NFL: Bears Head to Oakland Without Cutler

It’s never a good idea to be the guy that brings a knife to a gunfight. The Bears have no choice on Sunday as, with Jay Cutler out, they turn to Caleb Hanie to lead them into the Black Hole. Al Dannity breaks down the match-up.

Extent of this loss
Caleb Hanie stunted the Bears attack horribly in NFC Championship game last season and he was only on for half a game. Despite having time to prepare with Hanie this week, it’s tough to see Chicago’s offense doing anything of note for the rest of 2011. Jay Cutler wasn’t exactly setting the NFL on fire but with a healthy 7.4 yards per attempt and 13 touchdowns against 7 interceptions he was a solid starter. Now Chicago is lumbered with a quarterback whose first passing attempt of the season will come in one of the most daunting environments in the NFL. Travelling to the Black Hole is going to be a whole new experience for a man who last saw significant action playing in the Mountain West Conference.

In the Silver and Black corner
Timing is often so crucial in the NFL. The Bears were stuck without a decent alternative on the free agent market to replace Cutler. The Raiders had no such problem when they lost Jason Campbell. Admittedly they paid a king’s ransom for Carson Palmer, one he is by no means worth, but the former Bengal is the man I’d rather have under center in this battle. Palmer has improved his pass completion percentage in each of his four appearances for the Raiders. Having given up 6 interceptions on his first two outings, he has thrown 3 touchdowns against just 1 pick in his last two starts. That’s the sign of a quarterback who is becoming more familiar with his offense.

The verdict
Quotes we can expect to hear from the Bears this week include “Caleb’s a natural leader” and “We’re going to pull together.” These, or words similar to them, are the things players and coaches say when they know they are irreparably damaged. Cutler may not be flavor of the millennium but he’s a lot better than the alternatives in Chicago. Hanie is going to find out what it’s like to face a playoff contender on the road. Even Matt Forte will be of little help as the Raiders will expect the run more. This isn’t going to be pretty. I like Oakland to win with ease on Sunday.