Cutler and the Bears

[Patler]

Just after the trade, I wrote this:

I've been waiting for a good thread to post this in, after the initial emotions subsided over the Cutler trade.

Last month I was at a dinner function and was seated at a table with a gentleman from Denver. He went to numerous Bronco games every year. A real football fanatic, very knowledgeable about the league and teams as a whole. (He would fit in good on this board!) He wanted to talk football all night, pro and college. Naturally, I eventually asked about his feelings regarding the Cutler trade.

He said right away that he had mixed emotions. He was glad to see Cutler gone from the Broncos. He said the guy had absolutely no leadership skills, and that he was unable to rally the team behind him. He had turned the fans off by his attitude long before the blow-up this off season. He had physical skills but lacked game skills, etc. etc. He said players seemed glad Cutler would be gone.

So, I asked, why the "mixed emotions"? The gentleman then revealed that he had lived in Denver about 15 years and had become a Bronco fan out of necessity. He actually lived his entire life before that in Chicago, was a Bears fan through and through, and couldn't stand the fact that he was stuck with Cutler again on a team he cheered for!! He said he would rather have Orton, less talented physically, but a guy who has been a winner and a team guy in college and the pros.

Was this guy right? Many Bear fans seem turned off by Cutler already, and the Chicago media is starting to turn on him after his exit from the NFCC game. Many of his team mates are saying the right things; but, do they really mean it?

Who was injured worse, Cutler who was seen walking fine and climbing stairs the same night, or Jordy Nelson who was on crutches after but never left the SB?

Will Cutler be the guy in Chicago, or will they be looking for a new QB in a year or two or three?

[MadScientist]

I'm not as down on Cutler as I wish I could be. He was injured in the NFCC game. He tried to come back and absolutely couldn't throw a pass. The fact that he could stand or walk doesn't mean he could plant and throw. I don't remember what was wrong with Jordy, but clearly he could play, although it may have added to the drops he had during the SB. Yea, you get a lot of respect for playing through an injury, but if you can't go, you can't go. His body language wasn't the best, but by his nature, he was never the heart and soul of that team. He was pretty good last year with crap receivers. If they get some real WR's, the Bears could be an annoying team for a few years. That's why I worry that Jones will go to them. Even with the drops, he'd still be a big upgrade.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Cutler had no leadership skills in Denver. He doesn't have any in Chicago. It's important to have at that position. I'm guessing the Bears will get rid of him within 2-3 years.

[Iron Mike]

Warning: NSFW

[Patler]

Cutler had no leadership skills in Denver. He doesn't have any in Chicago. It's important to have at that position. I'm guessing the Bears will get rid of him within 2-3 years.

That's the way I'm thinking. The same questions/allegations about him that came up in Denver are starting in Chicago. He has all the physical tools to be a very good QB, and he does show it at times, but there seems to be something missing.

[Tarlam!]

He comes across as a total asshole in his interviews. His team mates see those as well. I ask myself, would I follow a manager like this, and the answer is no,

Is this what they mean with "intangables" ?

[Patler]

I'm not as down on Cutler as I wish I could be. He was injured in the NFCC game. He tried to come back and absolutely couldn't throw a pass. The fact that he could stand or walk doesn't mean he could plant and throw. I don't remember what was wrong with Jordy, but clearly he could play, although it may have added to the drops he had during the SB. Yea, you get a lot of respect for playing through an injury, but if you can't go, you can't go. His body language wasn't the best, but by his nature, he was never the heart and soul of that team. He was pretty good last year with crap receivers. If they get some real WR's, the Bears could be an annoying team for a few years. That's why I worry that Jones will go to them. Even with the drops, he'd still be a big upgrade.

But that sort of begs the question, doesn't it? Was he really unable to throw? In Denver they said he was a situational quitter, a guy that would give up under certain conditions. Was he really unable to go in the NFCC game, or did he just quit? Should he have been able to suck it up and make the throws? Of course, we can never answer those questions, only Cutler can; but when you don't LOOK injured, it has to raise questions in the minds of some team mates. If it happens more than once, even more questions will be raised.

[MadScientist]

But that sort of begs the question, doesn't it? Was he really unable to throw? In Denver they said he was a situational quitter, a guy that would give up under certain conditions. Was he really unable to go in the NFCC game, or did he just quit? Should he have been able to suck it up and make the throws? Of course, we can never answer those questions, only Cutler can; but when you don't LOOK injured, it has to raise questions in the minds of some team mates. If it happens more than once, even more questions will be raised.

When he tried to throw, his pass barely crossed the LOS. When you stand and walk, you put no or little side force on your knee, but when throwing, you do. Given the report of a ligament tear, it seems reasonable that he didn't have the strength and stability in his knee to throw the ball. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this.

Under what conditions did he quit in Denver? I doubt a close championship game would be one of those conditions. Again his body language wasn't good, and he probably should have addressed it more in the post game press conference better. That might speak to his leadership skills, but I don't think his teammates will think he quit, any more than the Packers think Woodson quit in the Superbowl.

[Patler]

When he tried to throw, his pass barely crossed the LOS. When you stand and walk, you put no or little side force on your knee, but when throwing, you do. Given the report of a ligament tear, it seems reasonable that he didn't have the strength and stability in his knee to throw the ball. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this.

Under what conditions did he quit in Denver? I doubt a close championship game would be one of those conditions. Again his body language wasn't good, and he probably should have addressed it more in the post game press conference better. That might speak to his leadership skills, but I don't think his teammates will think he quit, any more than the Packers think Woodson quit in the Superbowl.

Only Cutler knows how badly it hurt, and whether or not he was simply giving in to it. Some players get taped up, sleeved up and injected to continue to play with MCL sprains, others do not. Woodson played several plays with his arm dangling from the broken collar bone. The pain he showed was much more significant. That's the problem with an injury like Cutler's.

As to his time in Denver, I don't have the specific situations; but from 2005 through 2010 I went to Denver several times a year. I often heard him referred to as a "quitter", as did the man I discussed in the first post in this string. The one that galled him particularly happened the year they had the 3 game lead in the division with three to play, and missed the playoffs. In one of those (maybe the last one) Cutler threw an interception and proceeded to walk to the sideline, as the defender with the ball ran right past him without Cutler so much as making the slightest effort to stop or slow him. Apparently Cutler was easily close enough to at least get in his way and slow him down. Cutler quit on the play, according to the guy. He said this was not the only time he simply gave up.

[Pugger]

We can't really know how his teammates feel about him. I doubt any of them would throw him under the bus in public. But it is his demeaner that is disturbing to fans that is always in question. Is that fair? Maybe not. But I will say I'm damn glad he's the QB in Chicago and we have Rodgers!!

[Fritz]

He's simply misunderstood, like Brandon Underwood, only different.