Cutler's Next Step, Improve Mechanics
Jay Cutler's first season as a Chicago Bear was a bit of a disappointment. He came to Chicago coupled with high expectations, but the results weren't as expected. In his second season in Chicago, Cutler made big strides.
The biggest improvement for Cutler from year one to year two came in terms of his interceptions, he reduced the number of picks he threw by ten. His 26 interceptions in 2009 were a league high and became the focal point of the criticism. But in Mike Martz's offense Cutler was able to make better decisions with the football.
While Cutler was a much better quarterback in 2010, he still has room for improvement.
"Bad habits are hard to break, especially if you've had these habits and they're part of your DNA, year after year after year," Mark Malone, former NFL quarterback and current analyst, said on the Mully and Hanley Show when talking about Cutler's mechanics. "Part of it, I think, has to do with personality and to a certain extent part of it has to do with coaches."
LISTEN: Mark Malone On The Mully And Hanley Show
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Over the past three seasons, Cutler has had three different offensive coordinators. And these coaches, like many fans, see the elite arm that Cutler has and can over look the importance of mechanics.
"Coaches become enamored with a guy's arm," Malone said. "And Jay himself, I'm sure, is enamored with that arm of his, and he can make those [off-balance] throws when need be."
But his arm alone won't make Cutler the quarterback that everyone is expecting him to be. Cutler took a step towards being that quarterback this season, but he'll have another step to take in 2011.
"You're much better off with mechanics," Malone said, "because you become a more accurate passer. And I think that's why you get frustrated when you watch Jay Cutler. Because there are times when this guy just decides that he has a big enough arm and has become so enamored with it that he can make every throw and doesn't have to be mechanically sound."
Cutler, and his coaches, have known about his poor mechanics for some time. So the fact that they're still an issue leads Malone to think that the change will have to come from Cutler, not his coaches.
"Until Jay decides that its something that he needs to do to become a better quarterback," Malone said, "those habits are going to be very very hard to break."
