Jay Cutler Injury: Why Chicago Bears Will Still Make NFL Playoffs

I'm sure you've read all of the articles and listened to all of the radio and television discussions about Jay Cutler and the most important right thumb on the west side of Lake Michigan.  A far cry from the NFC Championship game when Cutler was considered soft for not finishing despite having a torn MCL, but now he's the tough-as-nails QB who was on his way to "elite" status until...

The Bears were winners of their fifth straight game and looked the part of a team that could threaten the Green Bay Packers' chances at repeating as Super Bowl champions.  In defeating the San Diego Chargers, who were 4-5 going in but still remained a dark horse given their penchant for getting hot late in the season, Jay Cutler and the Bears were taking over the game when receiver Johnny Knox slipped on the Soldier Field turf and the Cutler pass was intercepted. 

That was when the fate of the Bears' playoffs chances took a turn for the worse.  Cutler broke his right thumb, will be out six to eight weeks, and backup Caleb Hanie is your quarterback.

But can the Bears still make the playoffs?

In one word, yes!

The Bears play a very easy schedule in hindsight.  No disrespect to the Raiders or Broncos, but the AFC West is in disarray and both of those games are winnable.  The Raiders run the football well and the defense of the Bears will be tested, but Oakland struggled to beat the Vikings in their last game. 

Denver's Tim Tebow is a running quarterback who doesn't throw well just yet, and that is tailor-made for the Bears linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.  Julius Peppers might be licking his chops for this game and that's a win here.  At the worst the Bears go 1-1. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are done with Matt Cassel, who was officially placed on injured reserved, so that's a win.  Afterwards, the Bears have Seattle (win), Green Bay and Minnesota (win) and it's easy to see them win two out of three of those games. That gives them a 4-2—possibly 5-1—record, and who knows where the Packers are at that point of the season—everything could and should be clinched as far as home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.  If they go into "let's-rest-up mode," the Bears can sweep the rest of the games.

How they'll do it is with strong defense and running game to go along with special teams play.  Also, consider this stat: Cutler threw for 2,319 yards this season with an average of 230 yards a game.  All Caleb Hanie has to do is be adequate.  Keep the turnovers down to a minimum and keep the defenses honest and the Bears should march into the postseason.  Running back Matt Forte will continue to prove his worth and earn his next payday—not to mention a heavy dose of backup running back Marion Barber to keep Forte's legs fresh.

This is receiver/returner Devin Hester's Hall of Fame statement season.  Field position is key in football and the Bears have two Pro Bowl returners who induce fear, if you include Johnny Knox. 

If everything falls into place, the Bears can go into the playoffs at worse 10-6, but with Hanie being just good enough, 11-5 or 12-4 isn't out of the question.  

After that, watch out, Green Bay, because the Bears will come into the playoffs as the most dangerous wild-card team and they will be back to full strength.  I may sound optimistic, but I still see the Bears in the Super Bowl in what is a wide-open year, with exception to the Packers. 

Give me reasons why I am wrong.