Jay Cutler Injury: Dallas Cowboys Catch Numerous Breaks from Chicago Bears

Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys had a game to remember as they defeated the Washington Redskins 27-24 in ove rtime on Sunday.

Romo had another beautiful day, throwing three touchdown passes and no interceptions, while Dez Bryant hauled in three impactful catches. However, the win didn't make their day as much as the thumb injury sustained by Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

The Cowboys might have had a solid all-around game. Dan Bailey netted his third game-winning field goal and tied John Kasay for the league lead in kicking points. The Cowboys run defense came back to life, holding the Redskins to 60 yards (2.5 yards per attempt) after giving up 100-yard rushers in three straight games.

Romo couldn't have delivered much more beautifully. He delivered his third comeback victory of the season. For the first time since 2009, Romo went three straight games without throwing an interception.

Still, none of that changed the outlook for the Cowboys as much as Cutler's broken thumb. After Cutler threw an interception to Antoine Cason in the fourth quarter of the Bears' 31-20 win against the San Diego Chargers, Donald Butler threw a block on Cutler while pursuing Cason on the return that injured the thumb on Cutler's throwing arm.

On Sunday, Chicago Tribune football writer Vaughn McClure tweeted that Cutler would be out six to eight weeks with a broken thumb, adding that the Bears had no plans to place Cutler on injured reserve. Also, NFL.com reported that Cutler will likely need surgery on his thumb.

The Bears have given Cowboys gifts before with some wins.

Two Bears Wins Gave Cowboys A Leg Up on Competition

The Bears grabbed two wins earlier in the season that helped pave the way for the Cowboys.

In Week 7, the Bears knocked off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-18 to slip the Bucs to 4-3. The Bears jumped out to 24-5 and hung on to win. That day, the Cowboys beat the St. Louis Rams to go to 3-3, half a game behind the Bucs. The loss was the first of four straight for the Bucs.

One could argue that if the Bucs had managed to pull off a win against the Bears, the team would still be in the hunt. Now, the Cowboys, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons trail the Bears and Detroit Lions at 6-4.

In Week 9, the Bears dealt a crucial blow to the Philadelphia Eagles' season, beating the Eagles 30-24. The Bears held Michael Vick to 21-of-38 passing a week after big game against the Cowboys. After the Eagles thrashed the Cowboys 34-7 to remain relevant, the Bears dismissed that notion by sending them to 3-5.

A day before, the Cowboys beat the Seattle Seahawks to go to 4-4. The Bears win gave the Cowboys a decided edge against a division foe.

Cutler Injury Could Give Cowboys An Easy Path to Playoffs

The Cowboys have two possible paths to the playoffs—winning the NFC East or one of the two wild card spots. Losing two straight, the Giants gave the Cowboys a tie for the division lead. The Bears, which have been playing extraordinarily well, could have opened the path to the wild card if the Giants light it up again.

The Cowboys have an easy finish to the season.  Four of their last six games are against teams with losing records. The other two are against the Giants. Those are very winnable now that the Giants aren't running the ball well, and Eli Manning is once again playing like Eli Manning.

The Bears face a somewhat more challenging stretch run. Three of their remaining six games are against teams with .500 records. All three are on the road, and one is against the Green Bay Packers.

Can Caleb Hanie carry the Bears on the road?

Granted, some might say that the Bears are carried as much by Matt Forte as they are by Jay Cutler. Indeed, Forte is a huge difference maker. He touches the ball on 38 percent of offensive snaps. Entering Week 11, Forte was second in the league in yards from scrimmage (1,308).

However, he's hampered with the offense factoring even more on his production, and with the decimated offensive line. Last week, the Bears placed rookie tackle Gabe Carimi and guard Chris Williams, their best lineman, on injured reserve. The depletion showed as Forte gained 57 yards on 20 carries against the Chargers.

Conclusion:  Open Road Faces Cowboys in Final Six Weeks

The Cowboys have a playoff-clinching finish set up for them. The Bears could falter down the stretch without their starting quarterback. The offensive line isn't good enough to make Hanie look good.

While no team should be happy about a player on another team being injured, Cutler's injury puts the Cowboys in a favorable position.

Now, the Cowboys head towards their Thanksgiving Day feast with the 3-7 Miami Dolphins. The poor Dolphins might be hot, but the Cowboys are a good team that is hot. Not only are the Cowboys hot, but their playoff star is shining bright.