“But 15 times a game? That’s not going to happen. It’s just not.”

JAY CUTLER, of Cutler’s rifle arm with a new weapon like Marshall is simply astounding.

Yes, it’s only one game. And, yes, teams in the future will be silly not to double-cover and zone up against Marshall. But nine receptions a game times 16 games does, indeed, equal 144 receptions. The most any Bears receiver has caught in a season is Marty Booker’s 100 in 2001.

The numbers are interesting because the Bears have never been a wide-open passing team.

You have the rare moments — Mike Ditka, 58 catches for 1,076 yards in 1961; Johnny Morris, 93 for 1,200 in 1964; Jeff Graham, 82 for 1,301 in 1994; Curtis Conway, 81 for 1,049 in 1996; and Booker. But nothing like where Cutler and Marshall could be headed.

‘‘The chemistry Cutler has with 15 [Marshall] dating back to their time together (with the Denver Broncos) showed up today,’’ said Colts head coach Chuck Pagano after the Bears lit up his team 41-21.

And Marshall himself is well aware of the record book: ‘‘144 would be the record,’’ he said, without even being asked. ‘‘Marvin Harrison, 2002.’’

Correct he was. The Colts’ Harrison caught 143 passes from Peyton Manning in 2002.

Obviously, the connection between Cutler and Marshall, the guy who’s bigger than you know, can’t continue at this recordbreaking pace. Can it?

Or maybe the math says it all.