Pompei: Cutler plays smart, simple

[UOK]

TORONTO — Usually, it is Jay Cutler's arm that draws oohs and aahs. On Sunday, it was his head. And his feet.

Cutler played smart football and showed composure. For the most part, he didn't force throws into coverage. He took what the Bills' defense gave him. When nothing was there, he accepted it and either took off running, checked down or threw the ball out of bounds.

It was an atypical game for Cutler because it lacked some of the drama he has become famous for. But no one missed that except for maybe the Bills.

Cutler completed 17 of his 30 throws for 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The number that stood out was 0 — his interception total.

There were a couple of passes that could have been picked off, but Cutler didn't make a lot of risky throws in part because he didn't have to.

No one thinks we have seen the last of the gunslinger, however.

"He did a good job taking what was there," said tight end Greg Olsen, who caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Cutler in the second quarter. "At times we want Jay to try to make plays. That's what separates the good ones from the bad ones. He's that kind of guy who can make those special plays. We don't want to take that away from him."

His three runs (not including two kneel-downs) were pretty special. They went for 18, 14 and 9 yards. Two of them came on drives that culminated with touchdowns.

"That's something I know he wants to work on," wide receiver Johnny Knox said. "When he sees an opening, he's a great mobile quarterback. He saw some lanes and ran."

Cutler was given a chance by solid pass protection. He was sacked only one time. In previous games this year, he had been sacked an average of 4.5 times.

"Of course Jay wasn't hit a lot today, which allowed him to make a few special plays and special throws," coach Lovie Smith said. "That's what you have to do — you have to keep the pressure off of Jay and let him do his thing."

The only sack of Cutler almost lost the game for the Bears. Cutler was stripped of the ball on the fourth-quarter play, and the Bills scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive to take a 19-14 lead.

But Cutler made up for losing the football, first by converting a third-and-10 with an 18-yard pass to Olsen, and then by throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Earl Bennett.

He did exactly what he needed to do to win the football game, and not much more.