LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Caleb Hanie had little time to be jittery when he found himself thrust into the NFC championship game last January. Jay Cutler was hurt, backup Todd Collins was ineffective and suddenly third-stringer Hanie was facing the Green Bay Packers.
A trip to the Super Bowl rested on the outcome. How’s that for pressure? Hanie did OK. He led the Bears to two fourth-quarter touchdowns but also threw two interceptions as Green Bay emerged with 21-14 victory.
“Sometimes it’s better to be there and be shocked and then ‘boom’ you’re in the game because you don’t even have to think about it,” the former Colorado State star said Wednesday.
Now he’s in the spotlight again and has a little more time to prepare after Cutler suffered a broken right thumb last Sunday.
The job right now is Hanie’s, and he will make his first NFL start Sunday at Oakland as the Bears go for their sixth straight victory.
“You have the whole week to think about it so you get a little more nervous, but at the same time if you prepare the right way you’ll be confident going into the game,” said Hanie, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2008. The Associated Press
