Jay Cutler Bears MVP

If these past few weeks have shown us anything, it is just how important Jay Cutler means to this team.

In that time the Bears went from being serious Super Bowl contenders to early to mid-round draftees.

Before the injury the Bears were riding a five game winning streak.  During that streak they where averaging 32.2 points per game.  Since Cutler went down the Bears are 0-3 and averaging just a hair above 10 points per game.

Now to be fair during the five game winning streak the defense did provide 16 points and Devin Hester another 14 to account for 30 of the 161 points scored.  Even removing those points the offense still was averaging 26.2 per contest.

All lot has been made all year of Matt Forte and his importance to this offense.  And while I agree that he his important, I also feel the Bears could win without him.  The same can not be said about Cutler.

The game against Denver proves that point.  Now I know what everyone is thinking A) the Bears lost the game B) Marion Barber was a big reason for the loss.  Both points are very true, but hear me out.  The only touchdown of the game for the Bears came from Barber.  In the game Barber accounted for 57% of the Bears total offense.  Barber rushed for 108 yards and the aforementioned score, as well as 32 yards receiving.  So if not for a couple of bone head moves on his part he would have been the hero as opposed to the goat.

Now don't get me wrong I am not a Matt Forte hater; But Cutler's role on this team just holds a lot more weight in my eyes.

The definition of MVP is the player who is of most value to the team.  I know that may sound obvious or maybe even a bit condescending.  But I find that the MVP for the league or even any given team is more a popularity contest then what it actually intends to be.

A perfect example of that is Michael Jordan, different sport I understand, but every year Jordan played for the Bulls he was the one player that hurt his team most if he went down.

We have that very thing with the Cutler injury.  How much did it hurt the Bears?  It cost them their season.  Are we having this same discussion had Forte been the Bear that went down when Cutler did?  Would the Bears be 0-3 without Forte?  Would the season be lost?  My answer to all of the above is a very simple no.

The only other Bear to have this type of impact on the team after going down is Brian Urlacher.  So I guess we can call them co-MVP's.

Who is your MVP for the Bears?  Let me know...  And as always BEAR DOWN