Evaluating the Bears chances without Jay Cutler

Despite a satisfying victory against San Diego on Sunday, bringing the Bears to 7-3 and looking to take the Wild Card with ease, Sunday turned into a miserable day for the Chicago Bears. A few hours after the game, the Chicago media broke reports that Jay Cutler had broken his thumb and would need surgery, leaving him out 6-8 weeks. The Bears confirmed the injury and said that Cutler would have surgery on Tuesday, but declined to comment on a timetable.

This, of course, has caused many Bears fans to panic about the team's chances. Some are questioning whether or not the playoffs are possible anymore. Today, we are going to take a deep breath and evaluate the Bears chances for the rest of the season.

While the injury has caused panic in Chicago, and rightly so, it is important to remember that the Bears running game is superb. Matt Forte is having the season of his life despite a slight decline in recent weeks, and Marion Barber, a power back, has been a pleasant suprise. Forte as well as the defense will have to step it up as we move forward, but I don't see any reason why that isn't possible. Remember when the Bears went all the way to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman at quarterback? Now all they need to do is win a few games.

There is the possibility of the Bears bringing in a veteran QB to take over until Jay is possibly well enough to play. Names like Mark Bulger and Brett Favre have been brought up. I would be quite optimistic with Bulger at starting QB, but not Favre. Nonetheless, Caleb Hanie has some primetime experience after Cutler went out with a knee injury last year in the NFC Championship, and he is definitely one of the better back-up quarterbacks in the NFL.

Now, let's evaluate the schedule that this Bears team must face without their quarterback. It really isn't that bad. The first stretch of the seaosn was much more difficult than the second half, working out well for the situation. Next week, the Bears face Oakland, which is their toughest game for the remainder of the season other than Green Bay on Christmas Day. They also face Kansas City, Denver, and Minnesota. If they can win 3-4 games, which I believe they could do against the Chiefs, Seahawks, Vikings, and possibly the Broncos, they would be 10-6 or 11-5.

Is that good enough for the playoffs? Two teams can win the Wild Card, and right now the top contenders are Chicago (7-3), Detroit (7-3), Atlanta (6-4), and the New York Giants (6-4). The Lions have a very tough schedule ahead, playing Green Bay twice. The Giants do as well, having to play Dallas twice, Green Bay once, the Saints once, and the Jets once. Atlanta's is not so tough, but they do face the Saints and Tampa Bay, each once. I expect the Giants to fall out of the race with their schedule, making it a three-way race for two spots, unless another team pops up. The Bears have a head start on Atlanta, leading them by a game, and Detroit's schedule puts them at a disadvantage.

Ovwerall, I think that the Bears' shot at the playoffs is not as dim as some may make it seem, but that goes without saying that the defense is definitely going to have to pick up their game. The game against the Broncos will be crucial, as it is possibly the difference between 10-6 and 11-5. We will see how it goes as we move forward, but you never know. With Cutler's toughness, he could be back before the Denver game. Afterall, he's got some unfinished buisness with them.