Thread: Martz confident Cutler will bounce back

Cutler's culpable, but system stinks

neal hayes

It's easy to make this an indictment of the quarterback. He's the one who hasn't played up to expectations since coming here in a blockbuster trade. He's the one who threw four interceptions and lost a fumble Sunday in the potentially season-turning 17-14 loss to the Washington Redskins. But this isn't just about Jay Cutler. Not by a long shot.
The Bears have lost three of four not because of Cutler, but as the result of a total system failure on offense.

Nobody is absolving Cutler of blame. He deserves criticism for making inaccurate and ill-timed throws, but invective for a team sliding into an abyss should be directed at the top and allowed to filter down. Cutler has been part of the problem, no doubt. But when he has protection, a solid system and a talented surrounding cast, he can play at a Pro Bowl level. He proved that in 2008.

It's this franchise that must prove it can provide a quarterback with what he needs to be successful.
Cutler offered to take the blame for his turnovers, which is commendable. But we don't know what role his receivers played other than Johnny Knox failed to get inside position on a slant pattern, leading to one DeAngelo Hall interception, and Devin Hester didn't come back hard enough for another pass, resulting in another.

Ritual beatings to blame

Blame Cutler for the interception that Hall returned 92 yards for a touchdown. He threw that off his back foot. Consequently, it was high and wide, allowing Hall to make the play. But nobody should be surprised when Cutler abandons his fundamentals or rushes a throw now and again. It's to be expected considering the ritual beatings he has been subjected to.

''Normally, on bad plays, that was the case,'' Bears coach Lovie Smith said of Cutler's bad mechanics. ''But that wasn't the case throughout the entire day.''

Cutler's fumble on the goal line would have been overturned if Smith would've challenged the play. The coach admitted as much during Monday's autopsy. If he throws the red flag, not only is Cutler's fumble wiped from the books, but the Bears likely win the game and the winds of public opinion blow in a different direction today.

If the offensive line does its job, if the receivers do their jobs and the head coach does his job, Cutler still throws two picks but the Bears are 5-2.

''We all just have to play together,'' defensive tackle Anthony Adams said. ''That's everybody across the board -- offense, defense, special teams. Get turnovers, create turnovers and not turn the ball over and we'll fare pretty well. We're still in a good position. We're 4-3. We still haven't played Minnesota. We have to play Green Bay one more time and Detroit one more time so we can still make a run at this thing. It's not over for us at all.''

If the Bears can't protect Cutler better than they have, it may as well be. The line improved in the second half, allowing the offense to move the ball with ease before spitting it up on six of seven possessions in the second half. Cutler still was sacked four times, including once when Albert Haynesworth pushed Chris Williams into Cutler, giving Williams his first career reception and first career sack in the same game.

Worse yet, the hits he has endured this season have taken on a cumulative toll.
Pass, fail, pass, fail ...

What the Bears have done since Cutler arrived could be written in a handbook titled How Not to Develop an NFL Quarterback. Instead of putting him in a position to succeed -- the No. 1 job for any coaching staff -- they have put him in a position to fail again and again.

Last year, they give him a shaky offensive line and a receiving corps still in the first trimester of its NFL development. Then, they bring in a new coordinator, making him learn his second system in two years, only to have the offensive line collapse.
At least Cutler has proved he can perform at a high level when given time, a competent running game and consistent playmakers at the receiver positions. What we don't know is whether the Bears are capable of giving a quarterback the tools he needs to be as successful as they need him to be.

Martz has lost the confidence of Bear Nation. He said we'd be more balanced too after the Seattle game. I believe Cutler can bounce back, but not because Martz said so.

Originally Posted by dabears54

Cutler's culpable, but system stinks

neal hayes

//

Cutler has been part of the problem, no doubt. But when he has protection, a solid system and a talented surrounding cast, he can play at a Pro Bowl level. He proved that in 2008.

Last year, they give him a shaky offensive line and a receiving corps still in the first trimester of its NFL development. Then, they bring in a new coordinator, making him learn his second system in two years, only to have the offensive line collapse.

At least Cutler has proved he can perform at a high level when given time, a competent running game and consistent playmakers at the receiver positions. What we don't know is whether the Bears are capable of giving a quarterback the tools he needs to be as successful as they need him to be.

//

Originally Posted by GeorgiaJeff

Martz has lost the confidence of Bear Nation. He said we'd be more balanced too after the Seattle game. I believe Cutler can bounce back, but not because Martz said so.

jeff he never had it or many, hell- you have said you didn't have any confifence in 2010 repeatedly.So can't lose something never had, IMO

Originally Posted by dabears54

jeff he never had it or many, hell- you have said you didn't have any confifence in 2010 repeatedly.So can't lose something never had, IMO

I was starting to become a "Martzist" (lol) after the Dallas game when I saw him make adjustments. Again, as Haugh said, he went away from making adjustments and is now force-feeding his scheme.

As an aside, I joined in on the John "Moon" Mullin live chat last night and had three questions answered. Mullin still thinks the Bears win 10 games. He predicts a sweep of the Vikings, a win over Detroit and three more. He also said he looks for the Bears to win one or two games they shouldn't. I would add a win over the Bills, that's four. Now we need two more.

About Garza coming back, I'd like to see Chris Williams moved back to LT and Omiyale moved back to RT and Garza back at RG. Keep Kreutz at center and Edwin Williams at RG. Mullin thinks Edwin Williams is a better RG than Lance Louis, but not by a lot.

Originally Posted by GeorgiaJeff

I was starting to become a "Martzist" (lol) after the Dallas game when I saw him make adjustments. Again, as Haugh said, he went away from making adjustments and is now force-feeding his scheme.

As an aside, I joined in on the John "Moon" Mullin live chat last night and had three questions answered. Mullin still thinks the Bears win 10 games. He predicts a sweep of the Vikings, a win over Detroit and three more. He also said he looks for the Bears to win one or two games they shouldn't. I would add a win over the Bills, that's four. Now we need two more.

About Garza coming back, I'd like to see Chris Williams moved back to LT and Omiyale moved back to RT and Garza back at RG. Keep Kreutz at center and Edwin Williams at RG. Mullin thinks Edwin Williams is a better RG than Lance Louis, but not by a lot.

I'm with mullin still think we are a 10+ win team, and more about how BAD the NFC is then anything else.. I'd say bills, agree on the sweep of vikes with or without favre is closer to reality now, just going real sideways there, detriot and also think they get a "W' out of the eagles/jets/new england trioka because all at home, we may get weather "W". And the last game would be greenbay, who IMO with the rate of injuries going on there( lost neal and popping-zits this week) catchign up with them and by the last game think may be on the Golf course with their 3rd strings and a 6-9 record for that 10th "W"

Cutler=Carr

in two years he will be a backup or retread on another team all thanks to JA wonderful vision of an offense.

Originally Posted by GrizzlyBear91

Martz has me Dizzy....

After the Dallas game I was on Cloud nine with his ability to adjust and get the offense going...

now he just seems hell bent on throwing the damn thing when it was only a 3 point game... and we were having success on the ground....

I consantly saw 3 -5 yard gains when we typically get only 1-2.

that is the biggest fustration from sunday we "should" have won.. and IMO BOTH martz and cutler need to "game manage" better- its like Neither realize how good the bears "D" is,or how accurate Gould is- or been part of teams with very good "D"'s, where don't need to score 28+ to win.. And a few FG's, instead of a risky passes on 3rd down plays is what we need.

run the ball again on 3rd and 7 from the 13 and even i dont get it its a chip shot and a 17-10 lead, which with the way the "D" playing is probably enough