Bears quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a concussion in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans and was ruled out for the second half of the Bears’ 13-6 loss at Soldier Field.
Cutler endured an ugly helmet-to-helmet hit from Texans linebacker Tim Dobbins late in the second quarter after he scrambled and completed a pass to Devin Hester.
Dobbins was called for unnecessary roughness, but his penalty was negated because it was determined that Cutler threw the ball when he was past the line of scrimmage.
Cutler, though, didn’t immediately leave the game.
After laying on the field for several moments and getting up slowly, Cutler finished the first half. Cutler actually scrambled for an 11-yard gain and a first down on the first play after he got hit in the head by Dobbins.
“He took a lot of hits, more than he needed to take,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said. “No symptoms until the half. He took some shots. We just know, at the half, that’s when he did have symptoms.”
What were his symptoms?
“Whatever the symptoms are for a concussion,” Smith said. “I’m going to let the doctors handle that. I just know he couldn’t go back in the football game. I try not be Dr. Smith very often.”
Smith said he’s hopeful that Cutler can play next week against the San Francisco 49ers.
“We’re hopeful, but you can’t go that far,” Smith said. “We just know he had symptoms, which started clearing up after the half. When a guy doesn’t finish the game, you’ve just got to go with that right now.”
Cutler had a forgettable first half for the Bears. He was 7-for-14 for 40 yards and had two interceptions. Cutler was not sacked in the first half, running for 37 yards.
Jason Campbell replaced Cutler in the second half after he was ruled out with a concussion. Campbell completed 11 of 19 passes for 94 yards, but most of that came on a 45-yard completion to Brandon Marshall.
“At halftime when we came in, Jay told me, ‘Hey get ready. I’m not sure right now of the status of my injury. Just get ready to go out and play the second half,’ ” Campbell said. “From that standpoint on, the coaches came out and said ‘You’re in, let’s roll.’ “
