There is an old adage in pro sports, you don’t lose your job dye to injury. While it sounds like sports version of maternity leave, there really isn’t a lot of proof to the statement. Sports lives by the ultimate rule, what have you don’t for me lately, and unless your resume reads like a future hall of fame type – your job is on the line weekly.
During yesterday’s Chicago Bears game we saw firsthand how jobs are lost while standing on the sideline in street clothes.
The Langford Era Never Really Started
Last season the Bears drafted Jeremy Langford in the fourth round as the successor to Matt Forte. When Forte was allowed to leave, many thought Langford would fill in perfectly. Enter Jordan Howard.
Howard won his spot on the roster with a great training camp, and begun to turn heads in the second game of the season, a 15-point loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Then he continued to impress during the Week-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, when Langford was lost to injury.
With Langford out, Howard excelled. In the past two weeks he’s, accumulated 156 rushing yards, which includes his 111 yard performance on Sunday – Langford has rushed for 116 yards all season.
Bears HC John Fox on rookie RB Jordan Howard: “He’s outstanding, and we’ll ride him pretty good moving forward.”
— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) October 2, 2016
Jay Cutler’s Chicago Days are Over
There was another performance Sunday, which will certainly cause ripples throughout the team and league.
Brian Hoyer performed brilliantly, remained poised, and must importantly – gave the Bears an opportunity to win. Following his 317 yard 2 TD evening against the Cowboys, Hoyer backed it up with a 302 yard 2 TD afternoon. Most importantly however, he is earning the respect of the team.
Jay Cutler is a more talented quarterback, but this is a performance league, and John Fox is a performance kind of guy. I won’t go as far as to say Cutler has played his last game in Chicago, but unless Hoyer begins to get careless with the football – is now his job to lose.
Here’s the full transcript of the three questions Bears HC John Fox answered this afternoon about QBs Jay Cutler/Brian Hoyer: pic.twitter.com/c85a6DE8rF
— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) October 3, 2016
Hoyer isn’t the journeyman backup that one may think he is. He led a marginally talented Houston Texans team to the playoffs last season, a feat Cutler has been able to accomplish just once in his career.
While I admittedly am not extremely high on Jeremy Langford, I have always been a Cutler supporter. While unlike most Cutler haters, or “Jayters,” I have always known what he is. A guy that can perform like a top 10 QB, as well as a guy that can perform like a bottom 10 QB. He is a guy that is clumped in the middle, and that has always been alright – at least in my book. Brian Hoyer however, is the exact same guy.
With the Bears not exactly looking competitive, this being (more than likely) Cutler’s last season here, and a coach and front office that will soon feel the pressures from a fanbase that hasn’t won in 31 years – would it really be that horrible of an idea to try something different?
