With a strong finish, Jay Cutler cut down on his interceptions the past couple weeks and netted 27 TD passes and “only” 26 INTs for the season.  In the end, however, Cutler finished with a 7-9 record, leading a mediocre team to a less than mediocre record.

Changes are expected in Chicago this offseason, from the management to the coaches down to the players.  What remains to be seen is how the Bears plan on improving without the benefit of high draft picks and with fewer potential free agents depending on the status of the collective bargaining agreement.  Trading Jay Cutler may not be the most popular situation, but failing to trade him will result in an inability to build around him.

Chicago’s only chance is the fickle nature of quick turnarounds in the NFL.  Maybe Aaron Rodgers and Adrian Peterson get hurt.  Maybe Brett Favre leaves the game for real.  Maybe Chicago gets a few good bounces early in the 2010 season and has a chance at winning the division.  Maybe Olindo Mare will promise to kick against the Bears in every game next year.  That’s a lot of “maybes,” but if the Bears can find themselves with 9 wins heading into Week 17 next year, maybe a playoff berth will be in the cards.  Then Chicagoans can hope for the best, but as the last appearance by the Bears in a Super Bowl proved, building on a successful season in the NFL is never a given.

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