Jay Cutler Injury: Why This Isn't the End for Chicago Bears QB

The Chicago Bears suffered a major setback to their 2011 NFL season when star quarterback Jay Cutler broke his right thumb in Sunday's matchup against the San Diego Chargers. With Cutler out for likely the remainder of the season, the Bears are going to have to look elsewhere to keep the team afloat.

The injury to Cutler is devastating for Bears fans, who have seen their Bears team go on a recent five-game winning streak. Cutler may still be able to return at some point this season, but that is more likely if the Bears do make the playoffs.

Cutler's injury is definitely a setback in his road to his image recovery in Chicago, but there is no reason to throw the young gunslinger out to the curb just yet.

Here is why Cutler will come back even better next year and for years to come.

He Finally Has Shown a Personality

One of the biggest criticisms Jay Cutler has received since joining the Chicago Bears is that he is cold. While Cutler is one of those guys that likes to keep to himself, Chicago fans like to be brotherly and they want to feel some sort of relationship to their star athletes.

For awhile, Cutler was holding back. This past season, though, he has finally opened up and has made himself more likable. He has been trying to repair his image through how he dresses (video above), and he has even been extremely responsive on Twitter with his fans.

Following the injury he sustained last year in the loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship, Cutler was heavily criticized, and his continued existence in Chicago was being brought into question.

Cutler has put a lot of work into changing his image, and that is one reason why he has become more likable on the North Side.

While this has nothing to do with his performance on the field, it is extremely important in the first step to keeping him on the field.

He Has Become a Greater Team Leader

Jay Cutler looks to have left his "me, me, me" personality back in early 2011. A season ago, the Chicago Bears looked divided. There was Cutler, and then there was the rest of the team. This season, they really seem to be working well together.

Most of the time, Cutler would stay alienated from the rest of the team, but this year he has been more active in cheering and leading. Although the offensive line is still nothing close to perfect, they have been playing much better, and Cutler hasn't thrown them or anyone under the bus since things have picked up.

He has become more vocal on the field, and he really seems to have control of this offense. His absence will be missed, but there is no doubt that he will be able to pick things up right where he left them once he returns to the field.

The Earl Bennett Connection

In their third season, Jay Cutler and Earl Bennett finally seem to have it going in the direction that everyone had hoped when the Bears brought in Cutler. Of course, Bennett was Cutler's primary target during his days at Vanderbilt, and many were expecting them to continue that success in Chicago.

While Bennett missed much of the beginning of the 2011 season due to injuries, he has lit things up in his last three games. Bennett has managed to catch 14 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown since returning, and it seemed like things could only get better with more time on the field. Unfortunately, that looks to be taking a set back now.

The Bears will likely re-sign Bennett this offseason, and they will only hope that he and Cutler will continue to have success. If they do, the Bears may no longer need to go out and find a receiver, as they may have had one in Bennett all along.

He Is a Winner

Since joining the Chicago Bears, Jay Cutler has an overall regular season record of 24-17 record. That record is brought down by the team's 7-9 record in 2009, but since then, the team has only been on its way up.

The Bears traded a lot for Cutler, and recently, he has been giving them much in return. The Bears won the NFC North last season, and this year, they have stayed afloat considering the strength of the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and many of the other strong teams in other NFC divisions. With Cutler, the Bears have their best chance to win.

He is a threat with both his arms and feet, and he gives the Bears many options to win. The Bears got off to a 1-2 start this season, but Cutler has led them to bounce back with a 6-1 record. Even if he misses out on the playoffs, if the Bears make it, there is no doubt that Cutler will be able to bounce back in 2012 and pick up the Bears from where he left them.