The Sports Xchange

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler isn’t ruling out the possibility that he could play against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

Cutler suffered a hamstring injury against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 20 and missed last Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. The recovery time was expected to keep Cutler out at least two games.

Now he’s talking about possibly playing against the Raiders and missing just one game.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Cutler told reporters after Thursday’s practice. “We still have a couple of days left. We’re exactly where we want to be, but no one is really 100 percent healthy right now.”

Chicago was blanked 26-0 by the Seahawks without Cutler. Jimmy Clausen started at quarterback and will do so again versus the Raiders if Cutler can’t play.

Bears coach John Fox termed Cutler as “day to day” but stopped short of pinpointing a return.

“Everybody is different,” Fox said. “That’s why I don’t like putting timelines on things. I’ve had a variety of circumstances where guys have the same injuries and some guys come back faster than others. I think it comes down to how fast they heal and what their pain tolerance is. It varies so much that it’s hard to define.”

Cutler understands that being prudent might be the proper approach. He understands it could be risky if he returns too soon.

“If you do come back on a hamstring earlier than you want to, it’s definitely going to be in the back of your mind because there’s that slight pull,” Cutler said. “It’s an instinctual game out there. You’re doing things on the run without thinking. To have to worry about a hamstring and moving around is something that can weigh on you.”