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 The veteran backup has played well filling in for the injured Jay
Cutler, and he'll get another opportunity when the Baltimore Ravens
(4-5) visit Soldier Field on Sunday.
"Sometimes everything is life is just about opportunities and when
things happen," McCown said.
Right now, good things are happening for him, if not the Bears
(5-4).
They've dropped four of six following a 3-0 start amid mounting
injuries, with Cutler (high left ankle sprain) and cornerback
Charles Tillman (torn right triceps) going down in last week's 21-19
loss to NFC North leader Detroit.
Cutler was wearing a hard cast on Thursday that coach Marc Trestman
called "precautionary" to stabilize the ankle.
He said it swelled up on Monday.
Cutler injured the ankle in the first half against the Lions. The
Bears finally turned to McCown for their final possession, and he
nearly pulled off the comeback, throwing a touchdown to Brandon
Marshall.
The two-point conversion failed and the Bears came away empty-handed
after a surprising win at Green Bay the previous week.
But on a positive note for Chicago, McCown delivered again, just as
he did at Washington on Oct. 20 after Cutler injured his groin. And
just as he did against the Packers.
In three games, McCown has completed 42 of 70 passes for 538 yards.
He has four touchdowns without an interception, and he has the Bears
believing they're in capable hands until Cutler returns.
Considering the route he's followed, that's pretty impressive.
A third-round draft pick out of Sam Houston State by Arizona in
2002, McCown was coaching high school football in North Carolina
when the Bears signed him late in the 2011 season. Back then, Caleb
Hanie struggled after Cutler broke his thumb, and McCown wound up
making two starts.
He got released by the Bears the following August and rejoined them
in November. But with Jason Campbell backing up Cutler, he did not
get into a game last season.
Until now, his biggest contribution with the Bears might have been
his connection with Cutler. And if that's the case, McCown's just
fine with it.
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He understood he probably wasn't going to get much playing time, so
the question in his mind was this. "How can I add value to our team?" he said. "I
can add value by being a good teammate not only to Jay but to
all the guys. And to just be able to help in any way possible
but then also to Jay because he plays the same position, because
I can be another set of eyes. From that standpoint, that's the
way I saw it. It's just value to the team as far as trying to
help us win a ballgame."
It's not that McCown didn't want more. It's just that he
understood his spot.
He had come to grips with the fact that he probably wasn't going
to be a starter, yet he also knew he had to be ready.
"Josh is in a great spot right now," backup quarterback Jordan
Palmer said. "He's got a really strong arm; it's not because of
the arm strength. He's very accurate; it's not because of
accuracy. If it's because of anything, it's because of his
character, because he's prepared for the last 12 years the same
way. He's worked the last 12 years the same way. He's been
preparing for an opportunity. He's got one right now and he's
taking advantage of it."
It helps that he has a coach in Trestman who has a history of
success with quarterbacks and a system that fits his skillset.
McCown might not have Cutler's rocket arm, but he makes the
right reads. He's steady. He commands the huddle.
He also has more weapons to work with than he did in 2011, with
receivers Marshall and Alshon Jeffery and tight end Martellus
Bennett in the mix.
Now, McCown's taking advantage of his opportunity. He's hearing
the kind words and he's guarding against what Trestman calls the
"success flu," when the praise gets to a player's head.
"To be playing, and to be playing with the guys I'm playing
with, and in this system, I couldn't ask for anything more,"
McCown said. "So I'm very appreciative of everything that's
going on right now."
NOTES: Bennett sat out Thursday's practice with a sore ankle.
"We're hopeful that a day off the ankle will give him a little
relief and he'll be back at it," Trestman said. ... DE Shea
McClellin (hamstring), DT Jay Ratliff (groin) and LS Patrick
Mannelly (calf) remained sidelined.
___
Online:
AP NFL website:
http://www.pro32.ap.org/
[Associated
Press; ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
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