Survivor: Lake Forest

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler took the podium Wednesday for "Jay Day" and sounded more like Don Corleone, speaking just barely above a whisper.

Sunday in New Orleans he had his throat stepped on.

Is it painful?

"Just a little bit sore, its coming back yesterday it was worse than this so its getting better" Cutler whispered.

What else hurts? "Hips, go down the list" he answered.

Seven months after Maurice Jones-Drew and other NFL players tweeted about Cutler's toughness in the NFC Championship game against Green Bay, Cutler is getting ready for the rematch after being sacked 11 times in two games.

"I played QB and Ive been hit that hard before it doesn’t feel real good" Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice said.

Tice said, for an offensive llineman, watching your QB get hit is like watching your brother get punched.

"That should piss you off and if it doesn’t piss you off then you have the wrong guys." Tice said. He insists his reshuffled offensive line is full of it -- the right guys that is.

Still the coaches are taking the blame for putting Cutler on his back six official sacks, a dozen or so knockdowns on 48 pass attempts against the Saints.

"If you're looking for someone to blame, blame me" Martz said, admitting he is worried about the health of his starting QB. "You get close to somebody like this you worry about him, like your own kid" Martz said. "

He is probably one of the most tough, physically tough, mentally tough people I’ve ever been around. He’s incredibly tough."

Bears head coach Lovie Smith stated the obvious, "I would say we want our qb back up on his feet as often as he can." And Cutler himself isn't so sure if he's going to have to tap into his Medicare early. Can he make it through a season taking this kind of beating? "I don’t know. I don’t know" No one does.

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