Ditka weighs in on Cutler, Hoyer and Odell Beckham Jr.

FOUR DOWNS WITH DITKA

Does the win over the Lions provide enough hope that the season isn’t lost.

After what I saw Sunday, they can beat anybody in the league if they continue to play that way. People say, “Well, they started 0-3.” So what? That doesn’t mean they can’t finish 13-3. I know it’s far-fetched, but why not think that way? If you can start 0-3, you can certainly get to 3-3, and if you can get to 3-3, you can get to 6-3, and that’s what they gotta do. They can match up with anybody. I watched Minnesota on Monday night. They’re a good football team but they are very beatable and I think the Bears have the kind of team that can beat them. I think they’re in a good position and it could be very interesting going down the road now.

Have we seen the last of Jay Cutler as quarterback of the Bears?

I think coach John Fox has a tough decision coming up. Remember, nothing is forever and you gotta do what’s best for the football team. Right now, that was a shot of adrenaline from Brian Hoyer. They’re gonna go with what they think is right for the Chicago Bears right now. Not last year or next year but right now. If they decide on Hoyer, then that’s the way they’ll go. And that’s not a slap at anybody. You’re trying to win right now. I like Jay Cutler but I was really impressed with Hoyer. You don’t have to be Tom Brady out there. You gotta be a guy that can run that offense and not turn the ball over. Hoyer did those things. Does it make him a game manager? No. What it does is it makes him a good quarterback.

What impresses you with rookie Jordan Howard?

He brings it. If you’re gonna tackle him, you better be ready. He’s a downhill runner and I like that — a lot. You need to punish the other team out there and that’s what he did. If you take a little starch out of the other team with the running game then the passing game gets a lot better.

What’s wrong with Odell Beckham Jr.?

Odell Beckham Jr.’s in his own head. You leave your ego hanging on the door when you walk into a locker room. He’s no better or worse than anybody else. He has to have other people around him to succeed just like any other player. When you start thinking you are the main cog in the machine or you are the only reason this team can win then you’re really looking the wrong way. His coach called him out and he needs to. He’s too damn good of a football player not to do the right things. Sometimes people get in your head that this Hollywood glamour thing is more important than being the athlete that I am and evidently that’s what he’s done.

EXTRA POINT: Kevin White was injured — again. Is he too fragile for the NFL?

I hope not. Sometimes it’s bad luck. My goodness, I don’t think I was ever too fragile but I went through a period where I always had a hamstring problem. I played with it but it was different back then. With the speed of the game now, if you’re hurt, you’re hurt.