It’s been said that the third preseason NFL game is the most telling of them all. That’s why we took a close — very close — look at new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on Sunday night. Here’s what we saw each time he touched the ball in his return to Denver to face his former team, the Broncos.
Cutler in the game
1st quarter
1st drive
First down: Cutler enters to a chorus of stadium-shaking boos. He responds with a four-yard screen pass to Devin Hester.
Second down: Hands off to sophomore stud — we hope, at least — Matt Forte for another four yards.
Third down: Incomplete pass to Desmond Clark. Now it’s time for Bears fans to boo.
2nd drive
First down: Gives to Forte for three yards. Yawn.
Second down: And. He’s. Almost. Sacked. But he tosses the ball to Forte on his way down for a loss of one yard.
Third down: He’s almost sacked. He’s knocked down. He throws it incomplete to Forte. Does Cutler have a man-crush on Forte?
3rd drive
First down: When you are a trending topic on Twitter because of how pitiful your start has been, you better do something special. Throwing it to Forte again isn’t it. Five-yard gain.
Second down: Forte gets it for a first down.
First down: Greg Olsen makes an appearance, catching a pass over the middle for a first down.
First down: Cutler to Forte for no gain.
Second down: Throws to Hester, who jumps for it, catches it, then falls but stretches forward just short of a first down.
Third down: Here we go! A 25-yard pass to Desmond Clark for a first down. No boos now.
First down: Forte takes another handoff then rolls out to pass. He throws it away. Rex Grossman would have tried to force it.
Second down: Hands off to Forte for a yard.
Third down: Passes to Forte for a yard. Is this getting old?
Fourth down: Field goal.
2nd quarter
1st drive
First down: Completes a pass to Clark, who breaks a couple of tackles for a five-yard gain.
Second down: Cutler hands off to Kevin Jones for a yard. Is he cheating on Forte?
Third down: Out of the shotgun, Cutler is hurried, and he underthrows it to Garrett Wolfe. Where are our receivers?
2nd drive
First down: Thanks to Hester’s punt return, Cutler starts from the four. He hands off to Forte for three yards.
Second down: Forte leaps for a touchdown after taking a handoff from Cutler.
3rd drive
First down: It’s a handoff to Forte again for two yards. Didn’t the Bears get Cutler so we’d have a passing game too?
Second down: Fires a laser to Devin Aromashodu, but it is broken up.
Third down: Threads a pass to Earl Bennett for a 16-yard gain and a first down.
First down: First and 15 after a penalty, but it doesn’t matter. Cutler to Olsen for 21 yards.
First down: Gives it to Forte for a yard.
Second down: Long, bullet pass to Olsen again. Fifteen-yard gain.
First down: Goes to Clark for nine yards, but offsetting penalties nullify the play.
First down again: Aromashodu catches a pass for eight yards.
Second down: Rolls out, heaves it to Aromashodu at the goal line, but it’s underthrown a bit and is broken up.
Third down: Quick pass to Hester for a first down. Cutler seems to be in a rhythm now.
First down: Tipped pass incomplete. Then he’s thrown down for a roughing the passer penalty. The Broncos really hate Cutler.
First down: Complete to Bennett, Cutler’s Vanderbilt buddy, for eight yards.
Second down: Incomplete to Bennett. Here come the boos again.
Third down: Cutler buys time with a short rollout then completes a TD pass to Forte.
Cutler’s stats: 15-of-21 for 144 yards and one touchdown.
