The Chicago Bears were bracing for an injury to Jay Cutler long before the season started. Now, they'll see just how prepared they are. Cutler will miss Monday's game at San Francisco because of a concussion, leaving the Bears without their starting quarterback. The team announced the decision Friday, meaning Jason Campbell is the likely starter against the 49ers. Star receiver Brandon Marshall said Cutler is getting better, but he also said there's a bigger picture that goes beyond this week's game. ''Our life, our health, is more important than football,'' Marshall said. ''I think we'll get Jay back sooner than later.''For now, the Bears believe they have enough to get by. They brought in Campbell in the offseason for a situation like this, and he found out before Thursday's practice that he'll be starting. ''You definitely don't want to see anyone get hurt or injured in this business,'' said Campbell, who's made 70 starts in his career with Washington and Oakland. ''We understand it is a tough sport. Sometimes, things like that happen.'' Coach Lovie Smith would not say if Cutler will make the trip to San Francisco. Players need to be cleared by team physicians and an independent neurological consultant before they can return, under NFL safety protocols. It's possible that the Bears could hold him out even if he gets the OK from doctors. When asked about that, all Smith would say is: ''He's not playing this week, and that's about as much as I'm going to go into it.'' He added Cutler is getting better and the Bears hope to have him back for the game against Minnesota on Nov. 25.
The news wasn't surprising to Nick Foles. Or anybody else, for that matter. After all, the Eagles rookie quarterback had practiced with the first team all week, and the starter at his position, Michael Vick, hadn't even touched the field since he left it with a concussion six days ago. So, when Philadelphia coach Andy Reid on Friday officially ruled Vick out of Sunday's game vs. Washington, and named Foles the starter, there weren't many out there shocked by the expected proclamation. Certainly not the third-round pick from Arizona who has been preparing for his first NFL start his whole life. ''We've had a great week of preparation, a lot of hard work, and it definitely has sunk in,'' Foles said. ''I'm ready to go.'' Eagles fans certainly hope so. Vick, meanwhile, will be resting this weekend, and spending time in ''in dark, quiet places,'' according to head trainer Rick Burkholder, who spoke to reporters at the Eagles training facility on Friday. ''He has too many symptoms for us to even exercise him,'' Burkholder said. ''He's not even close to playing this week.'' Reid finally made the announcement official after the team's final practice of the week, confirming a decision that had been in the works since Monday. It was only because Vick had not completed the league-mandated concussion testing earlier in the week, that Reid did not officially rule him out earlier. ''That was one of his goals, obviously, to stay healthy all season. He's a very considerate guy, and he feels like he lets people down, and his teammates down,'' Reid said of Vick. ''And that's not the case, he's hurt. But he's one of the most competitive, toughest guys I've been around.'' ''Right now, he currently has symptoms. He's had symptoms all week since the game. He's had a headache, which has gotten better during the week. He's foggy. He's not very alert right now in terms of he just doesn't have that energy,'' Burkholder said. ''He's tired all the time, he's slept a lot, and he's not getting rid of that fatigue. I would consider him heavy eyed. ''When I talk to him, he's just not the Michael Vick that I know when he's healthy.''
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