Bears Blitz

Published by Andrew Garda on April 10, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

We’re definitely in a phase of the NFL where passing frequently and with great vigor is the way to go. Teams pass, a lot, and in the last few years, it has been the teams who pass well (and defend the pass well) who make it into and win Super Bowls.

With that in mind, it’s a fair question to ask if the Bears can expect Jay Cutler to ever take them to the “promised land” of Lambeau Trophies.

I look at it in two ways: what Jay Cutler can control and what he cannot.

When looking at what he can control, I actually believe Cutler is in pretty good shape.

In terms of his ability, he has a tremendous arm and good accuracy overall. He’s not the most mobile guy, but he’s not a statue in the pocket. Physically, he has the tools you want a franchise quarterback to have.

Sometimes, he seems to lose his cool, and sometimes, he can get erratic with his accuracy. He has to learn to curb that and rein in his frustration. The more he can control himself mentally, the better chance he’ll have at a Super Bowl.

So really, in terms of ability, yes, I think the Bears could win a Super Bowl with Cutler under center.

The problem isn’t Cutler. The problem is the team around him.

The Bears offense was a mess under Mike Martz. The offensive scheme left Cutler too exposed and was way too focused on timing for the receivers they had.

Martz wasn’t the whole problem, though. The Bears have been content to leave the offense as is for a long time, as if their acquisition of Jay Cutler was all they needed to do to improve. They lucked into Matt Forte, but plodded along with the most average set of wide receivers they could find.

Adding Brandon Marshall could be just the thing that group needs, assuming he can control himself in Chicago. Marshall has a rep which he has earned, and it has to be at least some of a concern for the Bears going forward. Johnny Knox is coming back from a spinal injury, and even if he comes back, may not be the same receiver. Nobody else on the roster is all that exciting, and they will probably add a receiver in the draft, though not as early as some think.

I will also contend, despite the team insisting this is not the case, that the offensive line is and will continue to be an issue. Sure, Martz’s scheme was at least partially at fault for the lackluster play of the line the last few years, but the line was bad before he got to Chicago.

Not enough has changed for me to feel confident that just altering a scheme will cure what ails it.

As I’ve often said, it makes no sense to have a franchise quarterback like Jay Cutler and not give him the time to stay on his feet, much less stretch the field. Cutler is the most abused quarterback in the NFL since he came into the league. Some of that is on him, but a lot of it is on the offensive lines he’s played with.

Ultimately, I believe it’s not a question of whether Cutler can lead them to a Super Bowl.

The better question is, will the Bears offense keep him from it?

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