Jay Cutler is set up to succeed in 2015
The Chicago Bears have another new offensive coordinator for Jay Cutler to work with, and this might be Cutler’s last chance to win over Chicago. Adam Gase was brought over from Denver, along with John Fox to improve the Bears after two horrendous years under Marc Trestman. Gase and Cutler worked together when Cutler was a rookie in Denver and immediately they had a connection with each other off and on the field. Now they are reunited in Chicago, and Gase will be asked to bring out the best in Cutler, something that no one has been able to do in his 6 years in Chicago.
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Adam Gase ran a fast paced efficient offense with Peyton Manning in Denver, and he looks to do the same with Cutler in Chicago. From the looks of preseason play, Cutler looks to have bought into the new offensive scheme by taking what the defense gives him and being smart with the football; but we have seen this before with Cutler and it is just preseason, so there is no reason to get excited here.
No one has ever questioned the skill set that Cutler possesses. He’s got a rifle of an arm, strong IQ of the game, and is underrated as an athlete in terms of his ability to run and elude defenders in the pocket. His decision making however is a whole other story, as Cutler is known to just throw to the first open receiver he sees without reading the coverage, and that usually leads to an interception. Cutler led the NFL last year in turnovers as it was clear he wasn’t fond of Trestman’s offense and most likely just tuned him out as the season progressed.
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The coaching staff the Bears have assembled is perfect for Cutler this season. John Fox is well respected throughout the league as he has taken two teams to the super bowl and commands attention and authority throughout the locker room. The NFL is a performance based league and John Fox like’s winners. Cutler is not a winner up to this point in his career as he has only one playoff win in his 9 year career. There have been multiple offensive coordinators who have tried to coach up Cutler but it clearly hasn’t worked, until now maybe.
Enter one Adam Gase. Gase has implemented a simplified offense for Cutler, as the Bears’ running attack should be the focal point this season to take pressure off Cutler. Cutler has stated that he likes the direction that this offense is taking as its quarterback friendly and efficient. Cutler and Gase appear to have a great relationship as they both genuinely seem like they both enjoy working with one another.
Cutler is not labeled as a game manager because he has the skill set to take over games with his throwing ability, but within Gases’ offense, Cutler will most likely be that guy. If things go well, Cutler should have a high completion percentage this year by throwing intermediate throws and avoiding the deep routes. Without rookie Kevin White, who is out with a shin injury, the Bears don’t have a deep threat on offense so they will be forced to work the short game and sidelines. Even though it is preseason, Cutler was efficient in the 3 games he played by having a high completion percentage and by not turning the ball over. He relied on Martellus Bennett to get open in the flat and got the ball out of his hand quickly. It looks to me that the Bears will be implementing more three step drops for Cutler so that he can make a decision quickly and get the ball out to the play makers.
In the past, Cutler has always gone for the big plays because he has that gun-slinger mentality and posses a strong arm. This gets Cutler in trouble as he tends to throw into double coverage and tight windows which lead to interceptions. Cutler can’t afford to turn the ball over much this year as the Bears’ defense is still adjusting to a new defensive scheme, and will most likely struggle throughout the season.
Cutler is set up to succeed in the 2015 season based off of the strong coaching staff around him and the positive relationship he has with Adam Gase, the offensive play caller. Cutler has stated that him and Gase see the field with the same perspective and vision. Cutler is sick and tired of being beaten up by defenders since the Bears offensive line is still a work in progress. Therefore this new offensive scheme that Gase is implementing, which predicates itself on quick throws and a fast tempo, suits Cutler well.
Yes the Bears lack depth at the wide receiver spot and don’t have a deep threat, but the addition of Eddie Royal and the emergence of Alshon Jeffrey and Marquis Wilson should be enough for Cutler to have success in the intermediate passing game. Plus Martellus Bennett is a beast at the tight end position and him and Cutler already have a good rapport on the field. Matt Forte will be the focal point of the offense this year which will take some of the offensive burden and decision making off of Cutler.
The Bears are in a tough division and will most likely struggle to open the season as they play the Packers, Cardinals and Seahawks in the first 3 weeks. However it will be a good test for Cutler and the offense to see where they are at and what they need to improve on going forward. New general manager Ryan Pace could have just cut Cutler and moved on to a new quarterback, but him hiring Gase as the play caller shows me that he sees something in Cutler and believes that under the right system and coaching, Cutler can succeed and become a winner. Nothing would make Bears fan more happy than to see Cutler finally unlock his potential and become a winner in Chicago.