Brady good model if Cutler is paying attention

Week after week, year after year, former Pro Bowl quarterbacks come through town as analysts first in Denver and now in Chicago and wonder if Jay Cutler understands the commitment it will take to be great.

They say there's a big leap from physical ability and knowing the system to the inherent need to achieve greatness and knowing opposing defenses as well as they know themselves.

Enter Tom Brady, whose pre-snap reads Sunday found consistent weakness in a Bears defense that is considered among the NFL's best.

And to hear New England receiver Deion Branch describe Brady's desire to learn and improve even at this point in his Hall of Fame career is reminiscent of the best days of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

“He's so dedicated to understanding everything the offense and the defense is doing,'' Branch said. “He's very serious about what he does. Very serious about his business.

“He and (coach) Bill Belichick are probably the two most serious people I've met. They are all about their jobs.''

Pats tackle Matt Light, who has protected Brady for 10 years, says it's inspiring to watch Brady work.

“He puts in the time to study his craft and he forces you to work harder,'' Light said. “He can see holes in defenses that some players on those teams, I would guess, don't even see.''

In other words, he sometimes knows the defense better than the defense.

“He wants everything that's out there, never wants to give in, never wants to come off the field,'' Light said. “He always wants more.''

Sounds a bit like Jordan and Woods, and explains that 59-yard TD pass to Branch as time expired in the first half Sunday, giving the Pats a 33-0 lead.

Branch said the New England staff asked Brady to take a knee, not wanting him to take an unnecessary hit in the waning seconds, but Brady said on his Boston radio show Monday morning that he had a better idea.

“We didn't have much to lose. The clock was running out. I saw the coverage,” Brady said. “It's tough for the safeties to move in those conditions.

“We kept talking before the game that if they were in a Cover-2 look, we wanted to try to get (Rob Gronkowski) up the seam and the outside receiver up the sideline.''

Charles Tillman let Branch bust right past him down the sideline, and with a second vertical route at safety Major Wright, all it took was a pump from Brady at Gronkowski and Branch had 10 yards on the nearest defender.

“I looked at the safety and he was backing straight up,'' Brady said. “I kind of looked at him and gave him a little pump to hold him, and to hold the corner a little bit, and Deion raced by him.

“I was almost laughing. I couldn't believe it. It was a very exciting play. I don't think those happen very often, so when you get them you have to be very thankful.”

As tough as it was for Bears fans to see their beloved get whacked Sunday, you have to respect that commitment to greatness.

Especially greatness that never rests.

The good news

As bad as that beating was Sunday, the Bears are still in a great spot in the NFC.

With a win next week against Minnesota playing a team forced into a short week on the road instead of a Sunday home game and a Green Bay loss at New England probably playing without Aaron Rodgers the Bears win the North.

A win would also pretty much clinch a home playoff game, and they still have an excellent shot at the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.

Meanwhile, if the Vikes are forced to a neutral site, and with the Jets' offense terrible and Rodgers hurt, the last three games don't look all that daunting anymore.

And considering how things have gone for the Bears this year, it wouldn't shock anyone if Atlanta or New Orleans suffered a major injury, lost home field and were forced to play the Bears at Soldier Field instead of home in the dome.

It's reasonable to think a top seed and home field would be a ticket to Dallas for the Super Bowl.

The quote

Lance Briggs on losing to New England: “We just have to play better to beat a team like that. You can't expect to do what we did and win.''

That, however, was from Nov. 26, 2006, after a loss at Foxborough.

This was from Sunday: “You can't play the game we played and think we can beat the best team in the AFC.''

But Briggs added, “This will be good for us. Sometimes you need a good butt-kicking. We were believing everything people were saying about us. This should knock some sense into us.''

Timing award

GM Jerry Angelo was bragging before Sunday's game about the great focus of his coaches and players, who then went to sleep with five seconds left in the first half and gave up a touchdown as time ran out.

Oops.

Home or road?

If next week's Minnesota game winds up in Indy or Detroit, expect 98 percent Bears fans in the joint and a huge noise advantage for the Bears against a team that has nothing for which to play.

And finally …

Tommie Harris on getting thumped by New England: “I think there's only one (Bill) Belichick and one (Tom) Brady in the NFL.''