Bernstein: That's Why They Traded For Cutler
By Dan Bernstein--
We are not even through two seasons since Jay Cutler became a Bear, and it already feels like a long story: spectacular touchdowns undermined by inexcusable interceptions, petulant shoulder shrugs interpreted for greater meaning, and club-hopping with quasi-famous TV arm-candy.
We forget why two first-round draft picks and a competent starting quarterback were spent to bring him here.
Let Cutler's performance yesterday remind us.
Already the franchise's most talented ever at the position (and also the highest rated, so it's probably fair to just say "best"), Cutler was the finest player on the field in one of the Bears' most important victories in years.
Lose to the Eagles, and the Bears would fall back to the blob of NFC others – their mediocrity confirmed, doubts reinforced, playoff possibilities shaky and coaches' futures uncertain. Beat them, and stake claim to both a postseason fast-track and grander goals ahead.
The Bears won because Jay Cutler was their quarterback. His turnover-free, four-touchdown performance resulted in the highest passer-efficiency rating of his career: 146.2. It was reported to be the third-highest-rated passing performance in Bear history. His mark for the season stands at 90.4, right there with Peyton Manning's 90.8.
What that arcane statistic does not tell you is everything else Cutler did, as his underappreciated speed to the edge salvaged positive yards, his quickness bailed out uneven pass protection, and creative improvisation picked up key first downs (the lefty flip to Matt Forte and the floater to Devin Hester in particular). Mike Martz seems to be tailoring his once-rigid scheme to fit his passer's game, using the types of lateral misdirections and rollouts on which Cutler has succeeded in the past.
Something seems to have clicked since Lovie Smith put the mercurial, combative Martz in his place during the off week, by some combination of hypnosis, blackmail and/or sodium pentothal. It's possible that they have found something that works, or is at least far less likely to fail. Cutler has not been turned into a "game manager," as some contend, but the game is now being managed.
And let's please put to bed the silly recriminations over the trade, and the pointless comparisons of Cutler to Kyle Orton. Orton is a good guy and a nice player, and he's putting up big, empty numbers for a bad team. The Tim Tebow Era is set to begin there, soon, regardless.
(Notice, too, that the "Orton's a winner! Just look at his record!" doofuses have been scrambling for argumentative cover since the midpoint of last season)
Here are the facts on Jay Cutler: he can be a real jackass and an on-field hothead. He has nothing interesting to say. He makes some really stupid throws. There is something about his natural, resting facial expression that can make a reasonable person want to hit him with a pie.
He is also the best Bears quarterback you have ever seen, and it's up to him how far his team goes.
