SEATTLE — Converted defensive back Devin Hester pulled aside Jay Cutler on Sunday and delivered a receiver’s plea: I’m open. Give me the ball.
Cutler listened quietly. Then, with less than 2 minutes left and Chicago down by two, he obliged.
Cutler’s miserable Bears debut two weeks ago became further forgotten when he completed all three of his passes on the decisive drive. The third was for 36 yards to Hester with 1:52 remaining, on the slant the receiver had requested, rallying the Bears to a 25-19 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.
“I pride myself in that. I want the ball in those situations and I think this offense is starting to get a feel for it,” Cutler said.
When asked what Cutler’s shown him since that messy debut in Green Bay two weeks ago, Hester said: “A lot of poise. There are situations when the game’s not going to go our way, and he continues to be confident and telling us ‘Stay in the game!’ ”
The Seahawks (1-2) can no longer count on health, or home-field advantage. They missed quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, out with a broken rib, plus six other starters, and lost for the seventh time in 10 home games.
Backup Seneca Wallace converted a fourth-down pass and Seattle drove to the Bears’ 29 with 30 seconds left. But Wallace then threw high and incomplete to Julius Jones on fourth-and-2.
