Illuminating stat: Cutler is only 4-9 in night games

This is what we call a mixed message. On the gossip pages, they say Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is a nocturnal creature. On the sports pages, they say Jay Cutler gets the night willies.

In three night games this year - all Bears losses - Cutler has thrown 65 percent of his interceptions. And the Bears will play their fourth of at least five night games tonight against the Eagles at Soldier Field.

Cutler says he likes to play at night. He has told his coaches he prefers night games and late-afternoon games to noon starts. Asked about it Wednesday, he said, "It doesn't really matter to me what time we play."

His performances this season argue otherwise. In his four-year career, Cutler has played in 13 night games and is 4-9, even though his numbers with the Broncos at night mirrored his daytime career statistics. Still, what stands out most is Cutler has thrown one interception for every 20.3 attempts in night games, compared with one interception for every 34.6 attempts in day games. And yes, those numbers are a bit skewed from last Thursday's five-interception evening in San Francisco.

His opponents in night games also could be behind some of his problems. The NFL tries to schedule better teams in night games. So, in some cases, Cutler has struggled against superior defenses.