By George Ofman
Can you remember the last time there was such a hue and cry over a Chicago Bears quarterback?
Sure you can.
It was just a few years ago and just about everyone wanted the head of Rex Grossman.
Soon, the good and bad Rex was history.
But it’s different with Jay Cutler. A lot different.
There is a faction that believes he’s an over-hyped bum whom the Bears overpaid for and who will never materialize into a franchise quarterback.
But there is a larger group who believes Cutler isn’t the problem – the Bears organization and lack of talent is.
Don’t get me wrong. Cutler has had a lousy season and Sunday night’s game against the Eagles was arguably his worst because there were three touchdown passes waiting to be completed only Cutler overthrew his receivers. That said, I’m in the camp who believes it takes a village to raise a quarterback.
What the Bears desperately need is a new village.
And how intriguing is this? Pro Football Weekly publisher and WSCR football analyst Hub Arkush revealed last night that someone in the Bears organization above Jerry Angelo has begun surveying the landscape of possible changes at head coach and/or general manager.
If this is true, then someone should be talking to Mike Shanahan or Mike Holmgren or Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden. Talk to all of them. Someone needs to take a team with a quarterback whose potential may be stymied and revive it.
And next year, not 2011.
This takes money and the Bears have it. Whether they’re willing to part with it is another matter. Let’s remember, Lovie’s deal runs through 2011 and Angelo’s through 2013.
Money aside, this is about philosophy. The current regime has not been able to foster a plan that transforms the Bears into an elite franchise, let alone a playoff team. Top draft choices have mostly failed and the “we get off the bus running” mentality must change. The Bears are passing more this year, many times out of necessity because of a failed running game and their inability to take or hold a lead.
Will firing the head coach and the general manager really happen? I doubt it, but with the luminaries previously mentioned in this column, this organization must take pause and realize where it can go with leadership that has been so successful. All have won Super Bowls and Shanahan began the grooming process of Cutler. He coached him as a rookie in 2006 and then again in 2007 and 2008. During the first two seasons, Cutler threw 21 touchdown passes in the red zone, 16 of them in 2007. He had no interceptions. None!
Last season, Cutler threw 17 TDs in the red zone but also four interceptions. Still, 33 red zone TDs in two years has to tell you something like maybe the guy is talented?
But then Shanahan was gone, Josh McDaniels took over and soon after that, Cutler was gone, too.
All of these men, Shanahan, Cowher, Holmgren and Gruden want back in, and the Bears job is certainly more attractive than the one in Cleveland or Buffalo or just about anywhere else. Holmgren might be more interested in running the show without a headset. And while Gruden just signed a contract extension with ESPN to do Monday Night Football, one has to believe that if the Bears made him an offer, he wouldn’t refuse.
All of this could be moot. The only changes could be the ouster of Ron Turner and some other offensive coaches. This would be significant, but Lovie and Jerry would still be in charge.
I firmly believe Cutler is much better than what we’ve seen. He has to be. Give him the necessary support and you might see the guy some have called a franchise quarterback.
If you don’t, the quarterback and franchise just might sink.
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George Ofman, an original member of The Score and a veteran of NPR, has covered more than 3,500 sporting events over the course of his career. Comments welcome.
Posted on November 25, 2009