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I've never seen any team in any sport rally behind a player like they did with McMahon. It was night and day when he was in there. The defense was able to blitz the other team's asses off because they knew the offense had their back. McMahon had a certain charisma that was passed along to the whole team.
As far as I'm concerned the jury is still out on Cutler.
http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images...png?1265170882Quote:
Originally Posted by vmx12
Bears 1982-88
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3603/3...601e2530c8.jpg
Chargers 1989
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/JIM-MCMAHON-P...9qlUg~~_35.JPG
Eagles 1990-92
http://www.autographwarehouse.com/im...IKINGS8x10.JPG
Vikings 1993
http://www.geocities.jp/jbeeez2001/mcmahonari.jpg
Cardinals 1994
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/108...7Z37aPAkwUk%3D
Browns 5 minutes in 1995
http://www.mainlineautographs.com/im...0121119466.jpg
Packers (1995-96)
and the team Jimmy Mac retired with...
http://mikeresponts.files.wordpress....mahonscoot.jpg
I don't want to overstate McMahon's importance or undersell Cutler's talent...overall I think the impact of swapping these players would be negligible...Jay is no Joe Montana and McMahon was no Trent Dilfer, simply along for the ride...
I can point to one single game would have been difference...a certain Thursday night in Minnesota in '85....no way, Cutler hounds Ditka the way McMahon did to get in that game and then do what he did...Jay may be the more talented QB, but McMahon was the better leader and football player imho....McMahon had heart, guts and was a leader and a winner, and yet he could only manage 1 SB with the 80 Bears....when it comes to those things, the jury is still out on Jay....
They're night and day.
JimmyMac is a beer-drinking, foul-mouthed, hunter-attired dude who'd rather be fishing.
Cutty is a pouty-lipped, angst-saturated, 5th Avenue-attired diva who'd rather be clubbing.
Cutty has talent in spades. His natural abilities outstrip JM's by lightyears.
McMahon has grit. His ability to gutcheck makes Cutty's look anemic and autistic.
Neither had (currently have) enough of both to lead a team to multiple championships.
Both love(d) being the Bears QB.
Both love (from what I understand) Chicago.
I'd take either behind center in a heartbeat.
Just a side question. Does anyone have any pictures of McMahon in a Browns uniform? He BRIEFLY played behind Testaverde in 1995 (for Belichick). I have the white Cleveland McMahon jersey (I have every Mac jersey except the Cards one). But, this is the only picture I could find:
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/108...7Z37aPAkwUk%3D
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfman
Quote:
Originally Posted by matsellah
I think both of these speak to the difference extremely well. Mac had to do it on his instincts and his guts because he didn't have Cutler arm and his ability to fit a football into spaces so tight no one can believe he actually threw that pass.
Mac has more heart than brains when it came to his body but I don't see Cutler as a wuss either. Maybe the hardest thing is that we're comparing two Bears QBs in two very different eras. Head injuries were common place and guys played through them in the '80s but not today. It's not permitted any longer.
There's also the issues of players salaries and the "cap". Cutler makes more in one year than Mac made during his entire career with the Bears. Teams protect that investment more today than they did then out of necessity. Teams can't stockpile All Pro passers anymore like SF did with Montana and Young.
To me both seem to be a fit for their respective eras but to date Mac showed more leadership on the field than Cutler has and in order for this team to succeed better than it has that will need to change.