Thoughts on a 24-20 loss to the Eagles …

It starts and ends with Cutler.

So often this season, it’s easy to assess blame in several different directions. Sure, Cutler just threw a ton of picks, but he had no time to throw passes because the offensive line couldn’t contain. Yeah, Cutler didn’t get the Bears into the end zone, but it doesn’t matter: the defense just gave up a ton of points. But last night, it was hard not to start and end with Cutler.

There’s the obvious: he overthrew Greg Olsen and Devin Hester on consecutive plays in the end zone. Both were open. Hester was wide open. As Chris Collinsworth, and later Tony Dungy commented, it seemed like Cutler was trying too hard not to throw interceptions, and was letting the five picks against the 49ers affect his play last evening. It was hard not to agree with this assessment.

There was also another overthrown ball, on the Bears’ second-to-last possession of the game. It was a sure touchdown pass to a streaking-down-the-sidelines Johnny Knox who had outrun Sheldon Brown, the same Sheldon Brown who was coming off a hamstring injury. Cutler deserves more of a pass for that one, because it was a very long throw, and accuracy can suffer. But it spoke to Cutler’s whole game: he was short, long, left and right all game.

The first half was particularly frustrating, because besides the two straight overthrows, the Bears made it to the red zone twice, and had to settle for field goals.

He only threw one pick, which is progress. But it was to essentially end the game, just like last week. And yes: it was on a bit of bad luck, as Tracy White tipped the ball in the air, which allowed Sean Jones to run up and haul it in.

But, as Collinsworth noted, Cutler tipped his hand that he was throwing to Greg Olsen, and that’s why the Eagles got a hand on ball to tip it in the air in the first place.

In a game the Bears otherwise played well enough to win, it was Cutler’s performance which kept them a bit short of a victory.

Let’s hope some of those word Donovan McNabb told Cutler after the game sink in, eh?

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When the Bears go to Seattle on Sunday, Matt Hasselbeck would like to play in spite of his broken rib. This is in spite of the fact that when the injury happened, Hasselbeck couldn’t breathe and had to be rushed to the hospital to make sure there were no internal injuries. He couldn’t breathe easily until he was given medication for the injury.

Of course, broken ribs are common in the NFL and players play through them. Jason Witten broke a rib last year and missed two weeks, but his production was down for another two weeks afterwards. And doctors don’t tell football players to wait until the rib is healed to play. Rather, for example, Donovan McNabb needs to wait until his rib gets “sticky” — meaning that the fracture is healed to the point where the rib doesn’t move around — and then he can play again.

So assuming that Hasselbeck’s rib isn’t broken through and is still “sticky,” he probably could play. But I’m not sure that’s a great idea. Hasselbeck has only been sacked once so far this year, but the Seahawks offensive line is in pretty bad shape, owing to offseason injuries — 3/5 of the line the Seahawks have started so far this season were backups for injured players. So Hasselbeck could try to play, but the broken rib, plus any added protection he wears for it, will slow him down, and behind a somewhat weak offensive line he’s just asking to get hit and for the injury to be made worse.

Of course, this could all be talk. The Seahawks would probably like the Bears to think that Hasselbeck will play whether or not he actually is going to. After all, if the team spends the week preparing for Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace might be able to take advantage of them. But for Hasselbeck’s sake I hope he sits this one out.

The speculation is finally over. Michael Vick is not a Bear, or a Redskin, or a Bill: he’s a Philadelphia Eagle. The former Falcon signed a two-year deal reportedly netting him $1.6 million in the first year with an option in the second year worth $5.2 million.

I didn’t read/see a ton of coverage on this last night, and I’m honestly a little confused why the Eagles pulled the trigger on this. They just signed Donovan McNabb to a two-year, $24.2 million deal, which was supposed to be the “hey, you’re our quarterback, don’t you worry” move to shore up any doubt.

But Enrico from the 700 Level has a solid theory:

At the presser last night, Reid repeatedly said Vick is a quarterback — “not a utility player,” as Donovan put it. Well did the Eagles really need a backup quarterback that desperately? Was the Vick backlash worth the risk for just a backup quarterback? And a backup quarterback who hasn’t played football in two years at that? I’d say no.

Clearly the Eagles must have ulterior motives here. Andy and Donovan tore down the notion of a Wildcat offense but that seems to be the only way this move would make any sense. While they both tore it down, they also both kind of acknowledged it — Andy with his “I can’t give you all my secrets” comments and Donovan with his insane notion of McNabb actually moving to receiver for 5 out of the 70 plays a game while Vick takes over QB. The possibility of mixing in Vick here and there has to have Big Red itching at the possibility of all that chicanery. And speed. Westbrook, DeSean, Maclin, McCoy, Curtis, and now Vick. What an abundance of speed.

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The Washington Redskins made, by all accounts, a valiant effort to inquire about Jay Cutler from the Broncos. In the end, obviously, he ended up going to the Bears, but there’s nothing to say the Redskins didn’t think about offering the same package, except with Jason Campbell instead of Kyle Orton, of course.

And there’s where things get tricky — the Redskins overtures for Cutler were indeed public, and that cast a lot of light on the possibility that Campbell could be gone, putting him in roughly the same situation as Cutler. Of course, Campbell responded differently, pointing out that the NFL is a business and that sometimes, teams make trades. That doesn’t mean his feelings probably weren’t hurt.

But, according to the Redskins’ PR department, “it’s all good.” Well, that’s what the statement from Vinny Cerrato implies:

“We met with Jason today and had a candid discussion. We told Jason that when Jay Cutler became available we, like many other NFL teams, spoke with the Broncos. We are all on the same page and we are moving forward.”

Well, that couldn’t be less vague. See, “on the same page” doesn’t necessarily mean “friends” or “all cool and whatnot.” To me, it implies that Campbell needs to know two things. One, he’s not getting extended. And two, YES, they did try to trade you, just like the media reported.

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With Andy Reid benching Donovan McNabb on Sunday in the Eagles’ loss to the Ravens, there is speculation McNabb’s days with the Eagles might be numbered. (It’s always been sort of a seesaw relationship with McNabb and Philly.)

So hey, if the Eagles decide to launch McNabb heading into the ‘09 season, why don’t the Bears go after him? You know, the old “hometown boy makes good” routine. A quarterback that, though struggling at the moment, has proven to be consistently competent. We don’t get that around here much.

Or do we?

They likely will conclude they don’t need a franchise quarterback. Kyle Orton has done little wrong this season except sprain his right ankle.

If Orton continues to show growth in the final five games as the Bears contend for the playoffs, the McNabb situation becomes moot. Teams as conservative as the Bears don’t create unknowns at positions filled by players they know and like, a prudent way to shape a roster.

Yet if Orton unexpectedly regresses — and the prediction here is he won’t — the equation changes. Then considering McNabb, who will be hotly pursued, would make more sense. He is far from done even if Philly concludes that his expected $10 million salary-cap hit isn’t worth it for a team with Kevin Kolb in the wings.

Ah, the irony. With a chance to maybe sweep up a quarterback Chicago would embrace, we suddenly have a budding one behind center in the form of Mr. Kyle Orton. Funny how things work out, eh? Unless Orton crashes and burns badly — which like Mr. Haugh, I don’t see happening — The Neckbeard is our guy for the future.