yards and points to Washington, excuses are indefensible.
Don James died Sunday. He was 80. He probably is best remembered as the football coach at the University of Washington. Before that, he coached at Kent State. He had played college football at Miami (Fla.). So after he became coach at Kent State in 1971, a young reporter at the Miami News called to interview him. He gave some time to the reporter who wondered what impact the killings of students in 1970 by the Ohio National Guard had on the university. He talked. It was a different world back then, a world when media access was not as controlled as it is today on campuses across the nation. And, yes, your humble correspondent was that young reporter. Rest in peace, Don James.
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