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Add to FavoritesWill Jay Cutler excel in the Windy City? Absolutely. The shock waves are still reverberating throughout Chicago after the Bears broke with their long standing tradition of ignoring the QB position and completed a block buster trade for disgruntled Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler. The Bears shocked their fans and the football world by sending two first round picks and a third round pick along with promising QB Kyle Orton to Denver in exchange for the cannon armed Pro-Bowler.
As the dust begins to settle around Halas Hall (the Bears headquarters in Lake Forest, IL.), some fans and commentators have already begun the dissection of Jay's chances in Chicago. No one can question the pure talent and rocket arm of the young QB. His ability to take control of a game and shred opposing defences is every defensive coordinators nightmare. Not since Jim McMahon shuffled his way into the Super Bowl in 1985 have the Chicago Bears taken the field with someone even remotely as talented as Cutler under center. However, Jay Cutler's success in Chicago is directly linked to three other aspects of the team. These three areas of the team will determine how many team records Jay will hold when he finishes his career.
Jay will benefit from the protection of a much improved offensive line with Pro Bowler and future Hall of Fame left tackle Orlando Pace being brought in to protect his blind side. Pace is stellar at protecting the Qb at the most important position on the line in passing downs-the QBs blind-side. Pace held the same duties in the St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf", helping transform Kurt Warner from grocery store clerk to a Super Bowl champion quarterback. Jay Cutler is far more agile than Kurt Warner, and is quite adept at making plays with his feet when protection breaks down in passing situations.
Jay thrived in Denver with really no defense to speak of, while the Chicago Bears consistently have one of the most talented defenses in the league. Not having to score 35 points every game to win will only make Cutler's job that much easier. The pressure to win every game on offense will no longer lay on Jay's shoulders. Allowing Jay to play with a lead will help the offense gel and prosper under his leadership.
The final cog in the success of Jay Cutler is the play of wide receiver Devin Hester, who is arguably one of the most talented players in the game. Hester's blazing speed perfectly complements the cannon arm of Cutler, and both players will benefit greatly because it. Few opposing players in the league can run with Devin Hester in the open field, and Jay's ability to throw the deep ball is extraordinary. This is a facet of the game that the Bears have lacked since Sid Luckman was under center some sixty years ago. With the deep ball finally more viable in the game book, sophomore phenom running back Matt Forte will find running lanes far easier to come by than they were in his record breaking rookie season. The reduced workload on Forte will keep his legs fresh into the fourth quarter, and allow the Bears to protect the lead and run out the clock on other teams. If defenses are forced to bring in a safety in the box to stop the sensational running of Forte and allow Hester to use his speed to get past the corner, then Cutler can begin planning another trip to the Pro Bowl after this season.
Jay Cutler will not only thrive in Chicago, he will end his career here as one of the greatest players in Bears history and certainly the greatest QB in Chicago Bear history. Jay's brash personality and his fondness of the nightlife mirror those of Jim McMahon, the only QB in Bears history to guide his team to the Super Bowl. McMahon had a stellar running back, a vicious defence and a speedy wide out, the same tools Cutler will be working with to craft his legacy. If history teaches anything, it is that Jay Cutler is destined for glory in the Windy City, and Bears fans finally have the QB position secured for the next ten years.
Learn more about this author, C. Michael Lowery.
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No
There is no denying Jay Cutler has talent; however, talent alone is not enough to make a quarterback, and directly, a team, successful. Chicago is seeing their dream trade may actually be a nightmare in disguise. A quarterback is only one piece of a finely tuned machine, in this case, a football team. All parts must be working properly and the better condition each part is in, the better the machine will perform. After Sunday night's game, it is clear the Chicago Bears are missing vital parts and some parts are wearing down. Putting in a new motor, which has issues of its own, is not going to solve the problems.
Jay Cutler has the strength, accuracy, and awareness to make plays and get the balls out. There is a problem, though. He has no one to throw to. While Devin Hester is electrifying and has amazing speed, agility, and athleticism, he is not a wide receiver. Yet. He is learning and like any other situation, he has to reach maturity in that role. He can not have the burden several players usually carry placed fully upon his shoulders. When Cutler is doing his checks, Devin may very well be a choice, but he can not be the only choice.
Another gear in the Chicago machine which is worn is the offensive line. The quarterback must have time to read the field, make a decision, and get the football to the intended receiver. When the opposing team's defense is constantly smashing through the wall around the quarterback, putting a beating on him, or pushing him into hasty and misguided throws, his talents are negated. Those throws become incomplete passes or, as Cutler showed Sunday night, interceptions. Cutler should not be the other team's best asset.
Maturity is also a requirement for any quarterback. Quarterbacks must lead their teams. Negativity and immature behavior are not traits a leader should possess. Whining and complaining only hurt the team. Even when the odds are against the team, the quarterback has to put on a determined face and push his team to try, never giving up hope. He must encourage them to reach deep within themselves and find just a bit more tenacity and energy to put into making plays. Cutler, who has shown he can talk smack and complain with the best, needs someone to lead him. The baby-faced passer sometimes has an attitude to match. As a team representative, the image he is projecting is nowhere near positive. When other coaches and experienced league workers comment on a player's issues, the team should take notice. The fans, commentators, coaches, and other teams have.
If Chicago sees Cutler as a miracle cure, Sunday must have been a wake up call. Throwing four interceptions and showing the famous Cutler attitude in the post game conference is not going to help the Bears. The Bears are trying to move away from the past several seasons of quarterback purgatory, but raw talent means nothing if the person who has it annihilates the team morale and sullies the team image. Productivity is dependent upon team members who are physically and emotionally in tip top condition and one problem player can throw everything off, which Chicago will experience firsthand if Cutler continues behaving as a team of one.
Learn more about this author, JaLynne Johnson.
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