Imrem: Bears will never win anything with Cutler
Every game is another referendum on Jay Cutler.
Vote as you will.
I vote no.
Will the Chicago Bears ever win anything important with Cutler at quarterback?
No.
That's my final vote and no more Sundays are necessary.
Cutler should take Robbie Gould out to dinner every day this week, this month and the rest of their careers.
The natural instinct is to bash Gould for missing an easy field goal, justifiably so because a game-winning kick would have cleansed the Bears' other maladies.
Including one chronic ill named Jay Cutler.
If Gould has to be flushed based on the 49ers' result, so does Cutler. If the quarterback does his job, it doesn't come down to the kicker doing his.
Questioning Cutler has faded from fashion this season, replaced by a movement to endorse retaining him next year and possibly beyond.
Sorry, but I haven't bought into that concept and not just because of the 49ers game.
Nothing changed during this season of evaluation. I still would dispatch Cutler and determine later what other options are available.
To Cutler's credit, he didn't use as excuses an ongoing family crisis, a body slam that the 49ers applied or missing pieces from the offense.
Those qualifiers aside, Cutler kept the 49ers in position to steal away with a victory.
In a close game — the Bears' specialty — Cutler can't throw an early interception that results in an opposing touchdown. Nor can he later miss open receivers deep downfield.
Those gaffes provide the opposition with hope that translates into a rally that translates into victory.
The Bears' new coaching staff is praised for transforming Cutler from swashbuckler to whatever you want to call him — game manager, offense caretaker, complementary quarterback …
Or maybe just call him Josh McCown.
The Bears had to reduce the number of Cutler mistakes by reining in his considerable physical attributes.
The new and supposedly improved Jay Cutler's responsibilities are to limit turnovers and connect on the few opportunities for long completions.
Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to manufacture touchdowns in the red zone.
So against the 49ers, Cutler throws that 49ers' Pick-6 early, misses on that Bears' Quick-6 late and settles for field goals near the goal line.
The Bears' conservative approach did keep them in contention for the playoffs longer than most expected.
The question is whether somebody cheaper, younger and less athletic could play the same role if Cutler's arm strength, size and mobility are squandered.
Game managers aren't normally the answer anyway, but if one is employed he better resemble what Alex Smith has been in Kansas City: throw 305 consecutive passes without an interception and help win six straight games.
With Cutler, who generally has been more careful with the ball this season, the Bears did beat Smith at Kansas City before he steadied the Chiefs.
The Bears are 5-7 overall, however. Yes, a suspect supporting cast surrounds Cutler, but the quarterback has to be the playmaker in close games, and this one hasn't made enough plays often enough.
So, what does Cutler offer going forward if he hasn't prospered as a swashbuckler or as a game manager?
Emotions aside after the excruciating loss to the 49ers, Robbie Gould is more trustworthy for next season than Jay Cutler is.
If either can be called that.