Jay Cutler has been without veteran receivers Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal for the bulk of the season. In addition, the Bears are without first-round pick Kevin White -- after the rookie underwent surgery in August to repair a stress fracture in his shin.
However, Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains said it's not necessarily a bad thing that Cutler has been sans his veteran targets.
"It probably was a blessing in disguise," Loggains told CSN Chicago. "It's made Jay step up, be a bigger part, bigger voice. He's run meetings, been very vocal on what he expects from each individual and I think guys have responded well to him."
Without Jeffery, Royal and White, Cutler has relied on Josh Bellamy, Marc Mariani and Cameron Meredith to handle to work load.
Cutler's completion rate currently stands at 60.9 percent -- not impressive by any means, but it's better than any of his seasons in Chicago spanning from 2009 to 2012. His interception percentage stands at 2.3 percent (four interceptions thus far). Only during his shortened season in 2011 due to a hand injury was Cutler more protective of the ball (2.2 percentage).
Cutler credits offensive coordinator Adam Gase with his adaptability to the revolving roster.
"It's hard as a play-caller, especially when you don't know who you're going to have Sunday, who you're going to have available on a Wednesday and Thursday putting in plays, who's going to be up who's not going to be (active), Cutler said. "But we're making do, (Gase) does a good job of kind of making these plays friendly for everybody and just moving pieces around."
