Posts Tagged ‘Jay Cutler’
Cutler’s Last Stand
This whole drama with Jay Cutler is fascinating to watch play out. Obviously, as a Bronco fan, I have a love/hate relationship with Cutler. Loved his talent and gun of an arm. Hated the way he acted his first few years in the league and how he handled himself in public.
I think the reaction that is coming out has very little to do with the injury and everything to do with how he has treated the media, fans, and teammates. To say Cutler isn’t tough or can’t take a hit is borderline insane. He took more hits and sacks this year than any QB in the league. Besides that, he played at Vandy. The boy can take a hit.
What he can’t seem to do is realize that there are other people in the world and that leadership is larger than what happens between the chalk.
If Cutler had stayed engaged, helped the other QB’s read coverages, call in plays, or even cheered a little, the reaction would have been next to nothing. But he didn’t. Instead he pouted, sulked, disengaged, and generally acted like that 5 year old kid that was made to eat his vegetables. THAT is the real issue with Cutler and will continue to be for the rest of his career unless there is some major attitude changes in him.
I’m coaching a 5th-6th grade girls basketball team this year and one of my players – while extremely talented – can get so distracted the first time one thing goes wrong. A bad call, a teammate not running the right play, getting fouled and not getting a call — all can send this girl into the Dark Zone. And I’m trying to help her see – hey, this is life. Stuff happens. Things break. It isn’t fair, it’s never going to be fair. Winners find ways to overcome, to deal with the situation in a redemptive way. Losers complain, pout, and generally make things worse.
I think Cutler was really hurt. I think the decision to pull him was out of his hands and in the hands of the doctors and trainers. But the decision to sit and pout and basically act like a 4-year old was his and his alone.
And that is what I think really ought to be critiqued.
The Season From The Hot Place Begins
I’m not sure what was worse last night – watching Cutler finally get his legs underneath him as he sliced open the Denver defense or listening to Cris Collingsworth.
In Case There Was Any Doubt…
It’s official…the Broncos had the worst off-season ever. Any hope of getting over that off-season with real football was completely shattered last night. Let’s cover the bright spots first.
Dawkins – a beast. A terror. Played with a broken hand. Lit up anyone who was near him. He actually reminds me of Dennis Smith.
Doom – Elvis is IN the building. It’s a shame he’s the only pass rusher we have that’s worth anything. He’s going to get double-teamed all season long because teams know that they can block the rest of the D-line with popsicle sticks and harsh language. But…he will be a beast in the linebacker position.
Stupid moment of the night – how in the world did Denver get in a scheme where Doom was covering a WR???? He did it…but what the heck was going on there? Another stupid comment from Collingsworth – “Doom is the best player on the Broncos (pause) along with Champ Bailey.” Doom is good and he has the potential to be great. But Champ is by far and away the best player on the Broncos.
Peyton Hillis, Eddie Royal – I’m in favor of running the option during the year with these two and Knowshon Moreno. Any takers?
Overall – Pathetic
The list is long and repetitive as this point. Quarterback play, penalties, play calling, no power in the redzone, defense giving up big 3rd down plays. Sound familiar? Yeah…just like last year. Glad all those changes were made to correct that stuff.
I thought I was finally okay with the Cutler trade. He is a crybaby. He is a prima donna. He’s immature, cocky, loudmouthed, and has a jerk of an agent. But there is no comparison in terms of talent between him and Orton. Cutler doesn’t miss the easy throws. Cutler can throw the ball down the field. Cutler can take a hit. Cutler can put the ball on a postage stamp while on the run in traffic. Cutler revels in the pressure and adversity. He just didn’t want to play for a team, organization, or coach who wouldn’t commit to not trade him.
I realize that it’s not fair to Orton but he can thank McDaniels for that. It’s not even close and last night was the smoking gun proof of it. There was never any threat of the deep ball from Orton. Part of that is play-calling, part of it is the continued ability of Orton to miss wide open targets. At this rate, loosing Brandon Marshall is not going to be a big deal because the Broncs can’t/won’t throw the ball further than 10 yards.
I’m still a Bronco fan, have been since I was 7. Will continue to be a Bronco fan through this debacle as well. Heck, we survived the Wade Phillips experiment. But there is no way this team goes .500. No way.
Welcome to Oakland East.
The Morning After
I’ve had a night to sleep on the Cutler trade and here’s what I think I think about it.
Chicago gave up a lot to get Cutler. A team with major needs at WR and on the defensive side of the ball needs draft picks. Chicago gave those picks up. It’s a risk but the flipside of the argument is that they sucked at picking players in the first round anyway and Cutler is a known commodity. If Jay Cutler grows up, it could turn out to be a win-win trade for everybody.
Denver got picks but blew their offense up to do it. Marshall will be coming off of hip surgery and more police escorts. The O-line is still great. We’ve got some above average to good running backs in the mix. Can’t replace Cutler’s talent but maybe the offense can do without the interceptions as well. Orton/Simms isn’t going to scare anybody but if one of the 4 first round picks in the next two years produces a franchise quarterback…most would be forgiven.
Draft Picks are the best commodity to have. The picks will only be as good as the person drafting. So far, McDaniels and company have not shown well in the discernment department. If the picks hit, there is a possibility of looking at this like the Cowboys look at the Herschel Walker trade. If it doesn’t…there is always 2011 when we’ll have a new coach.
Seats at Mile High should be easier to get. It’s official, the Broncos are rebuilding and it will get worse before it gets better. Champ Bailey must be shaking his head wondering what happened in a short 4 years – from the AFC Championship Game to this. From a top 5 defense to this. From a top-rated offense to this.
Most fans don’t mind rebuilding when there is a clear direction and progress can be seen. But watching a team self-implode is ridiculous. Watching grown men behave worse than high school students is detestable. Like or not, we’re here and it’s not going away. We’ll watch more 45 to 50 point games this season with the knowledge that we can’t keep up with them anymore.
But if the picks hit and Mike Nolan coaches the D like he has in the past…there’s some hope. So far every light at the end of the tunnel has proven to be a train in the McDaniels era.
Kyle Orton…
[shakes head....nearest cliff to Topeka is where??]
I’m so glad I moved to Kansas City Chief country this year. Couldn’t have picked a better time to be a Bronco fan.
So let’s review the McDaniels Era thus far…
A failed three way trade for Matt Cassell in which a division rival gets said QB.
Lies to starting QB.
Fumbles the make-up so bad, owner has to step in.
Says he wouldn’t trade Cutler.
Signs spleenless Chris Simms.
Trades Cutler for Kyle Orton and 2 first round picks, 3rd round pick for a 5th rounder.
Simms and Orton can now compete for starting job.
The Bears just became a playoff team. The Broncos have just become a lottery team. The good news? We’ve now got enough picks to get a defense.
Glad this drama is over.
Million Dollar Victim
“I didn’t want to leave Denver.”
Really, Jay? That’s why you quit answering your phone, not showing up to meetings, put your house and your parent’s house up for sale in Denver, and had your agent demand a trade?
It pains me to say this but maybe we’re getting to see why McDaniels didn’t want Cutler in the first place. Leaders lead, they aren’t victims. They don’t deliver excuses, they deliver solutions and their presence. Cutler’s done none of this.
I’m still not a huge McDaniels fan either. He’s got plenty of fault in all of this as well but he seems to have learned one thing well from Belicheat – it’s better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you’re an idiot than to open your mouth and prove them right.
The Dark Years…
The Broncos officially begin the dark years with the impending trade of Cutler.
McDaniels – you are off to the worst start a rookie head coach has ever had and you haven’t coached a game yet. So far, I’m missing the Wade Phillips era. You have zero people skills. I’m praying to God you’re better with a headset on.
Bowlen – you’ve gone from the best owner in the league to needing an intervention and therapy. Broncs will be lucky to win 8 games next year. You’ve made Al Davis look stable the past two months. One hand, I appreciate bold moves and empowering your coach to lead the team. So far, your decisions seem to lack some major discernment.
Cutler – you are a brat. You alone could have healed it all and been a leader but you didn’t. Perhaps you couldn’t. Perhaps you really are as immature as you appear and I hope one day your maturity catches up with your talent. Seriously, not returning calls to the man who signs your check? What grade are we in? 7th?
Everybody loses in this deal but mostly Cutler. I’m not terribly worried about the team. We’ve survived Bubby Brister, Brian Griese, and Jake Plummer. We’ll survive this. I’m not worried Bowlen. I believe once the McKid and Cutler drama broke he did all he could do to fix it. When it couldn’t get fixed, he had to side with the coach regardless of the bone head in the position at the time.
But Cutler will get what he wanted – out of Denver – and he will be less of a man and leader because of it. Send him to Detroit and see how long the pouting after a loss is tolerated. Or Cleveland. And for his sake, let’s hope he grows up. The quarterback class of 2006 doesn’t look all that stable now, does it?
McDaniels and Xanders Are Idiots
It didn’t take long for this to blow up…
First – that trade would have been ridiculous. Denver gets the shaft, Tampa wins the lottery, NE gets to unload a large salary. Instead, Kansas City gets a decent QB that is going to have to run for his life this next season because no one over there knows how to block. But they didn’t really give up a lot to get him.
Secondly – Jay Cutler – I seriously doubt you read my blog…(you should, by the way…) but if you do. Listen to me for just a second. Relax. Don’t go postal just because your new coach and GM are idiots and they don’t know how to handle the press or other teams for that matter. Rise up above them, it’s going to be alright.
There is no way Pat Bowlen lets you leave this town. He knows the value of a quarterback and you’ve got the goods to be one of the best of your generation. Man up…buck up…smile and save your venom for the brass behind closed doors.
Lastly, McDaniels/Xanders – how the heck do you screw up this badly after doing so well the first 48 hours of free agent signings? Would San Diego entertain trading Rivers? Indy Manning? Pittsburgh Big Ben? No. And maybe all of the reports are wrong and misquoted – fine. How do you not pick up the phone and call your QB and say – “Hey man, they offered us the moon for you, we turned them down because you’re more valuable than that but in the NFL rumors get out and we wanted you to know the real deal.”
Instead, you cut off communication with his agent? You can’t be that stupid. You guys need to listen to the words of Shannon Sharpe to Bubby Brister when he subbed for John Elway for a game or two during their first Super Bowl – “This offense is a Ferrari, Bubby. All you have to do is start it up, keep it out of the ditch and we’ll score points all night long.”
We all get to wait and see where this goes but for every great step that was taken, to alienate your Pro Bowl QB would undo all of it.
34-30 and The Infirmary
Denver may have just found a way to win the rest of the year.
Run the Spread. The Fun and Gun. The Marshall Plan. The BBC Royal Show. (Brandon, Brandon, Cutler).
I mean, who are we kidding anyway? The Broncos are no serious threat to run the ball. Ever. Torain is hurt. Selvin Young – hurt. Hall and Pitman – gone. Put Hillis in, let him run routes out of the backfield and let’s put astro turf in Mile High.
We don’t need a defense. And it’s a good thing with all three starting linebackers gone, CB gone and the defensive line has never bothered to show up all season anyway.
Couple of thoughts – First, Brandon Marshall is still an immature, easily distracted player.
Second, every dime spent on Brandon Stokely is worth it. After the TD catch, Stokely ran over to Brandon and kept him from pulling off whatever celebration he was going to do.
But above all of that, this game was the season for the Broncos and Cutler proved he has the goods to be THE elite quarterback in the NFL. Brady Quinn also showed why he will be (and should remain) the starting QB of the Browns. He played well. His TE – lost his head, fumbled, then dropped a pass for a first down.
Once again, Cleveland gets snakebit by Denver. And Elway wasn’t even in the state.
More Thoughts On Chargers/Broncos
Going For 2
As I said – I didn’t like the call at first. After thinking through it – it was the right choice even if the attempt had failed. Here’s why – it sent a message to the offense – particularly Jay Cutler – that the coaches believe in you. It said with a game on the line, we’re comfortable putting it in his hands to win (or lose).
Second, it sent a message to the defense. It said – you’re not good enough. And they weren’t. Rivers (just like Cutler) went untouched the entire second half.
Blown Calls
Cutler’s fumble was exactly that – a fumble. It was a blown call. No one will argue that. Over the course of a year, there will be more and the Broncos will have their share as well. But the refs didn’t give the Broncos 8 points. Instead of 2nd and goal from the 2, it was 3rd and goal from the 10. After a draw play (??????), it was 4th and goal from the 5. Plus, the 2-point conversion afterwards.
Point is – the Broncs had to capitalize on the opportunity – they did. The Chargers had to respond to adversity – they didn’t. Doesn’t get any simpler than that. The Broncos did, the Chargers defense didn’t.
Earlier in the game, Champ Bailey stole an interception out of the hands of Chris Chambers. In real time, it looked legit. In slow motion – it still looked legit or at the very least an incomplete pass. That call was not a blown call, it was a very close call that went the Broncos way. Another opportunity – step up, execute and capitalize or step up, execute and overcome. Broncos did, Chargers didn’t.
Bottom line, if I were the Chargers, I’d be more focused on the Week 3 opponent than what happened in the past. I’d spend more time looking at defensive film trying to figure out how to stop the 2-minute drill, than worrying about which officiating crew was assigned. Otherwise, they will be looking at 0-3.
39-38, 2-0
5 Things I Think About The Broncos, Week 2
1. Jay Cutler is a stud.
Ask the first 10 teams of the 2006 draft if they could have a do-over, would they take it – they would and they would draft Cutler. Except the Raiders. They’d draft a corner again. Because Al Davis is a lot of things that can’t be printed here.
But I digress…Cutler had 2 turnovers that could/should have cost the Broncs the game. He overcame that and instead threw two lasers to Eddie Royal for the win.
2. Marshall, Marshall, Marshall.
The only thing keeping this guy from breaking all kinds of records is his own maturity. He’s the real deal.
3. Shanahan’s moxy has returned.
I remember the days when Shanny would call any play from any place on the field on any down. I remember 4th and 1′s and 2′s being attempted at midfield. I thought it was the wrong call to go for 2. Then I heard his explanation after the game – “I didn’t want to rely on the coin flip.” Which is a not-so-subtle hint to the defensive coordinator to not completely unpack. It meant – if the Chargers got the ball, they score.
4. The special teams will cost the Broncos 2 games this year.
As giddy as I am about the offense, the special teams and defense (I’ll get to them later) causes heartburn. It’s a sad commentary when your starting corner and tight end have to play on kickoff coverage AND they still gave up a TD. Sloppy, sloppy, play.
5. The Broncos defense will cost them at least 3 games. Maybe more.
If Karl Paymah is the answer to a team with as many weapons as the Chargers (see Colts, Patriots), the Broncs are in deep weeds. Chris Chambers completely abused the 3rd and 4th DB’s. Sproiles ran through the gut of this defense like it was practice. Our safeties were NOWHERE to be found on deep plays.
Bailey got beat on a long pass to Chambers today. First time in two years I’ve seen that. Then I saw from a wide angle shot what our team has asked Champ to do – cover half the field. It made things worse for me. How bad are the other 10 guys if Champ is already covering half the field? Most teams would die for that kind of corner. Put Champ on the Titans or Pittsburgh defense and you’ve just created a defense that could compete with the ’85 Bears.
Free advice for the DC – keep the rental, don’t buy.
Overall, 2-0 is awesome. Wins over division opponents are precious. Winning the AFC west, while a long way off, now looks like it is in the realm of possible.
Other random NFL thoughts:
Yes, it was a fumble. Yes, the Chargers should have gotten the ball. They didn’t. Broncos took advantage of it. Chargers didn’t.
Somebody please explain to me how Marvin Lewis still has a job.
The Vikings and Chargers are two franchises I would not want to play next week.
Someone ought to tell Herm Edwards that if he would run the ball more than 12 times a game, he’d probably wouldn’t be 0-2 and playing with his 3rd string quarterback.
How scary is Carolina going to be WITH Steve Smith?
Memo to Bears: you have the same need you’ve had for 3 years and done nothing about. Get a QB.
Lane Kiffin – love the honesty, I even think you’ll one day be a great NFL coach. But none of us feel sorry for you because you accepted the job and Al Davis hasn’t changed in 79 years. None of the drama is surprising.
What’s with all the ex-Raiders being broadcasters? Are networks that desperate?