John Fox On Bears' Quarterback Situation: 'We Don't Have A Plan'
(CBS) Remember the days of former Bears coach Lovie Smith declaring "Rex is our quarterback" so often? Those days are long gone with John Fox.
Following Brian Hoyer's latest efficient performance -- a 397-yard outing in the Bears' 29-23 loss to the Colts on Sundy -- Fox wouldn't discuss whether Jay Cutler will return to his starting role when his thumb sprain heals.
"We don't have a plan," Fox said Monday at Halas Hall. "Right now we've got two guys healthy in Matt Barkley and Brian Hoyer, and those are our quarterbacks right now. I think all our focus is there right now."
Cutler was injured in Week 2, with Hoyer taking over that game. He's started the last three weeks for the Bears, with the team going 1-2.
Sunday in Indianapolis brought Hoyer's best performance, in which he was 33-of-43 for 397 yards and two touchdowns.
However, Hoyer missed on the potential game-winning play. On fourth-and-8 late in the fourth quarter, Hoyer assumed a two-man coverage and a double team on Alshon Jeffery and didn't see his top target was wide open. Hoyer instead threw to Cameron Meredith, who couldn't make the catch. The Bears wouldn't get the ball back.
"It could have been an option," Fox said. "I don't know that you can be super-critical. When you're out there playing quarterback, it looks a little different than when you're up in the press box having hot dogs."
Week 6 brings the Bears (1-4) a matchup with the Jaguars (1-3), who have seen struggles of their own.
First come questions to how Cutler would handle being benched.
"We're managing it well," Fox said. "It kind of is what it is and everybody on the team knows that Brian Hoyer is the quarterback right now and that's where all our focus is going. I think Jay understands that, too. Moving forward, I can't predict the future, otherwise I'd be in a different line of work. But I think everybody's handling it professionally."
