LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Don’t expect Jay Cutler to be nostalgic on Sunday.

“I thought about it in the shower a second ago, and there isn’t [any significance to playing Denver],” Cutler said. “It’s so far removed. Coaching staff has changed. The only player I can really think of that was on the team is maybe Ryan Clady. I don’t know if there’s anybody else on that team at this point. Is that the only one? Yeah. Chris Cooper was there; he was done last year. That’s the only guy. So many things have changed since then.”

Seven years in an eternity in the NFL. Cutler began his career with the Denver Broncos in 2006, but the polarizing quarterback is more identifiable as a member of the Chicago Bears.

“Everything is different [since I played in Denver],” Cutler said. “As a quarterback, I have become smarter. I’ve learned things. I’ve got experience. I’m a little [bit] wiser in some areas. Communication is better. There are numerous things that you improve on as you go through this week.”

The improvements in Cutler’s game are easy to spot. He’s been highly effective since returning from a one-week absence on Oct. 4. Over the past six games, Cutler has thrown 11 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. He also posted a career-best 151.0 passer rating in the Bears’ Week 10 blowout victory over St. Louis.

Cuter needs another efficient performance to keep Denver’s top-rated defense at bay. The Broncos allow the fewest number of yards (277.3 per game) in the league and rank No. 1 overall in passing defense.

“Everything kind of pops off the page about those guys,” Cutler said. “Up front, obviously, they've got a ton of talent. The back end, they're talented. Linebackers fly around. They show you different looks. They play zone. They're not afraid to play man. They've played a lot of man this year. So it's challenging. It's a challenging group. That's why they're ranked so high."