Abbatacola: Jay Cutler Is A Bad Leader – Get Over It
By Matt Abbatacola-
(CBS) Jay Cutler isn't going to stand in the middle of the Bears' locker room and give a Knute Rockne inspired speech at halftime.
He won't put his arm around an offensive lineman after a sack and share some encouraging words.
He'll never help a backup QB get better at his craft.
Cutler doesn't stand in front of the cameras and take blame for a poor performance.
Last time I checked, he isn't paid for that. He's paid to be the Bears quarterback. He's paid to play one of the most difficult positions in sports and play it at a high level. Sometimes, he doesn't. For the most part, he has.
Jay Cutler is the best quarterback to ever wear a Bears uniform.
The Bears also have the most-talented wide receiver in their history on this roster, as well as the third most accomplished running back from the line of scrimmage lining up behind Cutler on a regular basis.
What they don't have nor have they ever had in front of Jay Cutler is an offensive line that can dominate a defensive line. They have never had an offensive tackle during Cutler's era that strikes fear or causes concern for a defensive coordinator.
Take a gander at this list: Orlando Pace (age 34), Chris Williams, Frank Omiyale, J'Marcus Webb, Lance Louis, and Gabe Carimi.
Pass rushers in the NFL circle the Bears game on their season schedule in anticipation of getting after Jay Cutler.
In Cutler's final season in Denver, he was sacked 11 times in 16 games. Green Bay sacked the QB seven times last night. In 2010, Cutler went down 52 times. He has been sacked 119 times in 43 games with the Bears.
Peyton Manning was sacked 123 times in his final 128 games with the Colts.
Tom Brady was sacked 73 times in 48 games from 2009-11. Drew Brees went down 69 times during the same span. Joe Flacco – 107 and Matt Ryan – 48.
Cutler is an athlete. We're not talking about a Dan Marino-type immobile quarterback, planted in the pocket.
Marino was sacked 52 times in his final 43 games with the Dolphins. He was in his late thirties. Wait a second, Cutler did that in 2010 at the age of 27. Oh, I told you that already.
The bottom line is this. The Bears need to get better players on their offensive line before they waste Cutler's entire era in Chicago.
Jay Cutler will do his job. Let's get an offensive line that can do theirs.
The strategy has been to try and get the most out of lesser talent and hope it works out.
That's one way to go I guess.
For more information, follow Matt on Twitter @MattAbbatacola.