Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Preview: Bears at Raiders"
Jay Cutler
27 November 2011
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23 November 2011
Speaking of Jay himself, I could not have been any sadder. To see him go through the post-game motions with nary of hint of what he suspected was admirable, but it ultimately led to a greater feeling of shock once the news broke about an hour later. It’s a crushing blow to a Bears team that many (including myself) had deemed as rising to become a legitimate challenger in not only the NFC, but the NFL. Lovie Smith has stated they’re hopeful he could be back for the end of the regular season, but I’m not really buying into that. It sounds like Lovie’s trying to avoid a thousand Bear fans plunging into Lake Michigan. As much as I want to see Jay back in action, I don't want to rush him back and risk his thumb long-term for a half-hearted playoff push if he's not completely ready. The Bears feel the same way and won't put risk his future.
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20 November 2011
(7-3) Chicago Bears 31
(4-6) San Diego Chargers 20
Coming to the rescue, Jay Cutler had an absolutely monstrous second half. After a first down conversion on a throw to Roy Williams as he’s falling to the ground, Cutler got kneed in the back of the head. He got up slow and a mite woozy, but then he turned it on. Two more first down throws to Williams were followed by a 42 yard throw to Johnny Knox at the one yard line. Finishing the drive was Jay himself, leaping over the pile at the goal line for the score. Getting the ball back quickly off a Charles Tillman force and recovery, Cutler went for the jugular on a 24-yard bomb to Knox at the back of the endzone. That put the Bears up 31-17 and all but shut the door on the Chargers’ hopes of getting to .500. Jay was on his game and clearly one-upped Philip Rivers, who looked downright awful. We should all write Philip a thank you letter, by the way. He gift-wrapped this one.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 31, Chargers 20"
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13 November 2011
It was a fantastic game Bears fans! Your team is 6-3! Live it up! Bear Down and Happy Jay Cutler day!
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 37, Lions 13"
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Time for revenge! Following their ugly Monday night loss to the Lions in week five, the Bears have won three in a row and are nipping at the heels of Detroit in the NFC North standings. If the Bears win they’ll be tied with Detroit for second in the NFC North and in prime position for the first Wildcard slot come playoff time. Let’s break down this incredibly important contest.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Preview: Lions at Bears"
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7 November 2011
On their next drive, Bennett continued to prove his worth to Jay Cutler with another big first down. In Eagles territory a failed wildcat (of course if fails) and then quick draw play up the middle made Lovie settle for a field goal, putting Chicago up 10-0. But the chaos was about to ensue as the half drew to a close. Vick led the Eagles down the field for a 47 yard field goal, giving the Bears two minutes to hopefully steer momentum back to their favor. With less than 1:30 on the clock, Cutler threw two passes which were promptly dropped by Hester and Sanzenbacher. A third down pass to the flat to Forte ended in a fumble which was snapped up by rookie linebacker Brian Rolle who ran it 22 yards to pay-dirt. It was suddenly tied at 10-10 after a nearly complete half of domination by Chicago.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 30, Eagles 24"
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(4-3) Chicago Bears at
(3-4) Philadelphia Eagles
In a season where Jay Cutler has avoided making bad decisions and kept his interception total down (6), he gets to match skills with the vaunted Eagles secondary at a time when they seem to be hitting their stride. He can’t tempt fate against Nmandi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, all of whom can shut down any Bear receiver they choose. Don’t be surprised if Andy Reid doesn’t stick with the same match-ups all game in order to give Cutler several looks. Missing Gabe Carimi could hurt the offensive line week, as Trent Cole will play havoc on the outside edge against whatever tackle he’s facing. J’Marcus Webb will have his hands full, so expect a tight end or back to chip and help out whenever possible.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Preview: Bears at Eagles"
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23 October 2011
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 24, Buccaneers 18"
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16 October 2011
After their embarrassing, penalty-plagued Monday nighter, the Chicago Bears are in primetime in a divisional match-up for the second straight week, this time taking the Sunday Night Football stage against Minnesota. At risk of falling in last place in the NFC North, the Bears can’t afford to lose.
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10 October 2011
(2-3) Chicago Bears 13
First and foremost, everyone can get the HELL OFF of Jay Cutler’s back. If any game during his tenure in Chicago illustrates what he can do for this team, it was this one. With only Matt Forte and a rookie wide-out, Jay managed to put points on the board when the rest of the offense took the night off or false-started in their pants. Cutler kept plays alive, made accurate throws and good decisions, and stood in the pocket and took solid shots to the chin all night. They were several drives that took up chunks of clock that only continued because Cutler willed it. If you’re still hating him, you’re part of the problem. ‘Cause Jay sure the hell isn’t. I’m done with all the unwarranted complaints about his body language and his demeanor. He gets his ass kicked every week and never moans or complains. He takes his beating like a man and tries to win every single time he steps on the field.
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Continue reading "Joe's Gameday 2011 Preview: Bears at Lions"
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2 October 2011
Thanks to the rushing attack, defense and special teams, Jay Cutler barely had to throw the ball, chucking it four times in the first half. He ended up with 17 attempts for 102 yards with one interception on an overthrown ball when the score was at 24-23. Cutler clearly felt some pressure when it wasn’t there at times today, necessitating the need for a ground game. To their credit, the offensive line showed up and made holes for Forte despite some more rotation. At one point Lance Louis, Chris Spencer and Frank Omiyale were rotating between right guard and right tackle for various reason. The continuity on the right side of the line is suffering.
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Bears 34, Panthers 29"
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25 September 2011
Bear Down and Happy Jay Cutler Day!
Continue reading "Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Packers 27, Bears 17"
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18 September 2011
Happy Jay Cutler Day!
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11 September 2011
US Presswire
Aside from a late pick-six (an excellent play from Kroy Biermann), Jay Cutler had an outstanding day in front of the Chicago crowd, going for 312 yards and two touchdowns. He was knocked around quite a bit though, getting sacked three times, which caused the offense to settle for field goals in the early-going. (And gave me my only heart attack when Cutler was woozy getting up in his own end zone.) Screen passes to Matt Forte and Devin Hester worked to perfection, with the first scoring directly and the second leading to a Matt Spaeth score on the next play. Forte got better as the game drew on, despite some early rushing woes. He finished with 68 yards on the ground and five catches for 90 yards to lead the team in both receiving categories. Even Roy Williams had an impressive debut, catching three passes for first downs (complete with annoying signals) before leaving the game with a groin injury.
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Bears 30, Falcons 12"
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10 September 2011
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1 September 2011
Because he better not be playing tonight. No one needs to Jay-Rough my QB in a meaningless fourth preseason game. I’ve got my eye on you Lovie.
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30 August 2011
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27 August 2011
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22 August 2011
After both defenses traded three-and-outs early, the Giants finally found their way on the scoreboard in a 41-6 win over the Bears in preseason action Monday night. For you Bear fans that aren’t throwing your computers away in despair, here’s what I took away from this (meaningless) loss.
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24 January 2011
Also, Bear Down and happy Jay Cutler Day! (Yep, I said it. Wanna fight about it?)
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Packers 21, Bears 14"
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23 January 2011
Even if the Bears get their running game going early, Jay Cutler can make this game a blow-out… for either team. He’s been dynamically careful in the past 9 weeks, lowering his interceptions and racking up the wins. Is it somehow related to the fact that he’s not taking seven-step drops and being pummeled like he was early in the season? Could be… Regardless, Cutler must continue winning in the post-season if he’s going to shake the criticism. Tossing four picks just isn’t going to cut it, and against the corner tandem of Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson, he could have issues if he forces a ball where he shouldn’t. Williams and Woodson should see time on Knox, Hester and Bennett most of the game, but Greg Olsen could have another explosion on Sunday. Green bay has given up big yards to tight ends this season and Olsen has the speed to capitalize on their man-to-man coverages. Aside from Matthews, Green Bay’s linebackers aren’t extraordinarily speedy. And if they waste Matthews by putting him on Olsen on passing downs the Bears win that match-up by default. Erik Walden came on late in the season, but he’s not consistent enough in pass coverage to be a game-changer. A.J. Hawk is as solid as they come, but he’s a bruiser, not a flier. If Martz gets Olsen involved early like he did against Seattle (but never came back to), Green Bay’s defense could be loosened up for runs on the edges.
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16 January 2011
Continue reading "Joe's GameDay Recap: Bears 35, Seahawks 24"
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2 January 2011
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26 December 2010
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20 December 2010
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Bear down and happy Jay Cutler day!
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12 December 2010
Bear down and happy Jay Cutler day.
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Patriots 36, Bears 7"
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5 December 2010
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28 November 2010
Jay Cutler was phenomenal. He was as efficient as he’s ever been in a Bear uniform, completing 14 of his 21 passes for 247 yards and a whopping four touchdowns. He made smart decisions with the football on nearly every play, either making the perfect throw or scrambling for first down yardage. This was the
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Offensively Chicago won't have as tough a time. (I hope.) Jay Cutler gets a a break today as the Eagles' best corner Asante Samuel will not see action today. After Samuel, the corner depth for Philly isn't outstanding, so the Bear receivers may find some openings. The Philadelphia defense loves to send the blitz, so Mike Tice's offensive line can't miss their assignments. Ever. Philly's defensive line is underrated (look out for Juqua Parker and Trent Cole on the outside) and their linebackers are solid. Stewart Bradley has been making plays in the middle and Ernie Sims was a great pick-up for them. Were I Mike Martz, I'd get Matt Forte and my running game going and lean on it today, using play-action to pick on those corners as the game goes on. But that's just me.
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20 November 2010
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Bears 16, Dolphins 0"
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17 November 2010
Bear down and happy Jay Cutler day!
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14 November 2010
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Bears 27, Vikings 13"
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9 November 2010
After an off-season that saw a great many changes in the coaching staff, front office staff and gameday roster, the Chicago Bears are halfway through a do-or-die season. Eight games into the 2010 NFL campaign, Lovie Smith's Bears are 5-3, a mark that has surely pleasantly surprised some while infuriating others. Are they as good as their record indicates? Have they been the benefactors of a weak early schedule? I'll dive into these topics and more in my mid-season grades for the Monsters of the Midway.
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7 November 2010
Jay Cutler had a solid day under center, making better reads and getting time on enough throws to find receivers down-field, even if he was called on to throw more than I'd like. Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett found plenty of balls coming their way (had to write it) when Jay was under duress. Showcasing his athleticism, Cutler scrambled five times for 39 yards. His running ability is always overlooked by defenses, but I have no idea why.
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24 October 2010
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Redskins 17, Bears 14"
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17 October 2010
Continue reading "Joe's Gameday Recap: Seahawks 23, Bears 20"
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10 October 2010
After years of hearing sexual innuendos all over NFL TV broadcasts, I've decided to start noting the best one-liners or TWSS moments of the game. This week's? "Robbie Gould really got it up on that one." Loved it.
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(3-1) Chicago Bears at
(0-4) Carolina Panthers
Following Jay Cutler's concussion after sack number nine, 39-year old Todd Collins gets the start this week in Carolina, with Caleb Hanie serving as the back-up. Less mobile than Hanie, Collins knows how to get the ball out quickly and avoid taking the sack. As nice as it would have been, the Bears will not get left tackle Chris Williams back this week as he's still out with a hamstring injury, which keeps the offensive line in flux. If they struggle early against a Panther defense with 12 sacks this season, Mike Tice and Lovie Smith are likely to keep tinkering with the line-up during the course of the game. Carolina's front four includes ex-Colt Ed Johnson and Panther draft picks Everette Brown and Charles Johnson. They're inexperienced and lack the raw talent of the Giant front that caused so many problems for the Bears.
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3 October 2010
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27 September 2010
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19 September 2010
Continue reading "Cutler out-duels Romo as Bears win in Dallas"
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12 September 2010
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11 September 2010
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The Offense
As we all know, strong-armed Jay Cutler will be under center for the Bears when the season starts. As polarizing an athlete as the city has seen in some time, Cutler has to improve his decision making skills after taking the snap. He can make all the reads as well as all the throws, but Cutler's mechanics tend to degrade when he's under duress, as with most quarterbacks. Unfortunately when that happens he also makes bad choices and acts like he's playing flag football in his backyard. In this offense Cutler will be saddled with more responsibility than ever before and he will be asked to trust that his receivers will be in position. I trust Jay, but after a 27-TD and 26-INT season in 2009, the pressure is on. Backing him up will be Todd Collins, a journeyman back-up that will competently run the offense if needed, but let's hope it never gets to him.
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2 September 2010
Hey look Ma, Greg Olsen!
We finally saw some highlights from tight end Greg Olsen! After not getting enough from that position during the preseason, it was nice to see Olsen with the redzone grab. Hopefully Martz has found a well-derserved spot for Olsen in this offense.
Continue reading "Collins impresses in Bears' final preseason game"
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Who needs starters?
Jay Cutler, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Olin Kreutz, Earl Bennett, Hunter Hillenmeyer, Major Wright, Nick Roach, Caleb Hanie and Craig Steltz. That's the list of Bears that will be sitting out tonight's contest. I've heard some hubbub about not seeing Cutler tonight, but I don't care in the slightest. I don't want to see him take unnecessary sacks in a meaningless game for one series. Here's to scrubs!
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29 August 2010
Well, if this third preseason game was any indication of how the regular season will look, Bears fans are in for a bumpy ride. The Bears' offensive woes continued against the Cardinals as the first-team unit failed to score any points. Here are my notes from Saturday night's 14-9 loss to the Cardinals.
Continue reading "Bears' offense can't finish against the Cardinals"
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28 August 2010
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21 August 2010
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-Jay-Mart: Part 2
Okay, so nobody quite expected Jay Cutler to be pulled after only eight plays. This time around Cutler should play into the second quarter, giving fans a slightly clearer picture of what this offense will look like when the regular season rolls around. All of Mike Martz's bells and whistles won't be on display, but the basics of the system should come into view.
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14 August 2010
-He wasn't in the game for long, but Jay Cutler looked well enough in the eight plays he was on the field. He completed both of his pass attempts to Johnny Knox for 47 total yards. Otherwise it was hand-offs and a sack for Jay tonight in a bland offensive gameplan. Still, there's a noticeable difference on that side of the ball thanks to Martz. We'll see how it looks going forward. Some fans were surprised at Cutler only playing one series, but I was fine with it. He'll get plenty of reps in the next two games. Though I honestly doubted Lovie's claim of playing his starters close to a half. Yeah, right.
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13 August 2010
Continue reading "Joe's Preseason Preview: Bears at Chargers"
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19 April 2010
Jerry Angelo traded away this year's first rounder for quarterback Jay Cutler last off-season and his second-rounder for the late Gaines Adams. With no picks in the 2010 NFL Draft until round three, the Chicago Bears can't afford to swing-and-miss on any "projects" this year. No more Michael Okwo's or Dan Bazuin's or dare I say, any Danieal Manning's. Jerry Angelo can't reach past a player's worth. He'll need to focus on players that have experience at playing ONE position, not these safety/corner/return man combinations of which he seems so fond.
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6 March 2010
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5 February 2010
Completing the circle of "Lovie's guys," Bears defensive line coach Rod Marinelli was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator on Friday. The move was among many staff decisions made by Smith and GM Jerry Angelo. Shane Day, quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers, was hired to become the new quarterbacks coach and Eric Washington was promoted to defensive line coach. Seattle's Mike DeBord was signed on Tuesday, assuming the tight end coaching vacancy.
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1 February 2010
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3 January 2010
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30 December 2009
Eff you Minnesota. Seriously. Take that Brett Favre. Hope you enjoy playing the first weekend of the playoffs because you just lost out on the number two seed in the NFC.
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21 December 2009
By the end of the first quarter Bears QB Jay Cutler had already tossed two interceptions. The Baltimore Ravens had already exchanged those gifts for fourteen points. After six total turnovers and nary an offensive score to be found, the lesson was obvious. I already knew my Bears sucked. Now I know they suck, have given up on their coach and may not win another game this season.
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20 December 2009
Jay Cutler needs to establish a rapport with his younger receivers, especially if the staff wants them to make an impact next season. Nothing can truly simulate game experience, so what is the harm in getting some rookies out there? Chris Williams has three games to showcase some hope at left tackle, because there's no other option available after the failed Orland Pace experiment.
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14 December 2009
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13 December 2009
Switching sides, Jay Cutler should fare much better than his trip to Lambeau. Two things support my position: First, it's a home game. Second, it's not at night or in prime-time. The problem is the offensive line is the same amount of awful no matter what time it is. Chris Williams didn't look all that great at left tackle last Sunday, but at least I know he still has a pair of knees. (Sorry Orlando Pace.) I'd say running the ball would help keep that pressure off Jay, but we all know that's an unlikely prospect. Chances are we'll have to air it our at least 30 times and probably over 40. That being the case, I want to see 6-8 catches from Greg Olsen and 15-20 from my wide receivers.
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7 December 2009
Unfortunately, not much. Jay Cutler injured his hand during the contest but it certainly doesn't look to be anything overly serious. Ron Turner put an obvious emphasis on running the ball, force-feeding the ball to Matt Forte and Kahlil Bell 38 times for 120 yards. Cutler only threw 18 times, a sure side effect of an injured hand. Still, the Bears went downfield early, attacking a porous St. Louis secondary. Devin Hester made his best catch of the season and Earl Bennett caught his first career touchdown.
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29 November 2009
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23 November 2009
Well, it wasn't a barrage of Jay Cutler interceptions that led to Chicago's loss to Philadelphia at Soldier Field Sunday night. Instead of tossing red zone picks, Cutler played smart and checked down to his receivers, setting up four Robbie Gould field goals. Thing about field goals is, a touchdown's better than two of them. That simple math led to the demise of Lovie Smith's team and the deflation of their playoff hopes as they fall to 4-6.
Continue reading "Different story, same result in Bears' ..."
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20 November 2009
It's true, Jay Cutler has not fared well in night games this season, tossing a whopping 11 interceptions after dark. But his play at home has been steady if nothing else, and the Bears are beyond desperate for a victory. 4-6 would provide an early end to meaningful football in Chicago, but 5-5 would keep them relatively alive for a wildcard berth.
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12 November 2009
Continue reading "Penalties and Cutler's five interceptions ..."
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8 November 2009
Jay Cutler and the offense moved the ball fairly effectively for most of the game, but penalties and bay play-call’s prematurely halted drives early, leading to punts instead of scores. Cutler played almost as well as he has all season, completing 29 passes for a whopping 369 yards and three scores, all to Greg Olsen. Unfortunately, an interception with a little less than seven minutes to go sealed the victory for Arizona. He was under pressure all day again, sacked four times and hit eight more. At this rate, Cutler won’t last all season, especially if the Bears have to keep abandoning the running game.
Continue reading "Bears can't catch up to Cardinals, lose 41-21"
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2 November 2009
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31 October 2009
Jay Cutler and the offense shouldn’t have much opposition from the Browns. Their dead-last-ranked defense gives up over 400 yards and 25 points a game. If O-Coordinator Ron Turner can’t reach 30 points, it should be considered a bad offensive day. Matt Forte will have no better chance for a break-out game than against Cleveland’s front seven. As much as Turner may love throwing the ball with his new favorite, Matt Forte will have to carry this team to the playoffs.
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27 October 2009
-Jay Cutler and Matt Forte aren’t the problem, the offensive line is. Sure, Jay will throw a ball or two into triple coverage, but that’s his style. He’s single-handedly kept the Bears in games they had no business winning, even while working with a receiver corps no one gave any credit. Speaking of which, Devin Hester was one of the lone bright spots against the Bengals, showing true wide receiver ability.
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24 October 2009
Cincinnati’s defense is rated 22nd overall, giving up over 350 yards a game, most of which coming through the air. Still, they only give up 19.7 points a game (noticing a trend?), which mean Marvin Lewis is perfecting the “bend but don’t break” defensive scheme. Cutler’s Bears are putting up close to 24 points a contest, so if the averages hold true, Chicago should escape this one with a victory. But nobody wins a single game on paper.
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19 October 2009
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18 October 2009
Speaking of Franchise Jay, it may be time to see an aerial assault from the Chicago Bears. Atlanta has the 10th best pass defense in the league, letting opposing quarterbacks complete only fifty-seven percent of their passes. However, Cutler was the only quarterback to win at the Georgia Dome last season when he helmed the Denver Broncos. With the right play-calling, Cutler can expose the Atlanta secondary for some big plays.
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6 October 2009
It was unimpressive statistically, but Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears dominated the Detroit Lions in the second half en route to a 48-24 win on Sunday.
Even though Detroit’s offense ran 76 plays compared to Chicago’s 50 and racked up nearly 400 yards, it wasn’t enough to overcome losing the field position battle. All of the Lions’ 13 drives started from within their own 30-yard line. Out of the Bears 13 drives, only three started behind the 30. With that kind of field position,
Continue reading "Bears Demolish Lions in Second Half of Blowout Win"
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3 October 2009
For Jay Cutler and the offense, it should be a fairly simple philosophy: don’t turn the ball over. Detroit’s defense is allowing an average of close to 29 points a game and 400 yards to their opponents this season. Options on the ground or through the air should be open to Ron Turner and this still-developing offensive system. The wide receivers must continue to make strides with Cutler, but their progression has been a pleasant surprise after the fervor from writers (including me) over the off-season.
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28 September 2009
After getting great field position on the opening drive, Robbie Gould missed a field goal, giving the Seahawks good field position of their own. Driving the ball down the field, back-up QB Seneca Wallace dropped the ball off to running back Julius Jones who broke two Bear tackles en route to a 39-yard touchdown. Two Olindo Mare field goals put Seattle up 13-0 with five minutes left in the first half.
Continue reading "Cutler leads Bears to 25-19 win in Seattle"
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25 September 2009
Bear down and happy Jay Cutler day!
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21 September 2009
A week after his less-than-stellar outing against the Green Bay Packers, Jay Cutler came home to Chicago and proved to be worth the king’s ransom that was paid for his services. Though there is certainly room for improvement, this is a win the Bears desperately needed.
Continue reading "Bears Shock Steelers with Late Field Goal"
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19 September 2009
This certainly has been a troublesome week for Bears fans after a confounding opener in which Jay Cutler threw four interceptions and Brian Urlacher dislocated his wrist, ending his season. With a load of criticism being heaped Jay’s way and a depth chart shuffle since Monday, the Bears now have to focus on Sunday’s match-up to avoid starting this season 0-2. Unfortunately their mountain to climb is steep, as the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers are coming to town.
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13 September 2009
To his credit, three of those interceptions came in the first half, and the Bears were still only down eight points. Ron Turner’s play-calling did nothing to stop the bleeding, as he completely abandoned Matt Forte and the running game in the first half. Maybe Turner didn’t realize that you should take the ball out of your QB’s hands when he’s throwing interceptions? You let him settle back down with some hand-offs and then ease him back into throwing. Cutler is not Tom Brady; he gets emotional and needs to be reigned in every now and again. Deal with it.
Continue reading "Cutler tosses 4 INT's as Bears fall to Packers"
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11 September 2009
Wait, you didn’t know that? Stop reading this blog. Now.
For the informed, let’s get you ready for this Sunday night opener on the not-yet frozen tundra! Lovie Smith and the Bears are coming off a solid preseason where they saw glimpses of what their new QB was capable of. Their first-team offense scored 17 first-half points on both the Giants and Broncos while the defensive starters held their counterparts to only a field goal in each of those contests.
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4 September 2009
After a Zack Bowman interception on the first play from scrimmage, Jay Cutler took the field and handed off to back-up running back Kevin Jones six times, leading to a Robbie Gould field goal. Matt Forte didn't even play. After those first seven plays, it was scrub time.
Continue reading "Bears Answer Few Questions in Victory Over Browns"
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31 August 2009
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