Jerry Angelo and Love Smith have a tough decision, finding Cutler the right offensive coordinator. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Since I live in the Chicagoland area and have been a Bears fan ever since my mother told me stories about Dick Butkus before bed, I try not to write exclusively about them. As a blogger, it’s important to be unbiased and fair, which hopefully is the case whenever you see my rhetoric.
However, this is a major topic. One that is just too hard to ignore.
When the Bears acquired Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos last April, all of Chicago jumped for joy. You could see all the people grinning, wearing their Bears paraphernalia while walking down the street. Complete strangers were turning to each other saying, “Can you believe we finally have a quarterback?”
It was a great feeling that carried into the preseason. Every fan ignored comments from the likes of Trent Dilfer, Tony Dungy, or Mike Ditka, all whom question Cutler’s ability to lead and be a franchise quarterback.
Now the season that some thought could result in a trip to Miami for Super Bowl XLIV is over. Instead, the Bears are sitting at home following a 7-9 season that saw Cutler throw a career high 26 interceptions.
Many still think he’s the answer, but they’re hesitant. It’s not such a sure bet that he’s the savior anymore.
The season resulted in the firing of six assistants, including Ron Turner. Turner served as the offensive coordinator the past five seasons and held the same position when the Bears had their best passing offense… in 1995.
It wasn’t his predictable runs up the middle and wide receiver screens, which resulted in little to no yards gained, that got him fired. It was his lack of communication with Cutler.
Turner never seemed to cater to his quarterback’s strengths. For instance, Cutler rarely rolled out of the pocket for the first 15 weeks of the season. The last two games, where the Bears scored 36 and 37 points respectively, Cutler rolled out of the pocket.
With the addition of a solid running attack and effective play action passing those two games, Cutler threw eight touchdowns and only one pick.
Also, Turner had a knack for running offenses where his quarterbacks regressed as the season went on. Don’t believe me?
Rex Grossman was actually red hot to start the 2006 season, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Month honors in September of that season. The first seven games of the season, he threw 13 touchdowns to seven interceptions. From that point on, he threw 13 touchdowns to 16 interceptions.
Still not convinced. Remember when Kyle Orton was having a good start to the season in 2008, throwing 10 touchdowns to only four interceptions the first seven games of the season? After the bye week, he managed a pedestrian eight touchdowns to eight interceptions.
Cutler also experienced a little regression as well in 2009. Sans the debut against the Green Bay Packers, he boasted a 3-1 record and threw eight touchdowns to five interceptions, four of those came in the disastrous debut. We all know what happened after the bye week, a 4-8 finish and more interceptions.
With Turner out of the picture, the Bears need to find the right guy at offensive coordinator who can give us the Cutler we saw the last two games of the season.
However, that is easier said than done. As evident from his spats with Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels and former quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton, who was fired with Turner earlier this week, Cutler isn’t easy to coach.
Apparently, Cutler only listens to those he respects. So who is that? The so-called experts claim it can be anyone that gets in his face, is a buddy, or has had NFL success.
He’s clearly a weird cat.
Like him or not, he’s here for the long haul. You don’t give up on a guy who you traded two first round picks for and signed a two-year, $30 million extension to keep until 2013.
So, who is the guy?
Jeremy Bates was reportedly the first person the Bears contacted. Before becoming USC’s offensive coordinator, he was Cutler’s quarterback coach in Denver and apparently works well with him.
However, he’s not a sure bet. Some reports say that Pete Carroll might take Bates to Seattle to be the Seahawks offensive coordinator.
Coach Lovie Smith has also reached out to Mike Martz. While Martz’s pass happy offense has been successful in the past, earning the St. Louis Rams a Super Bowl title in 1999, it’s been problematic in recent years.
Also, Smith has always preached “getting off the bus running.” Martz’s offenses have finished in the bottom half of the league in rushing since 2002.
Other names being tossed around are Al Saunders, Tom Clements, Jedd Fisch, and Jim Chaney. Saunders, 62, served as the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs (2001-2005), Washington Redskins (2006-2007), and the Rams (2008). The knock on him is his rumored 700 plus page playbook that gives players massive migraines.
Clements has had success as a quarterbacks coach in his career, currently tutoring Aaron Rodgers under the same role with the Green Bay Packers. Even though he struggled as offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, many feel he is due for another chance. The only problem is getting the rival Packers to let him interview.
Fisch, who is currently the offensive coordinator for the University of Minnesota, also has ties to Cutler. He was the Broncos wide receivers coach in 2008 and is someone that ESPN’s Adam Schefter said could be contacted this week. ESPN Radio 1000 Bears reporter Jeff Dickerson said Fisch is more likely a candidate for the QB coach vacancy.
Chaney was contacted by the Bears Saturday, according to the Chicago Tribune. Chaney is the offensive coordinator for the University of Tennessee but served as an assistant coach for the Rams, coaching the offensive line and tight ends the past three seasons.
All these candidates have questions. None of them are guaranteed to change Cutler or the Bears years and years of offensive ineptitude.
Smith and GM Jerry Angelo have to do all their homework. This decision could be the one that saves their jobs, and, most importantly, turns around Cutler’s career.
