Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Andrew Luck era got off to an underwhelming start on Sunday.
Luck, the top pick in April's draft, had an inconsistent debut for the Indianapolis Colts while Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears overcame a sluggish start and cruised to a 41-21 victory at Soldier Field.
Cutler, who missed the final six games in 2011 with a thumb injury, was intercepted by Jerrell Freeman for a Colts touchdown early in the first quarter but finished with 333 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-35 passing.
Offseason acquisition Brandon Marshall, Cutler's former go-to receiver in Denver, dominated to the tune of 119 yards and a score on nine catches.
Matt Forte ran for 80 yards and a touchdown while Michael Bush added a pair of short scoring plunges for Chicago (1-0), which went 7-3 under Cutler last season, then lost five of six and missed the playoffs after the signal caller went down.
The Colts, of course, finished 2-14 in 2011 and landed the No. 1 overall pick as a result.
They cleaned house in the aftermath, jettisoning revered quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed the entire season with a neck injury, and bringing in first-time head coach Chuck Pagano.
Luck, the first rookie quarterback to start for Indianapolis since Manning in 1998, went 23-for-45 with a touchdown, three interceptions and a fumble.
Donald Brown had nine carries for 48 yards and a score and Reggie Wayne had 135 receiving yards for the Colts (0-1).
Game Notes
