NFC North teams trying to weather quarterback woes

Tom Pelissero | USA TODAY Sports

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman fended off another round of questions Monday about shuffling his quarterback depth chart once Jay Cutler is healthy, given Josh McCown's strong play during Cutler's latest absence.

"Jay is the quarterback of our football team, and Josh is our backup quarterback, and the three of us all know that," Trestman said, one day after McCown threw for 216 yards and a touchdown in a win over Baltimore. "That hasn't changed and it's not going to change, through this season."

Those questions beat the alternative, of course. Just look around the NFC North Division.

The Minnesota Vikings' season long ago descended into a mess under center, from Christian Ponder to Matt Cassel to Josh Freeman and back again on the way to 2-8.

The Green Bay Packers have lost three games in a row since Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone, forcing them to turn to Seneca Wallace and then Scott Tolzien in a fall to 5-5.

Only the Detroit Lions have started one quarterback, Matthew Stafford, to this point while the other teams have combined for eight changes and could be at 11 or more by month's end.

Yet the Bears, who will play without Cutler again Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, have kept pace with the Lions at 6-4 thanks in no small part to the 34-year-old journeyman who replaced him.

NFL Whip Around: Week 11 Go around the NFL and get post game information from the some of the biggest games this weeknd.

"That's why (McCown)'s here," Bears center Roberto Garza said, "because he can compete and that level and can fill in."

Trestman said Cutler remains "week to week" because of the high left ankle sprain he suffered in a loss to Detroit on Nov. 10 – his return to the lineup after sitting out the previous week because of a torn groin muscle.

Cutler, 30, was wearing a cast as he limped out of the Bears' locker room after Sunday's win over the Ravens, in which McCown rebounded from a sluggish start and made two clutch throws in overtime.

"He plays to his strengths," Trestman said of McCown, who hasn't started three games in a season since 2007 with the Oakland Raiders. "He tries to keep things simple in terms of how he does things. And he's got great work ethic."

In four appearances this season, McCown has five touchdown passes and no turnovers – a stat Trestman harps on every week and one any coach would stress with a backup quarterback.

Tolzien, 26, has five turnovers in his two appearances for the Packers, who called him up from the practice squad days before his NFL debut in relief of an injured Wallace (groin).

"Our turnover ratio is clearly not where it needs to be," McCarthy said Monday, but also complimented Tolzien for his big-play production and announced he'll start again this week.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier couldn't even say Monday who his starting quarterback will be Sunday at Green Bay after Ponder committed three turnovers and was benched in favor of Cassel late in Sunday's loss at Seattle.

It could be Ponder or Cassel or even Freeman against the Packers, who will risk falling two games back in the division if their backup plan proves worse than the Vikings' three-headed monstrosity.

"Just trying to determine what's the best thing to do based on where we are and what we're trying to get accomplished," Frazier said.

There's not much left the Vikings can accomplish. For everyone else, though, the division is there for the taking – and the quarterback changes aren't done yet.

The Lions play host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, then the Packers four days later on Thanksgiving Day, which Rodgers has said he's targeting for his return.

The Bears visit the Rams and then go to Minnesota on Dec. 1. It remains to be seen if Cutler, who has a lot on the line in a contract year, is ready for that one.

"We're going to be very, very careful," Trestman said.

At least this time Chicago appears to have a viable backup plan, given the struggles of Todd Collins, Caleb Hanie and Jason Campbell in that role in recent years.

In eight games this season started by Cutler, the Bears have averaged 364 yards and 29 points. In two games started by McCown, they've averaged 380 yards and 25 points – and won both."

"Even Josh said it – Jay is the starting quarterback for this team. He's the leader of this team," Garza said. "Josh is our backup. He's playing really good football right now – there's no question about that."

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