CUT it Out

I was listening to The Score last night after the Super Bowl and continuously heard something that continues to drive me nuts. There are STILL listeners calling and texting in criticizing Jay Cutler for not continuing to play in the second half of the NFC Championship game two weeks ago.

Very early in the AFC Championship, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey left with a high ankle sprain. He later returned to the sidelines with the help of a set of crutches. When the Steelers arrived in Texas for the Super Bowl, Pouncey was still using crutches. Two weeks after the AFC Championship Game, Pouncey also missed Super Bowl XLV. I never once heard his toughness questioned, not that it should have been.

"No player decision,'' Lovie Smith said of sitting Cutler. "For us, Jay hurt his knee, he couldn't go. He was injured.'' What part about that do you people not understand? This whole thing is starting to feel a lot like Saturday Night Live. Would a set of props have made this entire thing go away?

The day after the game, Lovie Smith reported that Culter suffered an MCL sprain. The Chicago Sun Times later reported that it was a grade II tear of the MCL. If you cannot plant to throw, how can you be a successful quarterback? Think about it, you can't. Lovie made the decision that not only gave his team the best chance to win, but also the one that didn't jeopardize the long term health of the Bears starting quarterback.

A grade I MCL injury can take anywhere from two to ten weeks to fully heal. Grade II and III injuries, depending on the severity of the injury, can take several months to fully heal. Further injury could've taken this thing into next season. Lovie made the best decision for the Bears both long and short term with the decision to pull Cutler in the NFC Championship Game.

Then people have the nerve to criticize Cutler for going out to eat with some teammates after the game. Then Cutler had the nerve to use the stairs instead of the elevator.

Let me share a personal story here. During my time as a student teacher, the teacher I was working under hurt her knee while participating with the students. Once the swelling went down, she was moving around as if nothing had happened. It still didn't feel right when working out, but she had no problem moving. Four or five weeks later, during holiday break, she had her knee looked at and found out that she had a torn ACL.

Injuries like Cutler had may not hinder everyday movement, such as walking. I saw that first hand. But they also make it impossible to play a full speed game of NFL football. Like I said, if you cannot plant to throw, you have no business being in there.

To all of you armchair quarterbacks, who think you know better, I'll let Bears center Olin Kruetz address you. "(Expletive) them, it's (expletive) stupid,'' Kreutz snapped. "I could see (his knee) wiggling when he was walking back in the huddle (late in the second quarter).''