Todd Collins throws a pass beside Jay Cutler during warm-ups last Saturday. (Chris Sweda / Tribune) By Vaughn McClure
So much for the Bears' first-team offense working out the problems from last Saturday's loss to the Cardinals.
Quarterback Jay Cutler will not play against Browns on Thursday night, meaning veteran Todd Collins will get the start for the Bears. Collins has yet to see action in the preseason since joining the team.
The Bears take an 0-3 preseason record into the game after losses to the Chargers, Raiders, and Cardinals. Typically, the starters play one series as the coaches get to evaluate other players before Saturday's cut-down day. The roster has to be shaved to 53 from 75.
Cutler finished the preseason 19 of 37 for 275 yards with 1 touchdown an two interceptions. He was sacked 10 times and had a quarterback rating of 62.4.
Chicago Style thats not true in 2008 the offense had better run blocking and Forte was healthy. Orton threw for under 3000 yards with the offense and only had 18 TD's he was sacked, hit and pressured less and was in his 3rd full year in that system. The team had about 1700 yards rushing and 15 rushing TD's and only 19 fumbles.
Cutler had almost 3500 yards passing and 27 td's in his first year in that system. The Bears had under 1500 yards rushing and only 6 rushing TD's, they also had 26 fumbles. The picks where a problem but then again so was the play calling, lack of run support, and mistakes by the recievers.
While Cutler was guilty of forcing the ball at times, that is not a QB being weak and giving up that is a qb trying to force something to happen. TOP was also a problem as the Bears defense had problems getting off the field and Cutler often started the game in hole. While being far from great, a good coach some decent talent and a defense that can stop someone and give the QB more chances will help. It doesn't look like he has any of that this year but we will see. Also Des clark started 16 games in 08 and only 7 in 09. While it may not seem like much he is a better blocker and and a very reliable check down. I don't think it would have helped a ton but in a couple of really close games that can be the difference. Also you have the fact that Lovie openly stated he did not want Cutler rolling out which is one of his strengths. It wasn't until Turner started rolling Cutler out that he really started to look better.
Like I said we will see, but unlike some I am not going to blame Cutler for the defense or a dropped pass or a broken rout, I will also not blame him for a bad O-Line and injured RB. Red zone mistakes where all him but 2 of those picks came on the same play call and it was almost 3 picks before they stopped using it.
Cutler is mentally soft.He doesnt fight through adversity he just gives up. Every problem that Cutler had in 2009 Orton had it worse in 2008 but we were still able to EXECUTE A GAMEPLAN well enough town games . He provides no leadership NONE and you cant teach that you either have heart or you dont.
PHYSICALLY Jay is a STUD
MENTALLY he is Rex Grossman 2.0 oversheltered because of his talent and never properly developed as a player.
I agree with Bearsfan75 that Angelo is the real problem we didnt have a Oline in 2008 but he said that wasnt the problem
We didnt have receivers either but he said that wasnt the problem.
He said the problem we we didnt have a FRANCHISE QB and that Jay Cutler was one and that he would make those around him better because supposedly thats what they do .
And he had fans like Floridabear running around talking about how Cutlers scrambling ability would make the line look better and how Cutlers arm would make a #1 out of Hester because he could be a #1 but Orton couldnt get him the ball.
It amazes still to this day that people think that the way to deal with a bad line is to have a qb that can scramble when that has never work heck it didnt work last year .
The way to deal with a bad Oline is to have a QB who can read defenses ,change protections and understand the importance of making good decisions and getting rid of the ball fast.
Rodgers was sacked 50 times last year people need to stop blaming the Oline for the lack of leadership and mental toughness that we have at the QB position .
We gave jay 22 million dollars last year and he has yet to deliver any resemblance of CONSISTENT QB play. Im not talking a Manning performance of even Brady of 2007 Im just talking a consistently solid performance ala Palmer or Flaaco or Schaub .
How can anyone on offense play there best when jay the "leader" and best player on the offense rarely does ?
Its time for Jay to show something tangible for the money hes making
I know how tough it is to be a fan and admit that your team has problems. I grew up in Cleveland.
Forget about Orton's supposed inaccuracy, Cutler led the league with 28 interceptions last year. Accuracy? He has a strong arm. That's it.
Look at Cutler's win-loss record in the NFL. I'm sorry, but the guy is a loser. I laughed when the Bears gave him $30 million last year. They are hoping he can save the franchise. Won't ever happen. The Bears management can't trade any better than they can draft.
It's amazing how many people forget that Orton can't throw a deep ball to save his life. How many times did he miss a wide open Hester 2 years ago? His accuracy is within 15 yards or so. Consequently the D would line up 8 in the box consistently. You can't question his leadership but our best chance of going anywhere lies with Jay. It was up to Angelo to provide some protection for him.
IMO - Our biggest issue is Jerry Angelo; Cutler is the least of our problems. So, now we are looking at cutting every draft pick from last year except for Knox. Wow; Jerry cannot draft. That is why I laugh when Broncos fans think that they "fleeced" us with the Cutler trade. How is that? If we had the draft picks, Jerry would have bypassed Dez Bryant for another Dan Bazuin or Michael Okwo. Why does our O-line suck? Jerry Angelo. Why do we have older components on defense? Jerry Angelo. Why do we have to pay out the nose for veterans instead of building via the draft? Jerry Angelo.
I wish that people would get off of Cutler's back and focus on the real issue. I would love to see what Cutler, Knox, and DA would look like after 3 years in the same system with a couple of better O-lineman. That offense could be scary. It might never happen though...why? Jerry Angelo.
What a bunch of ignorant children with zero football knowledge. Orton better then Cutler? Cutler is soft? Once the regular season starts there will be adjustments made to the blocking scheme, especially to help CW on the left side. Our run game should be improved and if Cutler has time to throw he will make them pay. He has a nice trio of receivers and a playbook with draws and screens to keep the blitzers thinking.
Do you really think Orton would have survived last year with the line the way it was? He's a pocket QB with zero scrambling ability who still stares down his receivers. I was an Orton fan but he can only take you so far.
One more drunken "cop a feel" from Rothesburger and Chigaco can trade Jay for Ben straight across. Let's hope that is sooner rather than later. Ben can at least convert 3rd downs.
He just has a hard time getting to home plate.
Cutler can't find either one with a GPS.
Every defense in the league is gonna blitz the Bears relentlessly to shut down the entire o-line and dominate the line of scrimmage. If this new-look line can find a way to get it the job done it'll be up to Jay to hit the targets. He has to prove he can handle the pressure associated with being a competent NFL quaterback. He's gonna get hit, hurried, and sacked, but on those occasions when the protection is there and the target is available, he has to connect. Those monster pick games have to be a thing of the past.
Did you even watch any Denver games last year Wild Dog? Because if you did, you're a moron for claiming Orton's stats had anything to do with his skill as a quarterback. If you didn't, well, you're just plain ignorant I guess.
Whew, this is great news. We don't want Detroit getting any film or anything on Cutler. Forget the fact that he needs all the reps he can get in the new system. The main thing is not to let the Lions know what we do.
Right Lovie?
Orton vs Cutler
I agree with the guys above that no quarterback is going to look good without protection and decent receivers to throw the ball to. But, you also need a good game plan that includes a passing game. Lovie Smith is not the guy.
Orton had a much better year in Denver last year than Cutler had in Chicago. Did the fans really expect that to happen? No. But it did. And, this year Orton looks great in a very good offensive scheme with some blocking and some decent receivers, while Cutler looks like a chump running for his life while having only Hester to throw to.
This is not what was supposed to happen when the trade was made. Didn't Denver also get two 1st round draft choices? Unfortunately for Bears fans they traded away a guy who can't throw as far, but he's much more accurate and is, once again, going to have a much better year than Cutler. Sad, but true!
And so it is about to begin-The Lovie - Angenius Farewell Tour!
Cutler has not missed a game in his career and has gotten right up after each sack. He throws himself into tacklers (IE Seattle game last year) and continues to stand up to the media the way he should. How is he soft? Each interview he indicated that he wants to play more; this is a coaching decision, not Cutler's. BTW - have you ever seen Manning or Favre when things are going wrong? They look pissed, annoyed, etc. But when Cutler does it, he doesn't care. Why don't we all stop trying to be psychologists and let the guy play. BTW - How fair is it to him that he has had 3 offensive systems in 3 years? That is rough for any QB and is pretty much setting him and the other offensive players up for failure. How about cutting them some slack.
I give Collins six plays until he is carted off the field. Then let the magic of Dan LeFevour show the Bears the way to the promised land.
This Cutler guy is just plain soft and so they are trying to protect him.Hes been nothing but a disappointment from the moment he stepped foot in Chicago. We knew this team had issues when we dealt for Cutler but he was supposed to be a franchise QB and have the ability to make at least some parts of our offense seem better than they are but where is it?
Orton does not have the talent that jay has but he has heart and the things we are seeing from jay I remember seeing from another QB who was eventually booed out of town.
Sorry hank but jay got decent protection last game and guys were open he just threw bad passes .His mechanics are horrible backpeddling throwing off his back foot...He hasnt shown the capacity to get better and is looking more and more like he was a product of Shanahans system.
Todd Collins allegedly has more knowledge of this offense than Jay Cutler so I hope it translates to a smooth running offense and our only pre season victory
This is great news. Cutler doesn't need any practice at all.
I hate to say it, nobody seems to be talking about it, but I'm starting to think that Cutler has checked out mentally. Chicago sports may have claimed her latest victim. Cutler knows he has a team full of #3 receivers and absolutely no O-Line to protect him. The very second jay got traded to Chicago the weight of the world was put on his shoulders and as the weeks rolled by and he got hit over and over again and throwing picks trying to make something out of nothing, he may have realized, "This is it". I hope Cutlers best years aren't behind him, but I got a stinking feeling that they are. He needs what every QB in this league needs, PROTECTION AND AT LEAST ONE TARGET TO THROW TO. Go ahead call me a dummy and whatever else you want, because I sure hope I am wrong and that Jays best days are still to come....in Chicago.