NFL Fact or Fiction: Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler Will Be Next Jeff George

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Some analysts and fans think Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is underachieving.

Some might even wonder if he will underachieve like former NFL quarterback Jeff George, like Pro Football Weekly thought back in 2009.

George, who played in the NFL from 1990-2004, was drafted No. 1 by the Indianapolis Colts and had strong physical abilities.

Cutler was also a first round pick of the Denver Broncos and shouldered high expectations.

While both quarterbacks are similar in many ways, will Cutler be the next George?

Discover the answer in the following slides.

Jeff George's Arm Strength

Jeff George had a heck of an arm and a load of confidence when he was coming into the NFL.

His 6'4", 214-pound frame could throw a ball down field a long ways.

The following video shows George throw about 50-yards in the wind during this 1997 contest.

Jay Cutler's Arm Strength

Jay Cutler is said to have one of the strongest arms in the league.

That very might be the case, with Cutler zipping powerful passes to receivers.

No. 6 aired a 59-yard pass to wide receiver Johnny Knox in this 2010 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys.

Jeff George's Attitude

Jeff George could sometimes be a jerk, as the above picture demonstrates.

As an Indianapolis Colt, George made obscene gestures to fans, fought with then coach Ted Marchibroda and tried to force a trade.

George argued with then-Falcons coach June Jones on national television in 1996.

He also ignored the Oakland Raiders' offensive coordinator at times and called his own plays.

Perhaps George's worst personal attribute is his arrogance. Just last month, he said he could fill in for Peyton Manning.

Jay Cutler's Attitude

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Jay Cutler is actually a nice guy who has been vilified by the media.

Reporters and analysts alike say Cutler sulks, has negative body language while on the field and is not a leader.

During the NFC Championship Game, the media and some NFL players said Cutler "quit" on the Bears. Actually, Cutler suffered a partially torn MCL in his left knee, which would have kept a player out for three to six weeks.

Cutler never throws his teammates under the bus after a loss, including an offensive line that allows numerous sacks and quarterback hits. He can be very generous as well as evidenced by giving the o-line gifts and running the Jay Cutler Foundation.

Jeff George's College Career

Jeff George played three years of college football. One year was at Purdue, and the other two were at Illinois.

His career numbers were 6,406 passing yards for 35 touchdowns and 37 interceptions.

George's horrible 15-interception freshman year contributed to his high turnover rate.

In 1989, George had 2,738 passing yards for 22 touchdowns and 12 picks. He won the Sammy Baugh Trophy for his efforts.

At Illionis, he ranks eighth both in career passing yards (5,189) and touchdowns (31).

Jay Cutler's College Career

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Jay Cutler had a more notable college career at Vanderbilt.

Cutler had 8,697 passing yards for 59 touchdowns against 36 picks. His passer rating was an impressive 125.9.

No. 6 set school career records for total offense (9,953 yds), touchdown passes, passing yards, pass completions (710), pass attempts (1,242) and combined touchdowns (76).

He also was the first Commodore in 38 years to win the 2005 SEC Offensive Player of the Year and was First-team All-SEC.

Jeff George's First Six Years

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During Jeff George's first six years, he was a combined 30-52 as a starter.

George had 17,428 passing yards for 88 touchdowns and 75 interceptions. He completed 1,532 of his 2,613 pass attempts (58.6 percent) while having a passer rating of 78.

He was not much of a scrambler, gaining 186 yards and two scores.

He did not make the playoffs until his sixth season, losing 37-20 to the Green Bay Packers.

Even though Jay Cutler gets pounded, George suffered through 221 sacks from 1990-1995, averaging about 37 a year.

He played his last game with the Washington Redskins in 2001, though he was emergency backups for the Seattle Seahawks (2002) and the Chicago Bears (2004).

George's overall career stats total 27,602 yards, 154 touchdowns and 113 picks. He had an 80.4 passer rating.

Jay Cutler's NFL Career to This Point

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Jay Cutler has had more success than Jeff George in his first 76 games, going 38-38 with a playoff win as a starter.

Cutler has 17,440 passing yards for 112 touchdowns and 83 picks. He has an 84.6 passer rating while completing 61.4 percent of his passes (1,479 out of 2,407).

Another dimension Cutler brings is his running, where he has 856 yards and five scores.

In 2008, he was named to the Pro Bowl after throwing over 4,500 yards.

No. 6 has been sacked 157 times in his career, but 106 have come since 2009.