The Sports Xchange

CHICAGO — What began as perhaps Jay Cutler’s best day for the Chicago Bears ended in the worst possible way for him and the team Sunday.

After completing his first eight passes, Cutler threw an interception that the Arizona Cardinals’ Tony Jefferson returned for a touchdown late in the second quarter. Cutler made a vain attempt to tackle Jefferson and suffered what the team said was a hamstring injury that put him out for the day — and perhaps longer.

Jefferson’s touchdown opened the floodgates to what ended as a 48-23 victory for the Cardinals, who had been locked in a 14-14 tie before scoring two touchdowns in 52 seconds late in the half.

The Bears said nothing about how long Cutler might be out of action, but backup quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who finished the game, gave a hint by saying, “Guys have to step up when guys go down. That’s the situation we’re in right now.”

Coach John Fox said simply called Cutler’s injury a “pulled hamstring,” and gave no indication of the severity.

Chicago’s only scoring the rest of the game came on three field goals by Robbie Gould.

Arizona, meanwhile, is off to a 2-0 start behind quarterback Carson Palmer, who has won 15 of his last 17 starts. Palmer completed 17 of 24 passes for 185 yards, including four touchdowns, three of them to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald caught a game-high eight passes for 112 yards.

The Cardinals jumped on top when David Johnson returned the opening kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown. Johnson, whose kickoff return was his first touchdown in the NFL, scored his second later in the game on a 13-yard run.

What we learned about the Bears:

1. QB Jay Cutler can usually be counted on to make a big mistake. Cutler was off to such a nice start, eight straight completions and 24 yards on three rushes, that we might have forgotten his tendency for the big error, but then it happened. He tried to tackle the Cardinals’ Tony Jefferson after an interception and ended up injuring his hamstring, forcing him out of the game.

2. The Bears have to figure a way to develop a pass rush. Chicago has not made a sack in two games this season, and the Bears’ pass rushers rarely even came close against Arizona QB Carson Palmer.

3. Place-kicker Robbie Gould is developing into the Bears’ most reliable player. Gould was 3-of-3 on field goals against the Cardinals, including a 51-yarder. He is 6-of-6 this season, and four of the six were at least 40 yards.

Etc.:

–QB Jimmy Clausen started 10 games for Carolina as a rookie in 2010, but if he starts for the Bears next week against Seattle, it will be just his second start in five seasons. He would get the call if Jay Cutler is not healthy enough to play.

–RB Matt Forte continues to provide reliable performances, totaling 105 yards rushing and receiving even though he was given a rest during a second-quarter touchdown drive. His two-game totals: 202 yards rushing, 5.2 yards per carry, and nine catches for 69 yards.

–A fumbled punt recovered by RB Jacquizz Rodgers and a deflected interception caught by DE Jared Allen against Arizona are the only two takeaways in two games by the Chicago defense, which is yet to make a sack in 2015.