Chicago Bears: Diving Into the Jay Cutler Minefield

Dec 4, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) in their game against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

If there is any sort of war being waged at present among Chicago Bears fans, it’s over the current status of Jay Cutler as the starting quarterback.

On one side are the Cutler supporters. They believe that the 33-year old was and remains the best possible option the team has. If only he is given proper pass protection, healthy weapons and a competent defense that can keep the score close. He’s got enough talent to keep them in games and even win a few by himself each year. Why throw that away on the hope they find somebody better? Something the Bears haven’t done for decades.

Then there are the Cutler haters. They think he’s been given one opportunity too many to show he’s worth the millions upon millions of dollars the franchise has invested in him. In return they’ve gotten one playoff appearance, no Pro Bowls and a boatload of bad press. Not to mention several fired offensive coordinators and two head coaches kicked to the curb. When does one say enough is enough? His window was there. Now it’s closed. He’s getting older. It’s time to look to the future.

One of the reasons this is such a bitterly contested topic is because both sides have ground to stand on. So it’s time to go in-depth and explore the pros and cons of the Cutler Question. Is he really the best option the team has or can they do better? Everything will be explored from his past production to his leadership to the touchy subject of his attitude. This isn’t a witch hunt or a manifesto.

It is an exploration of the man who has played quarterback for the Bears longer than anybody else in the modern era, and whether he deserves to extend that honor. Or if it’s time for his run in office to end.

Oct 4, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) gestures before a snap against the Oakland Raiders during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Leadership

Arguments For:  One does not get voted a team captain six times by accident. Keep in mind that these are player votes. Perhaps there is a certain level of expectation because he’s the quarterback but if Cutler wasn’t a leader to some degree he wouldn’t be getting the votes. He is often the first among players on the roster to contact new free agents and draftees, welcoming them to the team. He organizes workouts and other functions and is a major representative in charity circles. That sets a great example.

Arguments Against:  Off the field Cutler seems great. It’s on the field where he starts to get himself in trouble. When teammates don’t execute certain assignments he hasn’t been shy about chastising them before getting to the sideline. Kevin White in the opener. J’Marcus Webb during the famous bumping incident in 2012. He’s an emotional guy who seems to have thin skin. Teammates often found it easy to get on his nerves. Many times coaches have considered decisions he didn’t like and it affected how he behaved. Do great leaders do that?

Dec 15, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) passes during the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field. New Orleans won 31-15. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Production

Argument For:  Cutler owns every conceivable franchise passing record there is. He has the best completion percentage (61.8), most passing yards (22,600), most passing touchdowns (151) and the best quarterback rating (85.4). He managed to do all that while being sacked 239 times in 98 games. His talent was evident from the moment the Bears traded for him and he’s at least lent some credibility to the position the organization simply hasn’t had save for one or two years during the Super Bowl era.

Argument Against:  Though he owns every franchise passing record, he also ranks second in interceptions thrown with 105. Sid Luckman threw 132 in 128 career games. Cutler has played 98. That record is in danger of being broken. Then there is the matter of the 4,000/30 mark. In his Bears career, Jay has neither thrown for 4,000 yards nor 30 touchdowns. Many will argue it’s because he’s been sacked too much, but keep in mind Blake Bortles was dropped 51 times in 2015. He still did both. The lone year (2008) that Cutler passed for 4,000 yards? He was sacked just 11 times. Almost perfect protection was needed for him to do it.

Dec 27, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) calls a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Clutch

Argument For:  In his career Cutler has built a reputation for late-game heroics. To date he has engineered a 4th quarter comeback in 21 career games, 16 with the Bears. That means there are 16 times the Bears wouldn’t have won a football game if they hadn’t had him under center. The most telling part of that stat is the fact that Cutler led four such comebacks in 2010. Without those victories, the team never would’ve won the division title and reached the NFC championship. It’s a strong case for him being capable in the clutch.

Argument Against:  How does one present an argument against? By assessing whether Cutler is truly clutch in the strongest sense. A good way to do that is determining how many of his 16 comebacks as a Bear were against good teams. Or teams who finished with winning records. After compiling the data it was determined that Cutler led comebacks against good opponents four times. The remaining 12 came against teams that finished .500 or worse. By comparison, Russell Wilson already has 13 comebacks in his career. No fewer than 10 of them were against winning teams.

Sep 11, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus (59) sacks Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Toughness

Arguments For:  People have called Cutler out for years about not being tough enough but watch him on Sundays and see some of the sacks and hits he takes and it’s impossible to say he’s not tough. As state before he’s been sacked a total of 239 times in Chicago. This has led to all sorts of ailments including concussions, groin and hamstring strains, a broken thumb and plenty other bumps and bruises the team never reports. Yet he never complains and goes back out there for more when his body allows it.

Arguments Against:  While one can applaud him for getting up every time he’s knocked down, the fact is Jay brings some of the problems on himself. He’s never been proficient at getting the ball out fast or being able to adjust his protections to prevent rushers getting a free shot at him. He has started a full 16-game season just once during his time in Chicago. Then there is the matter of “mental” toughness. How well does he handle pressure? A good way to judge that is determining how well he plays down the stretch in December when games matter most. To date he is 10-16. He has a quarterback rating of 84.4 during that span, worse than any other month.

Oct 12, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) talks to head coach Marc Trestman against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half at the Georgia Dome. The Bears defeated the Falcons 27-13. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Coaching Relationships

Arguments For:  Jay Cutler catches lots of flak for his somewhat icy stance towards coaches during his career, but it’s important to understand context. The man who brought him to the NFL and made him a star was Mike Shanahan, a two-time Super Bowl winner. Then the Denver Broncos up and fire him in 2009 and hired Josh McDaniels as a replacement. A man who then proceeds to tell Cutler in private that he thinks he’s no good and is looking for other options.

That incident alone can create a certain air of mistrust for coaches. It was then only made worse when offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer criticized him to the media behind his back. Besides, it’s not like some of the coaches who were fired during his time were qualified for their jobs anyway.

Arguments Against:  At the same time, it’s wrong to ignore the fact Cutler also got some good coaches fired too. He did not perform well down the stretch in 2008. That cost Shanahan his job. His untimely injury in 2011 and refusal to offer vocal support got Mike Martz removed as offensive coordinator, leading to Mike Tice replacing him. That move in turn derailed the offense and got Lovie Smith the ax the next year, leading to the hire of Marc Trestman.

Of course everybody remembers how that went. Also there is a strong rumor that in 2013 the coaches considered sticking with Josh McCown who’d led the team to three wins while Cutler was hurt, throwing 13 TDs to just one interception. When Cutler caught wind of that, he stopped listening to Trestman and that led to the epic implosion of 2014.

The Truth

This leads to the inevitable 64 thousand, million, bajillion dollar question. What will the Chicago Bears do about Cutler in 2017 if the team fails to post a winning record this year? GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox have come out in vocal support of Cutler since the end of last season and haven’t wavered. However, at the same time certain moves by the team seem to suggest they’ve started turning their eyes towards the future.

Connor Shaw seemed to have the coaches excited after a strong preseason performance before he unfortunately broke his leg. They also moved quickly to sign Matt Barkley to the practice squad, a personal favorite of Dowell Loggains who is still just 26. So they are clearly stockpiling young quarterbacks on their roster. One must also not forget Pace hasn’t yet used a draft pick at the position. Something that seems like just a matter of time.

Answering the question though comes down to two key factors. Cutler is no longer owed any guaranteed money, which means the team could cut him with minimal impact to their salary structure. Then there’s the 2016 season itself. Up to this point the Bears have done anything and everything possible to ensure his personal success. They drafted Kevin White last year and also signed Eddie Royal. Alshon Jeffery was franchise tagged. They signed Pro Bowl guard Josh Sitton and drafted Cody Whitehair. To top it off they promoted Loggains, his good friend to offensive coordinator.

If Jay can’t produce better numbers or a better overall record from last year after that? There’s not much else that needs saying.

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