Cutler says it?s unlikely he?ll be back Sunday

[IE]

Injured Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is working hard to return Sunday against the Detroit Lions, but he said Tuesday that scenario is unlikely.


Cutler has been out since suffering a torn groin muscle in the first half against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 20. He was expected to miss at least four weeks, which would mean three games because of the bye. But an aggressive rehabilitation regimen that includes electrical stimulation and platelet-rich plasma injections has him at a point where he expects to test his ability to play Sunday.


??I don?t think we can say I?ll be out there for the Detroit game,?? Cutler told hosts Marc Silverman and Tom Waddle during ??The Jay Cutler Show?? on Tuesday on WMVP-AM (1000). ??We?re trying everything we can to get out there. It feels good, but I haven?t practiced. I haven?t been in a live situation and done all the cuts and drops and saw how it felt yet.??


Backup Josh McCown?s performance has allowed Cutler to be more patient. McCown has a 100.2 passer rating, with three touchdown passes, no interceptions and no sacks, in six-plus quarters as Cutler?s replacement.

 

[heleanth]

ESPN is now announcing that Cutler will start this week against the Lions.

 

[IE]

yup,


[h=1]Jay Cutler Named the Starter vs Detroit Lions[/h]


The Chicago Bears have named Jay Cutler their starting quarterback for Sunday?s crucial game against the Detroit Lions. Coming off a short week following Monday night?s game, the Bears? practice schedule is a little off this week, so when they returned to action on Thursday, Cutler was a go in practice. Following practice, head coach Marc Trestman broke the news:


Trestman says Cutler took every rep in practice today. "He's cleared to play and so he's going to play," said Trestman.

The news is a little surprising on a couple of fronts. First, Cutler?s injury was deemed a 4 week injury, to be evaluated on a week to week basis thereafter. Coming back just two weeks later is surprising, especially if you watched Cutler struggle to get off the field and into the locker room in Washington.
The other reason it?s surprising is that Josh McCown has performed very well in Jay Cutler?s absence. He almost led the Bears to a shootout win in DC before the bye and played an efficient and smart game against a stunned and hobbled Packers team to lead the Bears to a 27-20 victory.
Cutler will be thrown into the deep end of the pool on Sunday facing a very tough and physical Detroit Lions defense. Cutler has had a few run ins with Ndamukong Suh, so he?d better be sure his groin is well protected, as I?m sure Suh will make every effort to test the durability of Cutler?s groin.