Quarterback Jay Cutler was very plain and to the point on Monday, speaking on his local radio show a day after the Bears lost the season opener 23-20 in overtime to the Buffalo Bills.
"This one hurts," Cutler said on WMVP AM-1000's 'Waddle and Silvy Show.' "To do really good things on the field and then to not be able to pull off an overtime home opener, it's tough."
Cutler addressed many specific moments from the game, including the injuries his offensive teammates suffered, his two touchdown passes and his two interceptions. He said the team has already moved past the loss and is focused on the upcoming game versus the San Francisco 49ers. The quarterback was especially hard on himself for the interception he threw with 8:01 remaining in the fourth quarter. With the Bears and Bills tied at 17 and Chicago facing a 3rd-and-1, Cutler rolled out and threw a pass that was intercepted by Buffalo defensive tackle Kyle Williams. The turnover took place with starting wide receiver Alshon Jeffery on the sideline after sustaining a hamstring injury.
"The last interception was a tough one I have to throw the ball away or run. I have to do better in those situations," Cutler said. "No matter what the situation was, I got to do something better.
"Anything would have been better than what happened."
Jeffery wasn't the only offensive starter to be hurt during the loss. Fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall, along with offensive linemen Roberto Garza and Matt Slauson, all left the game at some point because of injuries; only Marshall returned to action. The team did not announce the status of the injured players for the game against the 49ers.
Cutler said a main key to this week will be becoming more comfortable with receivers Santonio Holmes, Josh Morgan and Michael Spurlock, all of whom will be pressed into larger roles if Jeffery is unable to go or Marshall is slowed down a bit. The quarterback also mentioned he was pleased with the job Brian de la Puente and Michael Ola did filling in on the line.
"You start losing multiple guys and it's gonna be tough," said Cutler. "(General manager) Phil (Emery) has done a great job putting this roster together."
Now the attention turns to San Francisco. The Bears are flying out to the West Coast on Friday, as coach Marc Trestman wants the team to become acclimated to the time difference before Sunday night's game. The team traditionally has traveled to road games on Saturdays, but Cutler said he is eager to try something new if it results in a win.
"We're going out on Friday, which I've never done," Cutler said. "I don't mind it. But if it works, then I like it."
The show also included some laughs, especially when a listener critiqued Cutler for his clothing. Cutler hosted the show while wearing a shirt with a buffalo on it, which led the listener to wonder if the quarterback had done it intentionally.
"You caught me," Cutler said with a laugh to the listener. "Of course I didn't notice (this). Otherwise I wouldn't have worn it."
