Jay Is Still OK. Why Cutler Is Not Washed Up in Chicago Yet

Everybody up at Halas Hall needs to look in the mirror after the travesty that was the 2009 season. This includes Jay Cutler.

However, the embattled Chicago QB is far down on the blame list, and certainly is the team’s best shot at meaningful seasons down the road.

Before we go comparing Cutler to Jeff George, Ryan Leaf or other notable quarterback headcases in NFL past, let’s analyze the current state of the entire roster. I think you will see that Cutler had little chance for success in year one.

Lovie Smith is a great guy. He’s a good football coach as well, but when the team brought in Cutler, it was a signal that they were no longer going to be the run-first, aging defense-dependent sqaud of yesteryear.

The team is committed to Cutler, longer than they are committed to Lovie. For good reason too. Every current successful franchise has a franchise quarterback. The top playoff seeds currently have Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Phillip Rivers, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner and Donovan McNabb playing quarterback.

Cutler is far from the first strong-armed quarterback with an ego. The ones who have had success in the past have had strong-willed coaches who were able to reel them in when necessary.

Smith is many things, a task master he is not. He is the wrong fit for Cutler and the wrong answer for the Bears.

All of the above stated about Smith is absolutely true of offensive coordinator Ron Turner as well. Turner is as good as gone anyhow, so this is the extent to which I will talk about him.

It is hard for a quarterback to have success without a strong corps of receivers. I was encouraged by the play of the young receivers this season, but at times, they certainly made life tough on Cutler.

The offensive line was abysmal—the worst unit on the team. They were pathetic and made it difficult for Cutler or Matt Forte to get anything going in the backfield.

Speaking of Forte, he failed to duplicate the success of his rookie season, and the team saw little success running the football. I think this was, in large part, due to the failure of the offensive line.

A running game has been called a “quarterback’s best friend,” and Cutler must have felt awfully lonely this season.

The defense is aging, and that was evident in 2009. Injuries plagued the unit, exemplified in franchise player Brian Urlacher sustaining a season-ending injury in the opener.

Combine the age, injuries and outdated Cover 2, 4-3 scheme the Bears have stubbornly refused to abandon (see the success the Packers had switching to the 3-4), and you have a recipe for defensive disaster.

In 2009, you do not win football games by playing ball control, defensive style football. While I understand that this has been the Bears M.O. for decades, they have to be willing to adjust to the times. General manager Jerry Angelo made a great step in acquiring Cutler.

The pattern set by teams like the Pats, Colts, Chargers, Saints and Eagles is to pass to set up the run, score quickly and put the ball in thier star quarterback’s hands. Like it or not, that is how you win football games in 2009.

With Cutler, the Bears have that opportunity. If they can surround him with the right type of people, mainly, an offensive line that can protect, a 3-4 defensive scheme and coach to help him manage the game, Cutler (and hopefully Forte as well) will see some success in 2010.

Don’t give up on Cutler, yet. He still has the opportunity to be the franchise quarterback we all thought he could be.

But, he can’t do it by himself. 

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Bears Fans Should Root For Team To Lose

It is one of sport’s classic arguments.

Which is better, mediocrity or ineptitude? Mediocrity gets you nothing. A .500 record will, most of the time, have you sitting at home in January.

Ineptitude gets you change. Change, in the NFL, means optimism, a cushy schedule, high draft picks, and your pick of the next hot young coordinator to become your head coach.

The Bears are, routinely, in that mediocre category. Since 1990, Chicago has been better than 11-5 only twice. They have been worse than 5-11 only three times.

Mediocrity, in the NFL, often means the status quo remains. Drastic changes are typically pushed aside in favor of tweaks. Tweaks are just that, small changes that don’t change the culture of the team.

Bears fans are, rightfully, sick of mediocrity. This is not to say that we would prefer to be Lions fans, but we are ready for changes that may bring about a culture of high expectations.

Fans are ready to take a gamble. Not play it safe with the same old, same old.

Sadly and typically, the only way to bring about drastic change is with miserable failure. Does anybody think this team and coaching staff have what it takes to win a Super Bowl?

Since Ron Rivera’s departure in 2006, the defense has lacked its dominance of old, the offense is the, well, the Bears offense. They are looking very unlikely to even make the playoffs for the third year in a row.

The Bears are now 4-6. Even if the Bears finish a solid 4-2 the rest of the way. That lands them at 8-8 on the year. Look familiar? Same old Bears mediocrity.

Now, it is time to gamble. It is time to look toward the future. So I am pledging to root against the Bears for the rest of this season for the long-term benefit of the organization.

Do I take pleasure in this? No.

Will I catch myself jumping up out of my seat when somebody makes a great play? Sure.

But I am willing to take the heat from the rest of Bears Nation because I am of the opinion that if your team is not capable of winning a Super Bowl, then it is not worth being even mediocre.

I understand if you want to take away my fan card. Heck, I kind of hate myself for doing it. But I have to. God bless all you die-hards who get caught up in the game week to week. Every win from here on in, however, makes them less likely to be great next year.

More of the same is just too much to take anymore. It is time to raise the expectation level. It is just going to take some tough love from fans.

“This hurts me more than it hurts you, Chicago Bears,” I am saying to myself. 

But unlike when my Dad said those same words to me, I really mean it.

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Current ‘Skins Levelheaded: Washington Legends Childish

I am as critical of current athletes as anyone I know. I think they can be largely immature, selfish, and greedy. This, many times, leads to poor decisions and embarrassment for their families and organizations that has become far too common.

Today, I am encouraged to hear of some athletes who are making intelligent comments and are getting it right. I am discouraged to hear of some former players who should be more mature in the way they are handling themselves.

Anonymous Washington Redskins players were quoted saying that what would be best for the team is a vote of confidence for head coach Jim Zorn.

“I wish someone upstairs would just say he’s going to be our coach for the season. That way, we don’t have to answer any more questions about it and everybody knows we’re in this boat together.”

The players are absolutely right. Firing Zorn at this point would be pointless. The situation ends up being a huge distraction week to week. If the organization would simply say that he is the coach for the rest of the year, they could stop the nonsense every week and maybe the team starts to play better.

There is no downside to a vote of confidence for the coach. If they continue to play poorly, he is going to be gone anyhow. It is hard to imagine a scenario where Jon Gruden is not coaching that team next year.

Notice, too, that the players are NOT defending Zorn. They do not say that he is being treated unfairly, is misunderstood, or that he is a great coach. They are simply saying that the “will they fire him or won’t they?” nonsense every week is hurting the team.

This is a very level-headed opinion from two athletes who obviously “get it.” They know how important team focus week in and week out is.

As for the knucklehead old timers.

The Hall of Famers and Redskins legends, of all people, should understand that firing Zorn would be pointless now, that he is as good as gone anyhow, and that their comments are going to trickle down to the team and cause more distractions.

They have exacerbated the negativity around the club and increased the distractions by being cranky, out of touch blowhards.

Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgenson absurdly claimed that the Redskins, after week four, would have been undefeated with back up Todd Collins behind center. Not to say that starter Jason Campbell has played well, but that is obnoxiously hyperbolic and Collins is not Brett Favre or Troy Aikman coming in.

What was current ‘Skin’s quarterback Jason Campbell’s response to such a ridiculous claim and, quite frankly, personal disrespect?

“You can’t get mad. You can’t agree or disagree. They’re entitled to their opinion.”

Even more pathetic than Jurgensen’s comments are the comments of John Riggins (via YouTube and Twitter).

“You’re out of your league, Jim,” referring to coach Zorn.  “You … are not a head football coach in the NFL. High school? Definitely. You can coach in high school. You can coach my son in high school any time.”

(An aside. Why is Riggins relegated to YouTube? He must not be able to find any legitimate media outfit to take his opinions seriously. Maybe, he needs to open a Bleacher Report membership.)

Why is it that our former heroes, men who’s life and professional experiences should give them a depth of knowledge and understanding of the nature of professional football sound like obnoxious callers to local sports radio talk shows?

“Zorn can’t even coach high school.”

“We’d be 4-0 with Todd Collins!”

How sad. I understand that we are all fans at heart. It is hard to believe that current players, in the middle of an emotional season, have the professionalism and maturity you would expect of men twice their age.

The men twice their age sound immature and out of touch. No more “experts” on the subject matter than you or me. In Riggins case, sounding like a junior high girl, badmouthing her “bff” on her Twitter page.

Maybe Zorn will un-friend him on Facebook.

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No Love For Romo: Cowboy QB Is Good. Does He Have to Be Great?

Why is there so much criticism of Tony Romo? He is not Tom Brady, but nobody is Tom Brady. Expectations for Romo are far too high. Dallas has a good QB. He is unquestionably the best QB they have had since Troy Aikman.

Much in the same way that Philly fans have lambasted solid, consistent, pro-Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb, the media has decided that Romo is yesterday’s news and has been a disappointment thus far.

Romo has a career 95 passer rating and has thrown nearly twice as many TD’s as INT’s. This has not been enough, however, for some in Big D. They say he has come up short in big games.

The truth is that the Giants and Eagles have simply been better and more consistent teams than the Cowboys. Romo is not getting the chance to prove himself in the playoffs because Bum’s son is his coach and the Cowboys have been the third best team in the division.

At one point, Peyton Manning had not come up big in the big spots. The same could be said for many other QB’s, including many in the Hall of Fame.

Dallas fans need not to have short memories. The Cowboys struggled to find consistency at this position for a long time (Quincy Carter anybody?), and their are many teams (Cleveland Browns) who would kill for that kind of consistency and production from that position.

So enjoy it while you can. The Romo era may prove to be a golden one in the future. Romo still may come up big in a huge spot (he is only 29). Most of all, however, Romo is a good player and seems to be a good guy. If he is given the chance, he may yet prove to be a great player.

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Robert Henson Only Respects the Opinions of Taco Bell Employees

Robert Henson has made a big splash today with a ”tweet” from last evening.

When I first heard about this, I thought,  “Who?” Then I wondered why the guy behind Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear was so concerned about Redskins fans. Soon I learned that Henson actually plays for the ‘Skins (sort of). Here is what Henson said.

“All you fake half hearted Skins fan can .. I won’t go there but I dislike you very strongly, don’t come to Fed Ex to boo dim wits!!

He continued, “No I didn’t play but I still made more than you in a year and you’d switch spots with me in a second … The question is who are you to say you know what’s best for the team and you work 9 to 5 at Mcdonalds.”

All of this because of boos? How could Henson be so naive and immature? Sixth-round draft picks who are not contributing on the field should probably not be criticizing the fans.

I would be interested to know if anyone can defend Henson on any level. I really do not understand where he is coming from. Maybe I do not understand the plight of entitled, spoiled, private school, scholarship-awarded, young football players. Is it possible Henson is misunderstood? Even if he is, I feel inclined to rip him for saying something that stupid.

Stupid doesn’t even cover it. Saying his tweets are stupid is like saying Charlie Weis could kind of use Nutri-System. Henson’s quotes were all-time. He will not be a Redskin for long.

 

 

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Michael Crabtree Is Tampered Goods

Michael Crabtree, because he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, is exclusively to negotiate with the Niners. The Jets (allegedly) are not a fan of this policy.

This seems extremely unlikely. If it happened, the Jets are officially the dumbest organization in football (other than the Raiders, which I believe is a given).

Connect the dots with me. The Jets are a fan of Crabtree’s. The 49ers and him are not coming to an agreement, so the Jets express an interest in trading for his rights and signing him. No problem here.

Reports are, however, that the Jets talked with Crabtree and tried to woo him. This just doesn’t make sense on any level. It is up to the 49ers to trade him, Crabtree does not have an official say.

I guess the goal would be that Crabtree’s camp pushes for a trade with the Jets. I don’t know why the Jets would think that would work. Clearly Crabtree’s crew hasn’t convinced the 49ers to do anything they want them to do so far. Why would it change with this trade?

So the Jets try to convince a player to have his team trade him when the player can’t even convince the team that drafted him in the FIRST ROUND to sign him seems unlikely. If it is true, the New York Jets would be proven to be the NFL’s intellectual equilivant of a Bret Michaels reality show slu… contestant.

Again, I find this incredibly hard to believe. Why would the Jets break the rules, taking a high profile risk, to tamper with a player that has little say in his own future.

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