Busy day for Bears

[frash.exe]

Jake Plummer took the same team to a 13-3 season the year before. Let's also not forget that the Broncos were a team looking to head to the playoffs in 06 as well before Cutler came in for Plummer. Then last year when the team is in sure shape to just run away with the division, they lose the last 3 games of the season and 2 of which were very winnable games. In fact they are the only team in NFL history to have a 3 game lead on the division title heading into week 15 and lose it. When you only throw 2 TD passes while giving away 4 picks and your team needs you to play well, it's not a good sign.

Yes they were the exact same team with no changes other than QB and then when Jay Cutler took the job they decided to suck. In 2006 they finished giving up 305 points, which is pretty good, not great, but good. In 2007 Al Wilson, their anchor MLB, retired. Age finally caught up with John Lynch. Darrent Williams was shot to death. Up until then he was a solid cover corner. A lot of other defenders were aging and the Broncos FO couldn't pump out some more talent to replenish the defense.

I just don't think he has the leadership or the discretion to win when it counts. He is far too confident in his own abilities and that leads him to make a lot of mistakes. I watched the last 5 games of the season (thank you Game Rewind) and he just did not make good decisions when the game was on the line.

the perception that he can't lead a team is a falsehood. Just take a look at his games against San Diego, New Orleans, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Atlanta. Games which were decided by 7 points or less. 7 of 8 Denver losses were decided by more than 7 points. Cutler had pretty much been the premier offensive weapon out there. He didn't benefit from a star runningback (or one that could stay healthy) or a defense that could keep the scoring close should he struggle a bit. I don't care if the offense sputters, they are going to tread water from time to time but the Broncos defense just let teams right into the endzone way too often.

Now that he's in Chicago, he has a better defense to work with, and Matt Forte's an asset as a running back. It's inevitable that Cutler makes the playoffs within the next few years and has a good chance to make some deep runs, especially in this NFC.

[dimbee]

Your defense is much better but conversely your receiver talent and offensive line aren't as good as what Denver has. I think he has a better shot in Chicago but to pin the hopes of the franchise on him may have adverse effects.

I think you'll be surprised at just how stout the Bears O Line is going to be this season

[Brandon]

Yes they were the exact same team with no changes other than QB and then when Jay Cutler took the job they decided to suck. In 2006 they finished giving up 305 points, which is pretty good, not great, but good. In 2007 Al Wilson, their anchor MLB, retired. Age finally caught up with John Lynch. Darrent Williams was shot to death. Up until then he was a solid cover corner. A lot of other defenders were aging and the Broncos FO couldn't pump out some more talent to replenish the defense.

Dominique Foxworth was the starter anyways, Darrent Williams was merely a backup. In 2006 Al Wilson was rather mediocre according to most Denver fans, and as I remember DJ Williams was a pretty good replacement for him, but I could be wrong. That still doesn't account for the Broncos missing the playoffs because the offense couldn't score against awful defenses back in 06. We're talking about 20ish point totals to overcome. Yes the defense wasn't quite as good but that still doesn't quite account for everything.

the perception that he can't lead a team is a falsehood. Just take a look at his games against San Diego, New Orleans, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Atlanta. Games which were decided by 7 points or less. 7 of 8 Denver losses were decided by more than 7 points. Cutler had pretty much been the premier offensive weapon out there. He didn't benefit from a star runningback (or one that could stay healthy) or a defense that could keep the scoring close should he struggle a bit. I don't care if the offense sputters, they are going to tread water from time to time but the Broncos defense just let teams right into the endzone way too often.

Now that he's in Chicago, he has a better defense to work with, and Matt Forte's an asset as a running back. It's inevitable that Cutler makes the playoffs within the next few years and has a good chance to make some deep runs, especially in this NFC.

Cutler had PLENTY of run support every year:

2008

12th 1862yds 4.8ypc 15td

2007

9th 1957yds 4.6ypc 10td

2006

8th 2152yds 4.4ypc 12td

How about we look at the last few games of 2008 where things were close until Cutler started throwing picks and forcing the defense to work a lot harder.

By the way the Bears' running game was WORSE than Denver's last year:

2008

24th 1673yds 3.9ypc 15td

Also the NFC North is a much harder division than the AFC West, no matter how you slice it. The NFC in general has become much tougher as the AFC has gotten softer.

[Brandon]

I think you'll be surprised at just how stout the Bears O Line is going to be this season

Oh I fully believe the Bears' offensive line with improve with Williams healthy, the addition of Pace and a couple others. But as I'm sure you'll agree it's not going to match the pass protection that the Broncos' offensive line offers.

[dimbee]

Oh I fully believe the Bears' offensive line with improve with Williams healthy, the addition of Pace and a couple others. But as I'm sure you'll agree it's not going to match the pass protection that the Broncos' offensive line offers.

Why would I agree to that at this point in the year?

[Darth Hater]

In Cutler I trust!

[Brandon]

Why would I agree to that at this point in the year?

The Broncos have one of, if not the best line in the NFL today. They were first in running efficiency and fourth in pass protection last year, and another year together should only improve that not to mention the continued improvement of Clady who has been incredibly dominant. While the statistics for Chicago's OL will not apply I am a bit hesitant to expect such success out of a vastly different line who may or may not develop chemistry at first.

Check this out if you want to see what I'm talking about:

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

[thefuzz]

2008 denver broncos defense------449 points allowed.

Peyton Manning couldn't even lead the Colts to the playoffs in 01 when his defense gave up 400+ plus points. (486 to be exact)

Cutler has had to deal with a horrible scoring defense both years he has been the guy in Denver.

Maybe you didn't consider the fact that in close games Cutler actually has a winning record?

Oh and as for the last question, I'm not going to get into a "new QB in Carolina" pissing contest at this time. Lets try to keep it away from that.

So you didn't answer the question...OK.

I can look up defensive stats all day too. I do not like him as a leader, or the "face" of a franchise, period.

The losses/losing is not all that I am basing my bashing on.

[Darth Hater]

All the Cutler bashing here is comical.

Here's a good article though:

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5892

[Brandon]

All the Cutler bashing here is comical.

Here's a good article though:

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=5892

Sorry but that article is a fluff piece and nothing more. They say he's calm and collected but just look at how Phillip Rivers was able to get in Cutler's head every time they played. Hell only Favre had more interceptions than he did last year, and while he did have a large number of attempts it's still a bit worrying. Then again I honestly doubt you guys will even listen to what I'm saying.

[dimbee]

Darth, did you hear something?

[dimbee]

They say he's calm and collected but just look at how Phillip Rivers was able to get in Cutler's head every time they played.

OK.... I'll play...

Like in week 2 when Cutler threw for 350 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT in a win(yeah, the Ed Hercules game)? Rivers was DEF in his head in that one! Or week 17, when he threw for 317 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs? Was that because Rivers was in his head? Was that also due to Rivers being in his head?

Or was that because the Broncos defense couldn't have stopped Providence High School's offense and gave up 285 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs?

Puhlease

[Brandon]

OK.... I'll play...

Like in week 2 when Cutler threw for 350 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT in a win(yeah, the Ed Hercules game)? Rivers was DEF in his head in that one! Or week 17, when he threw for 317 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs? Was that because Rivers was in his head? Was that also due to Rivers being in his head?

Or was that because the Broncos defense couldn't have stopped Providence High School's offense and gave up 285 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs?

Puhlease

The Rivers/Cutler incidents stem back all the way to the 07 season, and on the topic of the 08 season the last td was scored when the game was already out of hand (38-13) and the Chargers were in a very loose defense. Go back and watch the game if you can and come back to tell me that's what you call good QB play. Looking at the 07 AND 08 statistics here is what you come up with:

2007

23 of 36 232yds 0td/1int 70.6qbr

14 of 32 155yds 0td/2int 32.7qbr

2008

36 of 50 350yds 4td/1int 109.6qbr

33 of 49 316yds 1td/2int 74.9qbr

Which turns into ~76 for his QB rating over those 4 games, and that's with the first game of 08 giving him a huge boost. While I don't feel it's right to discount that game necessarily, but taking that game out it tumbles to ~55qbr.

As you can see the first 08 game is more of an anomaly than anything else, where Cutler was able to take advantage of SD's crippled defense at the time. They were in their first game without Merriman, did not have jamal Williams and were missing a few more defenders that got injured against us. In the second game, which was when everything was on the line for Denver, Cutler threw two interceptions in his own territory and both lead to SD touchdowns which ended up putting the game out of reach. And it wasn't as if he wasn't getting run support early in the game, Bell had netted several good gains in the first half before Cutler put the game out of reach and they couldn't afford to run the ball any longer.

In fact during the first half Denver's defense was doing fairly well considering the offense wasn't helping out at all until much later in the game. The rushing yards were almost entirely gained the second half AFTER Cutler's second interception.

Shall I keep going?

[frash.exe]

OK.... I'll play...

Like in week 2 when Cutler threw for 350 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT in a win(yeah, the Ed Hercules game)? Rivers was DEF in his head in that one! Or week 17, when he threw for 317 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs? Was that because Rivers was in his head? Was that also due to Rivers being in his head?

Or was that because the Broncos defense couldn't have stopped Providence High School's offense and gave up 285 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs?

Puhlease

Sproles and Tomlinson running over pro-bowl caliber Denver defenders such as Jamie Winborn and Ebenezer Ekuban was directly related to Jay Cutler's lack of leadership and intangiblezzzazazaz.

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