Jay Cutler, It’s Time to Grow Up
Published by Sean McDermott on October 2, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Once again Jay Cutler‘s antics and immaturity overshadowed a great performance Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
After a Bears offensive series in the first half, ESPN commentator Mike Tirico said that Cutler was upset because offensive coordinator Mike Tice‘s play calling was coming up late.
Remember this is Tice‘s first season as an offensive coordinator and he is just starting to get into rhythm with the play calling.
As Cutler was walking to the bench, Tice was walking behind him trying to talk to him. Cutler arrived to the bench and sat down, while Tice started talking and began to pop a squat next to the quarterback. As Tice was fully seated, Cutler sprung up and started walking away.
In a news conference after the 34-18 victory Cutler said
“We can’t read into everything. I get you have to sell papers and it’s hard out there. Just because I walk off and go get water, it doesn’t mean much.”
It’s true that Cutler did get water, but if you review the incident, Cutler had no intention of grabbing the water bottle from the Bears’ personnel until the last second, when the individual actually put the bottle right in front of him.
Cutler received a great amount of criticism for his actions’ against left tackle J’Marcus Webb, when Cutler lost his composer and yelled at him during the Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
His altercation with Webb was justifiable, to me. After all, Cutler has been taking shots for two straight seasons due to the weak offensive line and he did throw four interceptions and was sacked seven times in the 23-10 loss to Green Bay.
The altercation with Tice isn’t the first time Cutler has had a problem with an offensive coordinator.
Once again on a nationally televised game, the American public saw the villainous side of Cutler. On Oct. 16, 2011 against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football, an aggravated Cutler was heard screaming an expletive to former offensive coordinator Mike Martz near the end of the first half.
Cutler is without a doubt a good quarterback, statistically. He holds six school records at Vanderbilt University, which made him the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He holds the Denver Broncos single season records for passing yards (4,526), completions (384), attempts (616) and 300-yard games (8), which gave him the nod to be selected as an AFC Pro Bowl quarterback in 2008. In seven seasons, Cutler has thrown for over 18,000 yards and 100 touchdowns.
Only two things have damaged Cutler over the years. His attitude, which ran it’s course in Denver before he got shipped off to Chicago. Secondly, his inability to win played a role.
At his four year tenure at Vanderbilt, Cutler held a 11-35 record and never went to a bowl game. As a professional, Cutler is 44-38 (.537 winning percentage) and has a 1-1 record in the playoffs (only appearance in 2010-11).
Cutler is just unreliable in big games.
This was never more evident than in the NFC Championship game in 2011, when the Bears took on the Packers. Cutler went 6-for-14 with 80 yards and one interception, before leaving the game with a knee injury. Many Bears fans felt that Cutler injury was faked as he did not return in the second half and watched back-ups Todd Collins and Caleb Hanie struggle on to a 21-14 loss.
Cutler has all the right tools to be a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback. Despite his two despicable games against the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams, Cutler has been a great quarterback. If Cutler can drop his baby-and-mope attitude, the Bears will benefit greatly.
The bottom line is that if Cutler can’t change his attitude, he will never win anything in his life, which is evident by his track record.
Cutler, it’s time to smile and be happy. You play for a historic NFL team, you have a lovely woman and child and you are what the Bears need to win a Super Bowl. It’s time to shape-up and be a team player.
All stats are from http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/9597/jay-cutler and http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CutlJa00.htm
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