The last day of the 2009 baseball season was the day that the Denver Broncos traded Jay Cutler to the team he grew up rooting for. That day Jay Cutler was anointed the savior of Chicago. After all, not since Jim McMahon, or possibly the great Sid Luckman, have the Bears had a “real” quarterback. The Bears have had a revolving door at the starting quarterback position since Jim Harbaugh was run out of town in 1994.
Kyle Orton definitely was not the worst quarterback that Chicago has seen. Cade McNown arguably can boast that achievement. In three years with the Bears, Orton had a 21 – 12 record. Despite that, Orton was just never “the guy” for the Bears. Orton isn’t the kind of guy who is going to go out and win a game, he’s the guy that manages the game, and hopefully keeps you from losing one. That is why when Jay Cutler became available, a quarterback who lives to go out and win the game, the Bears jumped on the opportunity.
Jay Cutler did not win even half of his starting games in Denver, going 17 – 20. However, expectations could not have been any higher for Cutler as he strode into Chicago. The Bears defense is widely considered one of the best in the NFL and Matt Forte established himself as an elite running back in 2008. Cutler was the missing piece. Finally, the Bears have a quarterback that they could count on. After all, in 2008 Cutler threw 25 touchdowns. That is almost as many as the 30, which Orton threw during his entire Bears career.
Since coming to Chicago, Cutler has appeared at games for other Chicago sports teams. Bears jerseys bearing Cutler’s name and number 6 quickly became popular. The buzz surrounding Cutler and the Bears drowned out almost everything. This was a remarkable task, given the Bulls’ and Blackhawks’ return to the playoffs. There was talk of how crisp and strong his passes were and of how great he was fitting in with the other players. Not everything being said about Cutler was good though. This after all was the quarterback who forced his way out of Denver.
He was upset that the team involved him in trade talks. He was being too emotional. Players of his caliber shouldn’t be doing that, after all, the NFL is also a business. Perhaps more importantly, the heir to John Elway’s legacy should quietly go about his business of leading the Broncos to another Superbowl. Cutler was the man in Denver. Cutler said he had the strongest arm in the league, stronger than even Elway’s. That is the confidence Cutler brings now to Chicago, along with a rocket arm. Denver can have Kyle Orton, Chicago loves players who exude that type of confidence.
Make no mistake though, Cutler needs the Bears. Cutler has outplayed the other quarterbacks taken in the 2006 draft. That does not say much though. Vince Young and Matt Leinart both have led to disappointment. Cutler needs the Bears to perform well so that he can begin to cement his legacy. Other young quarterbacks like Eli Manning and Philip Rivers recently signed contract extensions totaling nearly $200 million. Cutler is still playing under his rookie contract but he needs to prove something if he wants to earn that kind of payday.
The 2009 season opened with the Bears playing in Green Bay and Cutler disappointed. Cutler threw four interceptions, but the Bears kept it close and almost came back to Chicago with a win. This game was telling about Cutler. He provided a chance to come back and win. Since that atrocious first game, Cutler has thrown seven touchdowns to one interception. More importantly, Cutler ran for a touchdown in the first quarter of the game against the Lions, something that had to inspire every Bears fan. Cutler leapt into the air and reached for the goal line as he took a hit that spun him around. This is the kind of guy that Bears players and fans need. Heading into the bye week, the Bears have a 3 – 1 record, along with a quarterback that seems destined for very big things.