Bears Blitz

Published by Nick Kostos on October 20, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

After yet another hideous home defeat in which their dysfunction was on display for the assembled media (and entire nation) to see and hear, the 2014 Chicago Bears are quickly degenerating into a dumpster fire.

But don’t you dare lay it at the feet of franchise quarterback Jay Cutler.

The artists formerly known as the “Monsters of the Midway” are now 0-3 at Soldier Field and surely terrify their own fans more than the opposition.

And those singling out Cutler for Chicago’s woes are foolhardy at best and irresponsible at worst.

Sunday’s loss to underdog Miami had it all: Gruesome turnovers, poor defense and a combustible post-game locker room that featured veiled insults, barbs directed at fans and an acknowledgement that the season is slipping away.

And somehow, the talented Cutler has become the face of the team’s myriad issues.

It’s wrong. Because without Cutler, the Bears wouldn’t even be 3-4. He’s the main reason they’re still in contention.

Look, it’s understandable to blame the quarterback. Cutler is the most visible player on the roster and has been a lightning rod for criticism throughout his career. He gives off the impression that he truly couldn’t care less what the media and fans think, and sometimes dons the mask of an especially petulant child. And to be fair, his decision making hasn’t exactly been spotless, and he does bear some brunt of the blame for the team’s struggles.

But let’s review the facts, shall we?

Cutler is a top-15 quarterback in the NFL. This is indisputable. He has a Howitzer attached to his right shoulder and is capable of making all the throws. 

He’s currently sixth in the NFL in passing yards (1,886), sixth in completion percentage (67.3) and tied for fifth in touchdown passes (14). While detractors will point to his seven interceptions—tied for third-most in the league—it’s fascinating to note that a talented trio of passers has also thrown seven picks: Indianapolis‘ Andrew Luck, Atlanta‘s Matt Ryan and New Orleans‘ Drew Brees.

Chicago’s offense badly underachieved in its 27-14 loss to Miami, but to insinuate Cutler is the primary culprit? Insanity.

Bears fans should take a closer look at the defense, which hasn’t shown the type of improvement many thought it would. After a dreadful 2013 campaign, general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman opted to keep defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, and Emery exhausted his resources in an effort to amplify the unit.

But the results haven’t been present.

On Sunday, the Bears made Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (25-of-32 passing for 277 yards and two touchdown passes) look like the second coming of Dan Marino. Tucker’s defense couldn’t get off the field, as Miami held the ball for over 37 minutes. Chicago’s defense is now ranked 24th overall and hasn’t gotten the job done.

And how about Trestman, the team’s seemingly Teflon coach, who has somehow been immune to criticism over his season-and-a-half on the job? 

Ultimately, this is Trestman‘s offense that is failing, and Trestman‘s team that is coming apart at the seams. There are coaches in the NFL that would kill to have Cutler as their quarterback, but Trestman has somehow escaped the wrath of Bears fans.

Consider this quote from Dolphins safety Reshad Jones, who told Seth Gruen of the Chicago Sun-Times, “After watching film all week we saw that (Cutler) was looking where he threw the ball. He was always looking at his receivers and never looking off. I tried to take advantage of that and it paid off.”

If the Dolphins can see that on film, then why hasn’t Trestman, the erstwhile offensive guru, corrected it during a week of preparation? Isn’t that a coaching issue? 

And Emery must be held accountable as well. There is a stark lack of leadership throughout the roster, and it truly manifested itself in the wake of Sunday’s loss.

According to Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com, receiver Brandon Marshall called out Cutler and spearheaded an ugly locker room scene that could be heard by all media present. And indeed, Marshall’s quote to Wright does seem to point the blame at his quarterback:

Same mistakes, same mistakes, same mistakes. We’ve got to protect the football. We’ve got to protect the football. We’ve got to execute the game plan. We’ve got to adjust when things don’t go as we saw on the film. We’ve got Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett, Matt Forte. We’ve got a stud offensive line. We’ve got a great, great group of guys, and this is unacceptable. What did we put up, 14 points? Was it 14 points? That’s unacceptable.

Marshall didn’t mention Cutler by name, which would seem to be by design.

What a joke.

First off, any team that counts the volatile Marshall as one of its primary leaders is sunk before even leaving the harbor. Marshall has done well over recent years to improve his standing among teammates and fans, but the fact of the matter is he’s still prone to emotional outbursts.

And how would Marshall feel if, say, Austin Davis were his quarterback instead of Cutler? Or perhaps Charlie Whitehurst? Or even Tannehill, who has also been through the criticism ringer this season? 

Has Marshall already forgotten about Cutler’s gutty performance in Week 2 at San Francisco? Or how well Cutler played in their other two victories (at the Jets, at Atlanta)? Or the fact the defense let them down in losses to Buffalo, Green Bay, Carolina and then Miami?

Last year, backup quarterback Josh McCown was the toast of Chicago. Would any self-respecting Bears fan want him back in the lineup? If McCown were Chicago’s starter this year, the Bears could easily be 1-6 or 0-7. Cutler has been that valuable to their efforts.

For all his foibles, Cutler is someone you can win with. And until proven otherwise, the same cannot be said of Trestman, Emery or the defense.

Take the misguided Cutler hate and bring it someone else. He’s far from the problem in Chicago.

In fact, he represents one of its only solutions.

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