Bears vs. Cowboys: Jay Cutler is a fan of Rob Ryan

On Monday night, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Culter will try to carve up the Dallas Cowboys' defense led by coordinator Rob Ryan. However, win or lose, Cutler will return to liking and respecting Ryan and his coaching abilities after the game. ESPNChicago's Jeff Dickerson wrote of the connection between the two, and Cutler's feelings about Ryan:

"I love Rob Ryan," Cutler once said. "I think that he has always liked and respected me. I think he's a great coach, and you can just hear the energy he brings on the sidelines for those guys. I've always enjoyed playing and competing against him. I think he's one of the best in football. I've always enjoyed going against the guy."

The history of Culter and Ryan, which goes back to the mid-2000s when the Bears signal caller was a member of the Denver Broncos and Ryan ran the Oakland Raiders' defense, will add another chapter Monday. The pair has a well documented dislike for each other on the field, as they've been seen yelling at each other a few times, but off the field Culter admits its all respect.

Entering Monday's contest, the Bears' offense ranked No. 27 in total offense (290.0) while the Cowboys defense is No. 1 in total defense.