Thread: Cutler regresses, yet wins

Backfoot Jay was overdue to have wins bounce his way.


Everybody knows Backfoot Jay from the game Monday night. Jay Cutler not only threw pass after pass off his back foot, but off his backpedal dropback in the Chicago Bears' fortuitous win against the Green Bay Packers.
To think of all the guff Tim Tebow takes for his unusual throwing mechanics. Tebow's release is instructional-film- caliber next to Backfoot Jay's deliveries.
Cutler's fundamentals weren't that bad when he was playing for the Broncos from 2006-08, were they? They were never good — he did throw off his back foot on occasion — but he has seemingly regressed.


"He obviously has confidence in his arm strength, but when you're throwing off your back foot, you lose half your accuracy," former Broncos quarterback John Elway said. "They're going to win some games like they did Monday night, but in the long run they're never going to be as good as they should be because, technique-wise, he won't set his feet and put the ball on the money."
Cutler is exciting to watch, no doubt. His arm is strong enough that he often gets away with his sloppy deliveries.


And after eight consecutive nonwinning seasons, including college, maybe fate decided to cash in his breaks all in one season. Between the Calvin Johnson no-touchdown controversy in the opener, when the Lions appeared to have won the game, and Cutler's picks-that-weren't against the Packers, this has the makings of a magical Bears season.


That doesn't alter the fact this nation has hundreds of Turkey Bowl throwers who display better fundamentals than Cutler.


"You can't argue with 3-0," Elway said. "And as many bad plays as he makes, he still makes special plays that a lot of guys can't make."


During his 16-year playing career with the Broncos, Elway was a quarterback who could fling it like no one else, not even Jay Cutler. Know why? Because no quarterback ever put more legs, rump and body into his throws. Elway was the Nolan Ryan of NFL throwing mechanics and velocity.


But even though he's a former quarterback, Elway believes the Broncos' offense is way too pass-heavy. Kyle Orton and the Denver passing game rank first in the NFL, while the running game ranks last in yards per carry.


"Kyle's having a great year and doing a great job between the 20s," Elway said. "I think with the problems they've had in the red zone and with the running game, I think those two things go hand and hand. As that field gets more compact and there's less room to throw the football, that's where it's important for them to have the running game."


On Orton's play, Elway said: "We've talked about his second year under his belt with the system, but the other thing I look at, and what people don't realize, is how much he's answered the bell. They brought Brady Quinn in, and they draft Tebow in the first round, and Kyle's career was kind of in the fold there. He either had to buck up and come out and play better and compete and do what he's doing now, or go the other direction. I'm impressed with the way he's competed and put his mind to it."


On Broncos coach Josh McDaniels announcing this past week he would not use Tebow in short-yardage situations: "They did not bring Tim Tebow in here to be a short-yardage back. Everybody's anxious to see what he can do, but this is what Josh had in his plan.


"It takes a lot of time to add a system within the system trying to fit it to one guy. After they did it that first week when they had a few weeks to get a package in there for Tim, now that they're into the season, they don't have a lot of time to get those in."


Elway is promoting the Ultimate Fan Challenge, in which the winner gets to take three people to London to not only watch the Broncos take on the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 31, but watch the game with Elway and have dinner with him the night before.


"It's the fans who make the NFL, so I always look forward to getting to meet them and feeding their passion for the NFL," Elway said. "Hopefully, the winners are Broncos fans, but if not, we'll still have a great time."
Here's how it works: Take a picture worthy of winning an Ultimate Fan contest. The picture has to include a bottle or can of Pepsi Max. Send it to NFL.com/PEPSIMAX.


Imagine talking football with this guy over fish, chips and a pint of ale. I mean, Pepsi Max.


Read more: Klis: Cutler regresses, yet wins - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci...#ixzz11O72j8M7