At least Jay Cutler didn't hit somebody

If Jay Cutler had demanded that Jerry Angelo trade him at halftime, I wouldn't have blamed him.

This is a guy who for weeks has heard relentless criticism about his team's offense. Its offense. People are unhappy with his interceptions. Commentators are comparing his stats, in a bad light, to not only Kyle Orton in Denver but to Orton this time last year with the Bears. And Cutler is keeping his cool, for the most part.

He's got a defense that makes him play from behind after the other team's first possession. (Read Nate's post for more.) He's got an offensive line that can't keep him off his back against the Cleveland Browns. He's got a right to be mad.

But, at least publicly, you haven't heard a peep out of Cutler. And they warned us about his attitude. They told us he was a loose cannon. And I'm wondering, is this guy nearing his last straw? Or is he more stable than they said?

He had some words with Rex Ryan's more-evil twin last week when the Bears couldn't punch home a late game TD again the Browns, but I have to suspect it was Ryan who started the taunting. A quarterback doesn't start something after he fails to score a touchdown, no matter how ornery he is. (And I can't trust a man that looks like Proximo from "Gladiator.") I can't think of another flare up since the preseason episode with Cutler and Hester, which was blown way out of proportion because Chicago media types had never known a quarterback in the position to pass out criticism, constructive or otherwise.

You can see it on the field. Dude is pissed. After a Greg Olsen pass interference call turned a 16-yard gain into a first-and-20 in the second quarter. When he came out in the fourth quarter firing bullets to Earl Bennett and finally one in the end zone to Olsen, his second of three on the day. (By they way, can we make sure from now on that if there is ever a red-zone play that Olsen is on the field? Put him in the backfield, put him in the slot, I don't care. Make sure he's running around in the end zone when we're 20 yards from the goal line or closer. Cutler will find him. I'm outraged that Olsen is not more often an end-zone target. And he's not even on my fantasy team.) And again when, after cutting the Cardinals' lead to 13 midway through the fourth quarter, he tried to force something into a once double-teamed, second time triple-teamed Devin Hester.

Cutler threw 47 passes. That's a season high—11 more than his previous 34 per game average. He also scrambled/ran for three “carries.” There were nine other running plays, five handoffs going to Matt Forte—who had a 6.6 yards per carry average on the day.

I've never seen a Bears team like this. A combination of injuries and lack of talent has rendered defense incapable of stopping a good offensive team. First Cincinnati, now Arizona. We're playing with a two-TD deficit early in games. In that scenario, Ron Turner, like most, leans heavily on the pass. It's not was I expected coming into the year.

It can't be what Cutler expected either. He hasn't been Pro Bowl-caliber, but he's been good—as good as can be expected of him. It will be interesting to see how he handles the rest of the season, knowing its likely unsalvageable. I'm just hoping he doesn't snap (in a bad way).