Last season, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler displayed obvious disdain toward then-offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
Cutler was so sick of being pummeled on Martz's seven-step drops with little protection that NBC cameras once captured him during a Sunday night game in October not so nicely disregarding a play call.
The sacks and big hits haven't disappeared this season, but Cutler isn't taking shots at offensive coordinator Mike Tice. When given a chance Monday on WMVP-AM, Cutler declined to lobby for another coordinating change.
"You hope not," Cutler said, via the Chicago Tribune. "It's hard for an offense and for a quarterback to get where you want to be and be consistent on a weekly basis if you're changing coordinators every year."
In his fourth season with the Bears, Cutler seems to have realized that while some of Martz's exotic play calls contributed to the offensive struggles, the porous offensive line was the true culprit. All the whining about play-calling will do little to change that fact.
Tice is the third coordinator in Cutler's four seasons in Chicago, following the quarterback's not-so-congenial departure from Denver, where he squabbled with then-Broncos coach Josh McDaniels.
The seven-year pro has had his disagreements with Tice this season, but he might have finally realized he can voice his displeasure without tossing his coach under the bus.
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.
