Jay Cutler's season

[Chitownhustla]

Seeing it all today. Blaming Cutler for the Bears defense giving up 50pts. Cutler's fault because John Gruden (who couldn't find another coaching job after the way he ruined the Bucs) said it is Cutler's job to make sure guys like J'Marcus Webb know the snap count. Really? Must be same reason two WRs have a false start too. I'm sure it was his fault Groy and Forte chose to block nobody on a blitz on Monday night. Sorry but folks are flat out venting about everything this team has done wrong and focusing it all on one guy. So too are the coaches now.

 

Cutler struggles to overcome criticism that is obvious to the world but statements that he is outworked by "Marshall" is based on what? The extra effort he put in the get clausen up to speed when he was signed late? He struggles to be patient and he kills the team with turnovers. Yes we overpaid for him but I don't think by 25% maybe more like 15% as I think he belongs in the Andy Dalton category at around $16mil/yr: You can win with them but won't win because of them.

 

McCown has a similar setup in Tampa and has failed equally badly, if not worse. He was trending down as the Bears QB once teams got a read on how he was running the offense. I don't see anything that says we'd be much better off with him. Maybe a win, two max, but a playoff team?

 

I've been sitting back and watching how Trestman handles tough times and now with benching Cutler this way I absolutely want Trestman gone. We know Kromer has been the leaker behind the Cutler rumors the last month or so. He didn't discipline Kromer at all but instead had him go public with a full apology. He has now gone full circle in stating (through his actions) that Cutler was the problem. I said it right after the game, it was Trestman's responsibility to get Cutler's head in the game and he clearly did nothing to make Cutler feel like he was the QB for now and the future. People will laugh and say why should he sugar coat it. After Kromer-gate you have to go out of your way to do that even if fans and others will criticize you for doing so. That's what being the leader means. At the other end of the spectrum I see Bruce Arians telling the world his team can win a Superbowl with Drew Stanton and Stanton is far worse than Cutler. Don't think reporters didn't chuckle when they heard that but he stood his ground and said it again. We all know Arians knows reality but he's managing his players.

 

Another story and perhaps the better example although I can't remember who said this last week: Mike Holmgren when he decided to trade for Favre knew everyone in the organization was not on board but Holmgren told them all... This is it, we're going forward with this guy and everyone here has to help make him successful. If you don't like it get over it and support him or move on. I assume since he wasn't coddling his coaches about their feelings he also was tough on Favre.

 

It's not that benching Cutler wasn't warranted after how he played but it would have been far better to pull him in the 2nd half of the game and let Clausen finish it out, or as stated by others, pull him in the middle of the other games when he played poorly. It was obvious from the first play against the Saints he didn't want to be out there, especially at a home game (IMO). Now doing this after rumors of the HC being fired reeks of the same petulance everyone here criticizes Cutler for. It's still the right thing to do if Cutler's heart isn't into it. Why wasn't Briggs benched when his heart wasn't into it and he showed up to training camp out of shape? I'd have dropped Briggs down the roster right then instead Trestman coddled him.

 

Now that we see everyone ready to pack their bags we might as well see what we have in Clausen because at this point we have zero options for next year. I don't think Clausen will make Forte pick up a blitz better, or Ryan Groy (who was ok when he knew who to block). I can't see him helping Garza hold a block, or getting our young LBs to figure out that a screen pass is coming. We'll still be a bad team.

 

I still feel Cutler is a QB you can win with (not because of) but now we're headed back to the QB merry-go-round. Yes, the coaches have to manage him but every team in the NFL, with rare exception, has to do that with their QB. Watch, we'll end up drafting Jameis Winston as the next head-case to play QB for us. Winston is talented enough to be the first pick overall but he's got enough baggage to fall to us. Ken Whisenhunt was a great coach when he had Kurt Warner starting but he couldn't make the decision to start him until the end of training camp. This is the toughest position to draft, coach, and play period. There is no more pivotal position in all of professional sports. Get it right and you are a good coach and GM for a decade. Get it wrong and…someone better be calling Mike Holmgren because he's gotten it right far more than he's gotten it wrong.

 

 

 

 

I agree.

 

Couple of points

1. We are horrible on D= nothing to do with Jay

2. Horrible on SP Teams= nothing to do with Jay

3. Horrible on Offense = Jay has played like shit but so has a lot of guys on the offense, the scheme has sucked, Trestman has failed at changing, he spoke about running more each week and never did it

 

All three phases are controlled by Trestman. Jay Cutler has nothing to do with 2 of the phases. We are a poorly coached team. Jay has proven that he is not a QB that will lead them to victory with when other phases are lacking.

 

I do think that you can win with Jay if the team has talent and well coached. The offense has struggled for many reason, not only Jay.

 

 

 

[Mongo3451]

Seeing it all today. Blaming Cutler for the Bears defense giving up 50pts. Cutler's fault because John Gruden (who couldn't find another coaching job after the way he ruined the Bucs) said it is Cutler's job to make sure guys like J'Marcus Webb know the snap count. Really? Must be same reason two WRs have a false start too. I'm sure it was his fault Groy and Forte chose to block nobody on a blitz on Monday night. Sorry but folks are flat out venting about everything this team has done wrong and focusing it all on one guy. So too are the coaches now.

 

Cutler struggles to overcome criticism that is obvious to the world but statements that he is outworked by "Marshall" is based on what? The extra effort he put in the get clausen up to speed when he was signed late? He struggles to be patient and he kills the team with turnovers. Yes we overpaid for him but I don't think by 25% maybe more like 15% as I think he belongs in the Andy Dalton category at around $16mil/yr: You can win with them but won't win because of them.

 

McCown has a similar setup in Tampa and has failed equally badly, if not worse. He was trending down as the Bears QB once teams got a read on how he was running the offense. I don't see anything that says we'd be much better off with him. Maybe a win, two max, but a playoff team?

 

I've been sitting back and watching how Trestman handles tough times and now with benching Cutler this way I absolutely want Trestman gone. We know Kromer has been the leaker behind the Cutler rumors the last month or so. He didn't discipline Kromer at all but instead had him go public with a full apology. He has now gone full circle in stating (through his actions) that Cutler was the problem. I said it right after the game, it was Trestman's responsibility to get Cutler's head in the game and he clearly did nothing to make Cutler feel like he was the QB for now and the future. People will laugh and say why should he sugar coat it. After Kromer-gate you have to go out of your way to do that even if fans and others will criticize you for doing so. That's what being the leader means. At the other end of the spectrum I see Bruce Arians telling the world his team can win a Superbowl with Drew Stanton and Stanton is far worse than Cutler. Don't think reporters didn't chuckle when they heard that but he stood his ground and said it again. We all know Arians knows reality but he's managing his players.

 

Another story and perhaps the better example although I can't remember who said this last week: Mike Holmgren when he decided to trade for Favre knew everyone in the organization was not on board but Holmgren told them all... This is it, we're going forward with this guy and everyone here has to help make him successful. If you don't like it get over it and support him or move on. I assume since he wasn't coddling his coaches about their feelings he also was tough on Favre.

 

It's not that benching Cutler wasn't warranted after how he played but it would have been far better to pull him in the 2nd half of the game and let Clausen finish it out, or as stated by others, pull him in the middle of the other games when he played poorly. It was obvious from the first play against the Saints he didn't want to be out there, especially at a home game (IMO). Now doing this after rumors of the HC being fired reeks of the same petulance everyone here criticizes Cutler for. It's still the right thing to do if Cutler's heart isn't into it. Why wasn't Briggs benched when his heart wasn't into it and he showed up to training camp out of shape? I'd have dropped Briggs down the roster right then instead Trestman coddled him.

 

Now that we see everyone ready to pack their bags we might as well see what we have in Clausen because at this point we have zero options for next year. I don't think Clausen will make Forte pick up a blitz better, or Ryan Groy (who was ok when he knew who to block). I can't see him helping Garza hold a block, or getting our young LBs to figure out that a screen pass is coming. We'll still be a bad team.

 

I still feel Cutler is a QB you can win with (not because of) but now we're headed back to the QB merry-go-round. Yes, the coaches have to manage him but every team in the NFL, with rare exception, has to do that with their QB. Watch, we'll end up drafting Jameis Winston as the next head-case to play QB for us. Winston is talented enough to be the first pick overall but he's got enough baggage to fall to us. Ken Whisenhunt was a great coach when he had Kurt Warner starting but he couldn't make the decision to start him until the end of training camp. This is the toughest position to draft, coach, and play period. There is no more pivotal position in all of professional sports. Get it right and you are a good coach and GM for a decade. Get it wrong and…someone better be calling Mike Holmgren because he's gotten it right far more than he's gotten it wrong.

Gotta say AZ, you are the poster I tend to agree with most on this site. You make some great points. On the theme of this post, I have to say I disagree. I've supported and rooted for Cutler to be the QB we have all envisioned he can be. But, final straws are simply final straws. Monday's performance simply showed that Cutler was done.. What he was done with, I don't know. For a leader to come out and completely wear "done" on his sleeve is unforgivable. I don't care if it's a little league baseball game, my expectation is that players fight till the end and lift each other up. Didn't see it and haven't seen it enough from Jay for him to have credibility in that regard.

 

The only defense I can give him now, is that this organization is an utter mess that he can't overcome. I can not disagree with people blasting him. He not solely to blame, but he is a key part of it and I'm simply tired of his part in it.

 

[madlithuanian]

You are wrong to blame Stein. His marching orders were to get the deal done. And given that he made it easier to walk away from in a few years, I contend that he is the only one that did their job well.

 

Also blaming the fans isn't right. We were duped. Some saw the light before other, other held out hope. There were signs pointing in the right direction. This mess is not the fans fault.

 

You're right to a degree. Not everything is Cutler's fault. It wasn't his fault that he took the multi-year deal based on his "body of work". What is his fault is that he didn't at least act like the money he was paid. He didn't take an active leadership role. Didn't produce eye popping numbers. Didn't lead our team to a playoff game, let alone a SB. Granted I don't think all that ails the Bears is the fault of one person. Cutler is largely to blame because he hasn't produced. Briggs is partial to blame for not giving a s#*t this year. Trestman is largely to blame (at least I think) for thinking Cutler was elite and encouraging the team to buy in. Emery is largely to blame for either agreeing or forcing the issue to give Cutler the money. Stein is to blame for negotiating it. The ownership (and fans) are to blame for believing all of it.

 

And as far as players not liking the fans and "freaking them" please remember this is the same base that torched Urlacher for acting the same way.

 

[bowlingtwig]

You're right to a degree. Not everything is Cutler's fault. It wasn't his fault that he took the multi-year deal based on his "body of work". What is his fault is that he didn't at least act like the money he was paid. He didn't take an active leadership role. Didn't produce eye popping numbers. Didn't lead our team to a playoff game, let alone a SB. Granted I don't think all that ails the Bears is the fault of one person. Cutler is largely to blame because he hasn't produced. Briggs is partial to blame for not giving a s#*t this year. Trestman is largely to blame (at least I think) for thinking Cutler was elite and encouraging the team to buy in. Emery is largely to blame for either agreeing or forcing the issue to give Cutler the money. Stein is to blame for negotiating it. The ownership (and fans) are to blame for believing all of it.

 

And as far as players not liking the fans and "freaking them" please remember this is the same base that torched Urlacher for acting the same way.

There is so much blame to go around. There isn't 1 person to blame more than probably the coaches. In regards to Jay. He wasn't a leader prior to us trading him and has never been a leader here. Now for starters that's not who he is. Not everyone can be a leader. Some don't have the desire to be that guy. Problem is is that the team tries to force it upon him when it clearly isn't what's best. You can't just force leadership upon players. And please don't tell me that because he's the QB therefore he has to be that guy. That's bullshit. Sure I wish Jay was a leader and would get up in people's faces and smack them around but that's not him. Bigger problem this yr is go back to beginning of yr and trestman didn't name any captains and how we all thought that was awful curious. That looks like an awful decision now

['TD']

Seeing it all today. Blaming Cutler for the Bears defense giving up 50pts. Cutler's fault because John Gruden (who couldn't find another coaching job after the way he ruined the Bucs) said it is Cutler's job to make sure guys like J'Marcus Webb know the snap count. Really? Must be same reason two WRs have a false start too. I'm sure it was his fault Groy and Forte chose to block nobody on a blitz on Monday night. Sorry but folks are flat out venting about everything this team has done wrong and focusing it all on one guy. So too are the coaches now.

It was his fault for his movement in the pocket and not getting rid of the ball. Gruden was saying that Cutler needs to be more clear and enunciate more with his snap count. The had a stat with the ridiculous amount of false starts on Cutler lead teams to back up the fact.

Cutler struggles to overcome criticism that is obvious to the world but statements that he is outworked by "Marshall" is based on what? The extra effort he put in the get clausen up to speed when he was signed late? He struggles to be patient and he kills the team with turnovers. Yes we overpaid for him but I don't think by 25% maybe more like 15% as I think he belongs in the Andy Dalton category at around $16mil/yr: You can win with them but won't win because of them.

He just got benched while having the most turnovers in the league. How is he in Andy Dalton territory?

McCown has a similar setup in Tampa and has failed equally badly, if not worse. He was trending down as the Bears QB once teams got a read on how he was running the offense. I don't see anything that says we'd be much better off with him. Maybe a win, two max, but a playoff team?

No, just no. McCown had nothing similar in Tampa. Their running backs and offensive line have been flat out horrible this year and no wear near the caliber of Forte or the Bears line. He succeeded in a system that was in exact what to do in a given situation. He was able to do that and succeed due to that and the talent around him. He wasn't trending down. His last game he started, the Bears never punted as they blew out the Cowboys.

I've been sitting back and watching how Trestman handles tough times and now with benching Cutler this way I absolutely want Trestman gone. We know Kromer has been the leaker behind the Cutler rumors the last month or so. He didn't discipline Kromer at all but instead had him go public with a full apology. He has now gone full circle in stating (through his actions) that Cutler was the problem. I said it right after the game, it was Trestman's responsibility to get Cutler's head in the game and he clearly did nothing to make Cutler feel like he was the QB for now and the future. People will laugh and say why should he sugar coat it. After Kromer-gate you have to go out of your way to do that even if fans and others will criticize you for doing so. That's what being the leader means. At the other end of the spectrum I see Bruce Arians telling the world his team can win a Superbowl with Drew Stanton and Stanton is far worse than Cutler. Don't think reporters didn't chuckle when they heard that but he stood his ground and said it again. We all know Arians knows reality but he's managing his players.

Going public with Kromer wasn't discipline? That will follow him through out his career, and Kromer didn't even say anything bad.

 

Cutler is a grown man, how is Trestman supposed to get into his head? Cutler was given a 120 million dollar contract. That said you are the QB now and in the future.

Another story and perhaps the better example although I can't remember who said this last week: Mike Holmgren when he decided to trade for Favre knew everyone in the organization was not on board but Holmgren told them all... This is it, we're going forward with this guy and everyone here has to help make him successful. If you don't like it get over it and support him or move on. I assume since he wasn't coddling his coaches about their feelings he also was tough on Favre.

What does a young Favre have to do with a 31 year old Cutler?

It's not that benching Cutler wasn't warranted after how he played but it would have been far better to pull him in the 2nd half of the game and let Clausen finish it out, or as stated by others, pull him in the middle of the other games when he played poorly. It was obvious from the first play against the Saints he didn't want to be out there, especially at a home game (IMO). Now doing this after rumors of the HC being fired reeks of the same petulance everyone here criticizes Cutler for. It's still the right thing to do if Cutler's heart isn't into it. Why wasn't Briggs benched when his heart wasn't into it and he showed up to training camp out of shape? I'd have dropped Briggs down the roster right then instead Trestman coddled him.

Trestman is getting fired for an under performing offense led by Cutler. Cutler who was reportedly doing his own thing for a while. His showing up against the Saints and not giving a crap is what probably tipped the boat for Trestman. If he's going out, he's going out showing what could have been in his system. Will it work? Who knows, but atleast it will be his system ran his way.

Now that we see everyone ready to pack their bags we might as well see what we have in Clausen because at this point we have zero options for next year. I don't think Clausen will make Forte pick up a blitz better, or Ryan Groy (who was ok when he knew who to block). I can't see him helping Garza hold a block, or getting our young LBs to figure out that a screen pass is coming. We'll still be a bad team.

He may work through his progressions and not stare a WR down. He may audible correctly given a situation. He may not hold the ball down where it can be knocked out of his hands. He may actually run the system instead of pick and stick, and so on.. Clausen may suck Sunday, but he will be more likely to suck running the system right.

I still feel Cutler is a QB you can win with (not because of) but now we're headed back to the QB merry-go-round. Yes, the coaches have to manage him but every team in the NFL, with rare exception, has to do that with their QB. Watch, we'll end up drafting Jameis Winston as the next head-case to play QB for us. Winston is talented enough to be the first pick overall but he's got enough baggage to fall to us. Ken Whisenhunt was a great coach when he had Kurt Warner starting but he couldn't make the decision to start him until the end of training camp. This is the toughest position to draft, coach, and play period. There is no more pivotal position in all of professional sports. Get it right and you are a good coach and GM for a decade. Get it wrong and…someone better be calling Mike Holmgren because he's gotten it right far more than he's gotten it wrong.

Cutler has been to the play offs once in his career. He's beat the Packers once in ten or 11 games now. You can't win with him. When one of his flaws include leading the league in turn overs, you can't win with him. The Merry Go Round was only stopped recently, because we were busy on the Jay Cutler roller coaster the last few years.

 

It needs started back up, but Holmgren isn't the guy to start that ride. He hasn't been linked to a good QB in over 20 years, and was a failure at the same job with the browns a few years ago.

 

Finding the right QB may be a crap shoot, but if you don't start taking shots, then you are left with crap.

 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

There is so much blame to go around. There isn't 1 person to blame more than probably the coaches. In regards to Jay. He wasn't a leader prior to us trading him and has never been a leader here. Now for starters that's not who he is. Not everyone can be a leader. Some don't have the desire to be that guy. Problem is is that the team tries to force it upon him when it clearly isn't what's best. You can't just force leadership upon players. And please don't tell me that because he's the QB therefore he has to be that guy. That's bullshit. Sure I wish Jay was a leader and would get up in people's faces and smack them around but that's not him. Bigger problem this yr is go back to beginning of yr and trestman didn't name any captains and how we all thought that was awful curious. That looks like an awful decision now

 

So if part of the problem was because Trestman didn't allow the team to pick captains? One of them probably would have been Cutler. Why? Because he's the QB or because he's a leader? Which one would earn him that 'C' by his peers?

 

 

[bowlingtwig]

So if part of the problem was because Trestman didn't allow the team to pick captains? One of them probably would have been Cutler. Why? Because he's the QB or because he's a leader? Which one would earn him that 'C' by his peers?

Not saying that Cutler deserves the C. Cutler has nothing to do with this argument. But not a single player on that team is a captain. So your saying we don't have a single player that deserves the C. Not even tilman. Or forte. Has a team ever gone into the season with no captains at all. I can't recall but I'm guessing no. Therefore no leadership in the locker room and it's being proven out there on the field. I want the young players to look up to the captain's as they lead the team. Oh wait. Our young players don't have that here. Just awful funny how we have no captains and then seseason turn a into this

[CrackerDog]

Cutler needed to get going earlier in games this season. Not sure why but he almost always came out flat.

 

He's not the only problem with the team and certainly not the biggest one.

 

But he's not a leader either. He hasn't rallied the guys to his side like a great QB would.

 

If the Bears can get something in trade, I could see it happening. Not sure what'll ultimately go down but it's going to be an interesting offseason.

 

Jay has had some magical moments with the Bears and some god awful ones. If he's done here, I wish him well. If he's back next year I'm going to root like hell for him.

[Chitownhustla]

Cutler needed to get going earlier in games this season. Not sure why but he almost always came out flat.

 

He's not the only problem with the team and certainly not the biggest one.

 

But he's not a leader either. He hasn't rallied the guys to his side like a great QB would.

 

If the Bears can get something in trade, I could see it happening. Not sure what'll ultimately go down but it's going to be an interesting offseason.

 

Jay has had some magical moments with the Bears and some god awful ones. If he's done here, I wish him well. If he's back next year I'm going to root like hell for him.

 

Im right there with you. If he is gone best of luck, if he is here Ill root for him to be successful.

 

 

The Bears are poorly coached in all 3 phases of the game. Players committing stupid penalties, communication breakdowns, one DB playing one coverage the others running a different coverage. Fake punt with 10 players.

 

 

The Bears biggest issue is being poorly managed and coached, Im not as worried about getting Cutler gone as I am more worried about getting Ted, Phil and Coaching staff out of here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Connorbear]

Im right there with you. If he is gone best of luck, if he is here Ill root for him to be successful.

 

 

The Bears are poorly coached in all 3 phases of the game. Players committing stupid penalties, communication breakdowns, one DB playing one coverage the others running a different coverage. Fake punt with 10 players.

 

 

The Bears biggest issue is being poorly managed and coached, Im not as worried about getting Cutler gone as I am more worried about getting Ted, Phil and Coaching staff out of here.

 

This 100%

 

Peace

 

[AZ54]

Gotta say AZ, you are the poster I tend to agree with most on this site. You make some great points. On the theme of this post, I have to say I disagree. I've supported and rooted for Cutler to be the QB we have all envisioned he can be. But, final straws are simply final straws. Monday's performance simply showed that Cutler was done.. What he was done with, I don't know. For a leader to come out and completely wear "done" on his sleeve is unforgivable. I don't care if it's a little league baseball game, my expectation is that players fight till the end and lift each other up. Didn't see it and haven't seen it enough from Jay for him to have credibility in that regard.

 

The only defense I can give him now, is that this organization is an utter mess that he can't overcome. I can not disagree with people blasting him. He not solely to blame, but he is a key part of it and I'm simply tired of his part in it.

 

The point is everyone is blaming Cutler for this mess including, at this point, Trestman because this is the only change he's made based on performance. We've got a lot more cleaning up to do, even on offense, than just Cutler. I'm not supporting Cutler for how he played on Monday night and said he should have been benched. If the HC couldn't see that at halftime but he suddenly felt his backup was the better option the next day something is very wrong.

 

I'm the oddball because I felt Cutler could be our bridge QB until we got the right QB on the roster. I was happy that his contract gave us a way out after 2 and really 3 years. I read somewhere if we don't pay his $10mil roster bonus in March it is an easy out this year, not sure if that's true. We paid for that with a lot up front and I agreed that we paid too much. I thought we could at least have a good offense and rebuild our D so we could compete for a playoff spot for a couple seasons while Trestman had a year or two to find his gem of a QB. That thought is now completely gone.

 

I don't subscribe like others that simply getting rid of Cutler fixes the offense. I don't believe that's the prevailing thought here on this board (we're all too smart) but is among the general fan population. I do believe somebody has to play the QB position and that history says the next man up is almost certainly going to be worse. I've lived through many years of it as a Bears fan and seen many years of it here in Arizona. Even with the Cards most recent signing of Carson Palmer I see so many boneheaded plays similar to Cutler's.

 

Using Cutler as the bridge QB might not have been their plan, maybe it was just mine. I do believe that was a real possibility with the right management, the right coaching, the right play calling. If Trestman didn't like the INTs or mis-reads then maybe he should have called more run-only plays. Now this poorly run coaching staff (no pun intended) has completely blown that option out of the water. There is virtually no way to bring back Cutler to Chicago unless we hire one very head-strong coach who feels like I do that we'd win more having him for another year or two versus starting from scratch. I know that's really impossible now given what has transpired and that only just makes the emotional bitterness last longer. Hope sells more tickets. Anyway, any new HC knows he'll get more time to fix things if he jettison's Cutler. Then it's a complete rebuilding.

 

While everyone celebrates that the wicked witch is gone I'm sitting here wondering what is the new QB plan? In this league nothing else matters. That's not entirely true but close enough to it that players like Andy Dalton get $16mil/yr. I highly doubt it is Clausen. It'll never be Fales, at best he's a Shane Matthews style #2/#3. Do we go the way Pete Carroll did and throw as many darts at it as we can? The wise men who praise him on TV for selecting Russell Wilson in the 3rd Rd ignore the fortune he paid to Charlie Whitehurst that same offseason. The draft doesn't seem deep at QB this year. Do we poach a backup off another team? If so, who is out there that is available and at what cost? Do we grab a guy like Sam Bradford? Do we go back to the Lovie style and just focus on defense first and hope our offense can score 17pts? I was serious when I asked for thoughts about RGIII a week ago.

 

[CrackerDog]

While everyone celebrates that the wicked witch is gone I'm sitting here wondering what is the new QB plan?

 

As internet football experts nobody needs a plan, they just need to make themselves feel better. Get all that pent up emotion out. And then, when at the end of the day, we're left with someone worse than Jay, they'll have even more to bitch about. It's a win win for them.

 

Meanwhile, in the real world, I like the idea of hiring a football guy to run the team, have him hire a new HC and then let him decide on Jay and all of his assistant coaches. No more of the same old nice bullshit we've seen from the team's owners.

 

[Lucky Luciano]

The point is everyone is blaming Cutler for this mess including, at this point, Trestman because this is the only change he's made based on performance. We've got a lot more cleaning up to do, even on offense, than just Cutler. I'm not supporting Cutler for how he played on Monday night and said he should have been benched. If the HC couldn't see that at halftime but he suddenly felt his backup was the better option the next day something is very wrong.

 

I'm the oddball because I felt Cutler could be our bridge QB until we got the right QB on the roster. I was happy that his contract gave us a way out after 2 and really 3 years. I read somewhere if we don't pay his $10mil roster bonus in March it is an easy out this year, not sure if that's true. We paid for that with a lot up front and I agreed that we paid too much. I thought we could at least have a good offense and rebuild our D so we could compete for a playoff spot for a couple seasons while Trestman had a year or two to find his gem of a QB. That thought is now completely gone.

 

I don't subscribe like others that simply getting rid of Cutler fixes the offense. I don't believe that's the prevailing thought here on this board (we're all too smart) but is among the general fan population. I do believe somebody has to play the QB position and that history says the next man up is almost certainly going to be worse. I've lived through many years of it as a Bears fan and seen many years of it here in Arizona. Even with the Cards most recent signing of Carson Palmer I see so many boneheaded plays similar to Cutler's.

 

Using Cutler as the bridge QB might not have been their plan, maybe it was just mine.

 

i don't believe that they had cutler in mind as a bridge. he showed progress last season that led them to believe he could progress this season and maybe not be a manning or brady but he could still function as a top 10 QB to get them to a super bowl.

 

it certainly is no surprise, if that was the case, that they structured his contract like it is. this has been how this franchise has done business for the last 10+ years. they front load everything to take the biggest cap hits in the first 1-2 years of nearly all their big contract players. it then averages out with the lower cap hit over time and the bargain in the future as the player costs/salaries around the league go up supposedly keeps our salary cap friendly for key players. once past that intitial crunch we were set with a high impact player we had at a low league cost or if injured we would not be in salary cap hell.

 

I do believe that was a real possibility with the right management, the right coaching, the right play calling. If Trestman didn't like the INTs or mis-reads then maybe he should have called more run-only plays. Now this poorly run coaching staff (no pun intended) has completely blown that option out of the water.

 

it's a CATCH 22 (where is yosarian when you really need him)... we were/are in serious trouble because we could not balance our offense with a pass/run game plan and it appears very few people understand the nuts and bolts of why (at least from what you hear in the media firestorm).

 

it's really quite simple, basic football. if you are one dimensional in your attack without the ability to change or variate, within a very short time your foe (if he is worth a damn) will take that uno dimension away from you and you will lose... period. whether you implement a one dimensional running attack or passing the results will be the same.

 

one important reason? we have a catastrophically poor defense that has set nearly every record for bad in chicago since the start of professional football. in basic terms, other teams can score at will. that leaves us with a one dimensional attack to compensate for this.

 

we do NOT have the time or luxury in a game to establish a genuine running attack. the game clock would run out and we would still be behind by a LOT of points. it is perfectly clear when we play any team with a top tier QB. they eat up the clock and usually score TD's. whether through huge chunks of yardage for quick scores or through 80+ yard drives, the rusult is the same.

 

so always playing from behind or the real potential to be playing from behind has negated the time it will take to mix that running game up into the game plan. simply... we have to pass more to keep us in the game because we have nearly no choice.

 

one MAJOR fault of this scenario is emmery, phillips and george mccaskey. these people are the ones who found, approved and hired who at the time was one of if not THE worst defensive coordinator in the NFL. what could they possibly have been thinking???

 

they wanted THIS guy to come in and teach a flurry of young players/draftee's we would be forced to acquire and play over the next 2-3 years how to succeed in the NFL? to top it off, they KEEP this guy on after the season he showed last year??? in reality it was one of the worst defenses in the entire histor of the NFL!!!! that is just plain criminal intent. it sends a message to our players and the rest of the league that no matter HOW bad you are your job is never in jeopardy in chicago. it's flat out stupidity.

 

While everyone celebrates that the wicked witch is gone I'm sitting here wondering what is the new QB plan? In this league nothing else matters. That's not entirely true but close enough to it that players like Andy Dalton get $16mil/yr. I highly doubt it is Clausen. It'll never be Fales, at best he's a Shane Matthews style #2/#3. Do we go the way Pete Carroll did and throw as many darts at it as we can? The wise men who praise him on TV for selecting Russell Wilson in the 3rd Rd ignore the fortune he paid to Charlie Whitehurst that same offseason. The draft doesn't seem deep at QB this year. Do we poach a backup off another team? If so, who is out there that is available and at what cost? Do we grab a guy like Sam Bradford? Do we go back to the Lovie style and just focus on defense first and hope our offense can score 17pts? I was serious when I asked for thoughts about RGIII a week ago.

 

in my opinion there is no plan with the imbeciles running management in this franchise. at this time they are in the rope-a-dope mode. they are up against the ropes taking body blows until their opponent (the media) wears himself out. then it's bad business as usual.

 

what i would do (i know it's repetitive)... hire a president of football operations who really understands management of football operations to replace phillips. this franchise NEEDS two people running this side of the franchise because the owners are too stupid to do it themselves. let him hire a GM or keep the one they have it's up to him completely. but it needs to be done NOW before any candidates are gone when the season ends and that includes president, GM and especially good head coaches.

 

if it goes wrong you have ONE person to blame and that is the president. simple structure for simpletons.

 

keep culter or trade him it matters not. ask the guy you want to replace trestman what he wants to do. he can start cutler, he can keep cutler on the bench as a backup until you find that franchise qb or you can flat out cut or trade him. let a GOOD coach make that determination in conjunction with the GM and president without cutlers money being factored into the decision.

[Mongo3451]

The point is everyone is blaming Cutler for this mess including, at this point, Trestman because this is the only change he's made based on performance. We've got a lot more cleaning up to do, even on offense, than just Cutler. I'm not supporting Cutler for how he played on Monday night and said he should have been benched. If the HC couldn't see that at halftime but he suddenly felt his backup was the better option the next day something is very wrong.

 

I'm the oddball because I felt Cutler could be our bridge QB until we got the right QB on the roster. I was happy that his contract gave us a way out after 2 and really 3 years. I read somewhere if we don't pay his $10mil roster bonus in March it is an easy out this year, not sure if that's true. We paid for that with a lot up front and I agreed that we paid too much. I thought we could at least have a good offense and rebuild our D so we could compete for a playoff spot for a couple seasons while Trestman had a year or two to find his gem of a QB. That thought is now completely gone.

 

I don't subscribe like others that simply getting rid of Cutler fixes the offense. I don't believe that's the prevailing thought here on this board (we're all too smart) but is among the general fan population. I do believe somebody has to play the QB position and that history says the next man up is almost certainly going to be worse. I've lived through many years of it as a Bears fan and seen many years of it here in Arizona. Even with the Cards most recent signing of Carson Palmer I see so many boneheaded plays similar to Cutler's.

 

Using Cutler as the bridge QB might not have been their plan, maybe it was just mine. I do believe that was a real possibility with the right management, the right coaching, the right play calling. If Trestman didn't like the INTs or mis-reads then maybe he should have called more run-only plays. Now this poorly run coaching staff (no pun intended) has completely blown that option out of the water. There is virtually no way to bring back Cutler to Chicago unless we hire one very head-strong coach who feels like I do that we'd win more having him for another year or two versus starting from scratch. I know that's really impossible now given what has transpired and that only just makes the emotional bitterness last longer. Hope sells more tickets. Anyway, any new HC knows he'll get more time to fix things if he jettison's Cutler. Then it's a complete rebuilding.

 

While everyone celebrates that the wicked witch is gone I'm sitting here wondering what is the new QB plan? In this league nothing else matters. That's not entirely true but close enough to it that players like Andy Dalton get $16mil/yr. I highly doubt it is Clausen. It'll never be Fales, at best he's a Shane Matthews style #2/#3. Do we go the way Pete Carroll did and throw as many darts at it as we can? The wise men who praise him on TV for selecting Russell Wilson in the 3rd Rd ignore the fortune he paid to Charlie Whitehurst that same offseason. The draft doesn't seem deep at QB this year. Do we poach a backup off another team? If so, who is out there that is available and at what cost? Do we grab a guy like Sam Bradford? Do we go back to the Lovie style and just focus on defense first and hope our offense can score 17pts? I was serious when I asked for thoughts about RGIII a week ago.

That's more like what I'd been thinking before Monday.

I wish someone had an answer for all of this year's ago, so I have to go with my gut. From what I saw Monday, Cutler flat out quit. What I heard yesterday, was a Cutler that wants to stay and fix it. Did you get the vibe that he may be willing to take a pay cut?

 

Anyway, I've been lied to before, so I gotta go with what I saw.

[AZ54]

That's more like what I'd been thinking before Monday.

I wish someone had an answer for all of this year's ago, so I have to go with my gut. From what I saw Monday, Cutler flat out quit. What I heard yesterday, was a Cutler that wants to stay and fix it. Did you get the vibe that he may be willing to take a pay cut?

 

Anyway, I've been lied to before, so I gotta go with what I saw.

 

Interesting point. I think he would take a pay cut to stay in Chicago but not with this coaching staff. That would only happen if we brought in someone proven and if Cutler liked him. At this point there can be no discussion of that. His options..stay in Chicago with BMarsh and Jeffrey as his main WRs or get traded to a rebuilding team. I know what I'd prefer.

[bowlingtwig]

Interesting point. I think he would take a pay cut to stay in Chicago but not with this coaching staff. That would only happen if we brought in someone proven and if Cutler liked him. At this point there can be no discussion of that. His options..stay in Chicago with BMarsh and Jeffrey as his main WRs or get traded to a rebuilding team. I know what I'd prefer.

I've heard rumors that Mike shanahan would consider coaching again under the right conditions. This could be an interesting thought.

[Chitownhustla]

I've heard rumors that Mike shanahan would consider coaching again under the right conditions. This could be an interesting thought.

 

He said right situation, contender.

 

I imagine right situation would be front office staff, good team.

 

Who knows what he thinks about the Bears situation.