(The headline as published has been corrected in this text.)
Too hot: Devin Hester
Every catch Devin Hester made against the Seahawks was a tough one. He went high, he went low, he did what dependable receivers do. He finished with five receptions for 76 yards, the dagger coming on a 36-yard catch-and-run TD on a quick slant from Jay Cutler. Afterward, Lovie Smith repeated his belief that Hester is a No. 1 wide receiver. That remains up for debate, but nobody could argue Hester’s emergence has helped a surprisingly good wide-receiving corps make an impact in both victories.
Too cold: Matt Forte
Forte gaining 66 yards on 21 carries won’t qualify for his 2009 coming out party that Bears fans wanted to see. But a few nice runs in the fourth quarter salvaged a serviceable day for the heavily scrutinized back. He can get better, and will. Forte blamed himself after the game for mediocre numbers but that was just him falling on the sword for his offensive linemen. The Bears didn’t produce a rushing first down until the fourth quarter against the same defense that one week earlier allowed Frank Gore of the San Francisco 49ers to crack the 200-yard barrier.
Just right: Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler made some mistakes–the interception he threw behind Johnny Knox and a fumbled snap come to mind. But once again his ability to come through in the clutch offset any miscues. More than completing 21 of 27 passes for 247 yards and three TDs for a passer rating of 126.4, Cutler made the clutch plays all winning quarterbacks make. It may not have been the smoothest performance, but it is the mark of an accomplished NFL quarterback when he makes just enough big plays to help his team pull out an ugly but important victory.
