Jay Cutler remains the Chicago Bears starting quarterback despite the impressive job Josh McCown has done in his absence, coach Marc Trestman told ESPN Tuesday.

McCown completed 27 of 36 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns subbing for the injured Cutler in the Bears 45-28 Monday night win over Dallas, prompting some to declare the team's starting quarterback issue a full-blown controversy.

Don't count Trestman among them. "There's no change in the plan," Trestman told ESPN of his thinking once Cutler fully heals from the high ankle sprain that has sidelined him the last four games. "We'll see where Jay is this week. He'll have to be released by the doctors. When Jay is ready to play, he'll be playing."

Overall, McCown has now thrown for 1,809 yards and 13 touchdowns in seven games, with just one interception and a quarterback rating of 109.8.

In the final year of his contract, the 30-year-old Cutler has missed five games because of a groin tear and the high ankle sprain. He's completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,908 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

ESPN reports McCown took the inevitable in stride."The team knows who the starting quarterback is, and like I said before, I know my job as the backup," he said. "I want to play efficient football, winning football and keep us in contention while the starter is not healthy. As long as Jay is healthy and ready to go, I don't think there's any question. I just want to do my part, so we'll see what happens moving forward."