off a defender below the goal line and sent a pass

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - The Chicago Bears benched Jay Cutler on Thursday, deciding to start Jimmy Clausen against this Detroit Lions this weekend in favour of their franchise quarterback who signed a massive, seven-year deal less than a year ago. Coach Marc Trestman said Cutler will be available as the backup for Sundays game at Soldier Field, where boos have rained down on a punchless, porous team that is now 5-9 and playing out the string after starting the season with legitimate hopes of a deep playoff run. They will miss the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons. Trestman said it was certainly not an easy decision and Cutler was certainly taken aback. Shocked, I think at first, Cutler said of his reaction. Asked if he believed the team was committed to him, Cutler added: I dont know if I can answer that. Everyone would wonder that, he said. The move fuels the idea that the Bears are in a state of dysfunction and that the future of everyone from general manager Phil Emery on down is open to discussion. There has been plenty of speculation about Trestman, now in his second year, not to mention defensive co-ordinator Mel Tucker and offensive co-ordinator Aaron Kromer. Cutlers future is also in question despite the new contract. I would like to stay here, he said, adding that he would be able to play again next year for Trestman if things went that way, though we would have to figure some things out in the off-season. Cutler leads the league in interceptions (18) and turnovers (24) and he was benched after arguably his worst game of the season in Mondays loss to New Orleans. He threw three interceptions and got sacked a season-high seven times as the Bears fell meekly at home to the Saints, 31-15. That performance came after Cutler found himself at the centre of a storm last week, after Kromer admitted he was a source behind a report by the NFL Network criticizing the quarterbacks ability to identify when plays should be changed at the line. That might have sealed Kromers fate. But there could be a long list of personnel taking the fall. The defence has ranked among the leagues worst in two years with Tucker, and the offence has taken a big step back in Year 2 under Trestman. Then, theres Emery, who fired Lovie Smith after a 10-win season in 2012 and chose Trestman over Bruce Arians, how rolling with the Cardinals. He also signed Cutler to that seven-year contract at the end of last season when the Bears could have applied the franchise tag instead. Even so, the timing of the benching seems curious considering the Bears are out of contention. Trestman, who came with a reputation for getting the most out of quarterbacks, acknowledged this week that has not happened with Cutler. So the Bears are going with Clausen, the former Notre Dame star. He has appeared in three games this season and attempted nine passes, completing three. He was 1-9 in 10 starts as a rookie with Carolina in 2010 and threw for 1,558 yards that year. Carolina then drafted Cam Newton. The Bears signed Clausen in June, and he beat out Jordan Palmer for the backup job. ___ Online: AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Adidas Stan Smith Wholesale Uk . The post-season, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. Wholesale Adidas Stan Smith .C. -- With a chance to start over and maybe drive in any series he wanted, Juan Pablo Montoya thought long and hard about what mattered most at this stage of his career. http://www.cheapstansmithuk.com/ . Hes even holding a bat on one of his 2014 baseball cards. So far, hes playing like his picture. Cheap Adidas Stan Smith . Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Cheap Adidas Stan Smith Online .A. Happs hold on a spot in the Blue Jays starting rotation is in question.Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Nazem Kadri scored the deciding goal of the shootout as the Toronto Maple Leafs prevailed with a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Mike Santorelli, Torontos first shooter, made several quick moves before shooting the puck through the legs of Tuukka Rask for a good goal. Torey Krug tied the shootout with a quick wrister over the glove of Jonathan Bernier in the second round. Kadri opened the fifth round by shuffling a backhander off Rasks pad and through his legs to put the Maple Leafs ahead, and David Krejci missed the net for Boston to end the game. That was probably as good of a win as we are going to have all year, said Kadri. Phil Kessel notched his 500th career point after finishing with a goal and an assist, while James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov also scored as the Maple Leafs ended a two-game skid. Bernier stopped 25 shots in the win. Carl Soderberg had a goal and an assist, Krejci and Krug also lit the lamp and Rask stopped 18 shots for the Bruins, who were coming off a 5-2 win over Detroit on Monday. Boston stormed back to tie the game with two goals late in the second period. Krejcis offering went off Toronto defenseman Cody Franson and into the net with 4:32 to play and less than two minutes later, Krugs cross-crease dish went off Komarovs skate and into the net for a 3-3 contest heading into the third. The Maple Leafs survived a late onslaught and the game went to overtime as Bernier made nine saves and Rask made just two.dddddddddddd Boston continued its strong play by outshooting Toronto 4-0 in the extra session, but was unable to convert. Toronto started the scoring midway through the opening period as Peter Holland wrestled the puck off a defender below the goal line and sent a pass to the slot, where Komarov beat Rask with a quick shot just inside the right post. Each team scored within the first minute of the middle stanza. Soderberg tied the game just 17 seconds into the frame as he deflected Reilly Smiths point shot in front. The puck trickled through Berniers pads and Soderberg swiped it into the net for a power-play goal. Kessel raced into the offensive zone and sent a pass from the right faceoff dot to van Riemsdyk, who tapped the puck through the pads of Rask from the slot for a 2-1 score 31 seconds later. Kessel extended Torontos lead to 3-1 on the power play as he skated up to the left circle and wristed a shot off the pipe and past Rask at 9:45. Game Notes Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul left the game with a lower-body injury and did not return ... Komarov played for the first time since Nov. 29 after missing time with a concussion ... Boston forwards Patrice Bergeron and Milan Lucic both returned to the lineup after sitting on Mondays win over Detroit with undisclosed injuries ... Bruins forward Loui Eriksson played in his 600th NHL game ... The two teams will conclude the season series on Apr. 4 at TD Garden. ' ' '