Over the past six years, if anybody tried to make the argument that Jay Cutler was a better quarterback than Aaron Rodgers, they were hailed as the greatest stand-up comedian since Richard Pryor and George Carlin. While Rodgers was winning MVP awards, going to the playoffs and getting a ring; Cutler was “killing” coaches, suffering untimely injuries and establishing a reputation as the most reckless quarterback in football.

One is a Hall of Famer, the other is destined to be the greatest tease of all-time. There is no way the thought of Cutler playing better than Rodgers could ever be conceivable. So it must be a literal shock to the doubters and haters when it was pointed out recently that, according to the stats, that is indeed the case.

#Bears First-and-10: For the first time as a Bear, Jay Cutler (98.7) has a higher passer rating than Aaron Rodgers (90.3) over a 6-game span — Mark Potash (@MarkPotash) November 17, 2015

Since returning from his groin injury in week 4, Cutler has thrown for 1, 700 yards, 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions with a 66.6 completion percentage. Over that same span Rodgers, the reigning MVP, has 1, 499 yards, 11 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 60.0 completion percentage. The advantage may seem slight by the numbers but it still proves that for the first time in his career that Cutler is playing as good as an elite quarterback.

He also holds another decisive edge this season in the stat category: fourth quarter comebacks. Jay has led the Bears to three of them this season. Rodgers has one.

25-yard full-extension one-handed TD catch to take a late 4th quarter lead.

Zach Miller are you kidding?? #CHIvsSD https://t.co/wfSzYnPw8k — NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2015

There is one area that Rodgers is superior in this season, to the delight of many Bears fans, is bad body language. That’s right, a category Cutler used to own is now one the supposedly unshakeable Discount Doublechecking heavyweight champ has claimed. Thanks to a recent three-game losing streak the Packers quarterback has been called out by social media for his poor reactions on the sideline during the losses.

Aaron Rodgers is not pleased with Mike McCarthy's foolhardy clock management. pic.twitter.com/W8GpAxTL8l — Tim Ring (@timringTV) November 15, 2015

Checking your grades after a test

https://t.co/ceUqcOZA7J — Comedy Central (@ThirtySecComedy) November 16, 2015

Sports journalist get all over Jay Cutler for poor body language. But Aaron Rodgers is worse. #baby #packers — True Gilbert (@gilbert_true) November 15, 2015

Aaron Rodgers body language is brutal. Leaders act way different than he has been today — Kevin Dickie (@AcadiaAD) November 15, 2015

Aaron Rodgers has awful body language and it drives me crazy. — Brittany Ammerman (@briammerman) November 15, 2015

Aaron Rodgers with Cutler-esque body language. Gimme Staff and rah-rah attitude any day of the week. — Dan Bucholtz (@danbucholtz) November 15, 2015

In the grand scheme a lot more will have to be accomplished before Jay Cutler can ever hope to gain the same credibility that his chief rival enjoys. Still, even if it’s for this one stretch of games the city of Chicago has been offered proof that maybe the trade made for him back in 2009 wasn’t such a grave miscalculation after all.