Cutler sorry for poor performance

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Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler reacts after throwing an incomplete pass in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009. The 49ers won 10-6. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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SAN FRANCISCO – Without hesitation Jay Cutler stepped in front of the podium late Thursday night inside Candlestick Park after the Bears’ 10-6 loss to the 49ers and recognized the coverage facing him the next couple of days.

“I have to apologize to the defense, and the offense as a whole has to apologize,” a humbled Cutler said after throwing a career-high five interceptions.

Oh, Cutler was sorry.

And he felt badly too.

From the moment Adewale Ogunleye talked trash with San Francisco big mouth Vernon Davis during pregame warm-ups to a fourth-down stop in the third quarter, the much-maligned defense brought the intensity lacking against Arizona.

Not sure what Cutler brought to California. But a franchise quarterback cannot let his franchise down the way Cutler did against a sub-.500 49ers team. He responded to working on three days’ rest like a rag-armed pitcher.

Between now and the evening kickoff Nov. 22 against the Eagles, can the Park District petition to close Soldier Field after dark so the game can be played at noon? We can call it the Cutler Decree.

He is worse at night than a solar watch.

In nationally televised prime-time games on the road against the Packers (four), Falcons (two) and 49ers (five), Cutler has thrown 11 interceptions.

If Cutler’s play approaches average, the Bears win easily. He was brought here to stabilize the Bears at quarterback for years to come. On Thursday night, there were faults in the Bay Area landscape more stable than the Bears’ quarterback position.

On his final interception to Michael Lewis with eight seconds left, it was simply Cutler trying to make a play you wonder if he still believed he could make.

“I think it knocks you back,” Smith answered when asked about Cutler’s confidence. “But this was a team loss.”

The Bears inserted a third offensive tackle, Kevin Shaffer, and made him eligible to trick the 49ers. Given the way Cutler forced the play, it may not have mattered anyway.

Cutler faked a handoff to Matt Forte and threw a pass intended (sort of) for tight end Kellen Davis. Problem was, three 49ers defenders stood between Davis and Cutler. Cutler threw it right into the big paws of Aubrayo Franklin.

Goodbye, touchdown. Goodbye, momentum.

It was Cutler’s fourth interception in the red zone this season – he would end with five – the most in the league. And as the NFL Network cameras caught him on the sideline shortly after the play, he was scratching his head.

With the rest of us.

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