After Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo expressed his faith in Caleb Hanie earlier on Wednesday, Hanie went before media members on Wednesday afternoon to talk about stepping in for injured starting QB Jay Cutler. Everyone expects a dropoff from Cutler to Hanie, and there are rumors that Bears are looking into acquiring veteran QBs Kyle Orton and Josh McCown, but the Bears' backup says he has been told he is the starter and is confident in his own ability to run the team:
"I definitely don't want to be known as a game manager...I'm going to try to make plays. I'm not going to play scared or I'm not going to play ultra, ultra conservative. I'm not going to play dumb as well."
Hanie did not crack under the pressure when forced to replace Jay Cutler in last year's NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers, and he doesn't seem too concerned about stepping in once again for a good Bears team. Although he doesn't want to be called a 'game manager,' Hanie does seem to understand his role for the 7-3 Bears:
"I'm being asked to come in and keep the offensive momentum going the way it is, it's not like we were struggling offensively to where I've got to come in and make all these plays and save the season and start winning some games. We're on a good roll, and we have momentum. As long as I do the things I need to do, get the ball to the guys that make plays, that's my main job.''
Hanie will get an early test on the road against the Oakland Raiders this weekend. The game will be his first official NFL start.
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