There is always so much excitement around a team and city when their hometown squad adds what appears to be the final piece in a Super Bowl puzzle. Last year, in Chicago, Bears’ fans were giddy that a disagreement with a new and inexperienced head coach in Denver had paved the way for their beloved team to pick up a franchise quarterback

To fully appreciate the fervor around the Windy City one must have compassion for fans that have been forced to watch a parade of quarterbacks that toil with limited skill and little success for the home team at Soldier Field. At the same time, hated division rivals have been led by names that have, or will, end their playing days in the Hall of Fame.

Division rival Minnesota was led by Fran Tarkenton in the 60’s and 70’s while Chicago was trying to mount an attack with Rudy Bukich, Jack Concannon and Bobby Douglas. During that same time frame, Bart Starr was leading the Green Bay Packers to Championships, and during Brett Favre’s 16 seasons in Green Bay that began in 1992, he started every game for the Packers while the Bears struggled with 21 different starting quarterbacks. That list includes such forgettable players as Peter Tom Willis, Will Furrer, Steve Walsh, Steve Stenstrom, Moses Marino, Shane Matthews, Henry Burris, Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel and Chad Hutchinson.

The Bears quarterback problems were magnified in recent years when first round 2003 draft choice Rex Grossman looked like a Super Bowl winner on some Sundays, enough to guide Chicago through the 2006 NFC Playoffs, but horrible in other games which included Super Bowl XLI, a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

In Chicago, building a bruising defense was commonplace, but finding a franchise quarterback was as elusive as America winning a World Cup in soccer competition.

Yet, a year ago, Chicago was not talking about the Cubs, White Sox or Bulls, but rather almost all attention was focused on the Bears after their April acquisition of Quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos. Now, Chicago would have the triggerman to compliment their tough defense. A quarterback good enough to win a game with offensive firepower even if Chicago’s defense experienced an occasional crack in their solid stop unit.

What could go wrong here?

Well, on the 2009 season opening Sunday night primetime special, the Bears renewed their storied rivalry against the Packers at Lambeau Field … and, wouldn’t you know it, the Bears defense played well but offensively, Cutler looked like more of the same from the Chicago quarterback position.

He tossed only one touchdown while throwing four interceptions in a script that he would often follow during a disappointing 7 and 9 regular season. By year end, Cutler had tossed more interceptions than any player in the league, 26, which is a dozen more than Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers surrendered combined while leading the Vikings and Packers to the playoffs.

In Week Ten, Cutler singlehandedly tossed away a Chicago win in San Francisco when he surrendered five interceptions without completing a touchdown in a 10-6 loss. After the game, Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young broke down Cutler’s play with as much criticism of his mental problem as his physical liabilities.

“There were times when I knew it wasn’t going my way,” Young said in reflection of a few off-games during his brilliant pro career. “On those days,” Young explained, “You have to know as a player it is not your day and find a way to win utilizing whatever aspect of your team, or individual player, is playing at a level that could create a victory. After the second, certainly the third interception, Cutler should have recognized he was going to have to rely on someone else to get a Bears win … but he never did. He just kept thinking it was all up to him and all night he took away the advantages his special teams and defense were providing.”

Sound logic from a player who carried on years of glory in San Francisco after Joe Montana had established the 49ers greatness. But, a concept apparently lost on a player that seems to repel teamwork in favor of personal objectives. A really, really bad trait for a quarterback.

So, should we cross the Bears off the list of potential Super Bowl participants?

Not quite so fast.

A year ago the buzz in Chicago was followed by more disappointment and missed opportunities and as few wins as the team had collected since their 5-11 campaign in 2004. That was Lovie Smith’s first season as the Bears head coach, and he rallied his troops from that initial year of disappointment to a pair of NFC North Division titles the following two season including a trip to the Super Bowl to complete the 2006 season.

Chicago is looking again to rebound from a lost season, and today they have both the talent and motivation in place to make an unexpected rise and challenge for another division title even while competing against the favored Vikings and Packers.

Here’s why.

Of course Cutler failed last year, and in fact has the lowest point spread winning percentage of any first string quarterback in the NFL since he moved into the Broncos starting spot late in his rookie season. He failed because he was unable to ever lead the Broncos to the postseason under Mike Shanahan, but was now viewed as the savior in Chicago in his first season with the Bears.

Bad motivation.

Now, before we even open camp for the 2010 season, offer the name of Cutler as one of the best quarterbacks in the league and you will get a response from football fans that clearly indicates you must have recently been in a coma. A mere mention of Cutler being a top franchise quarterback today is akin to opening your head for people to see clearly you have no brains lodged in your cranium.

Do you see this?

Last year, before Cutler had ever led a team to the postseason, he had a losing NFL record straight-up and an even worse mark against the point spread, yet he was hailed as a great QB in Chicago. By the way, that spread discrepancy clearly illuminates that the perception of Cutler is well above his actual effectiveness. Now, Chicago is holding their collective breaths and preparing for another cold fall and winter of performances from their long-beleaguered quarterback position.

What this creates, for the first time in his career, is an environment where expectations for Cutler are actually below his actual talent level … which, from a motivational perspective, is gold.

What that leaves Smith with in Chicago is a must perform year to keep his job, a defense that thinks the fate of their team rests on their shoulders, and an offense inspired to succeed with lower expectations … which offers a huge edge in their preparation.

While the Vikings and Packers enter the 2010 season full of confidence, the Bears lurk as the most likely candidate to upset their designs on a division title with a season every bit as surprising as last year … except this season on the positive side of unexpected results.

NEXT WEEK: COLTS RIDE