Article: Whatever happens, the Bears must keep Cutler

[xer0h0ur]

The "aging defense" line is profusely overused and quite frankly wrong. We have a hell of a lot of youth on defense and the "over the hill gang" is dwindling.

 

[gpphat]

The "aging defense" line is profusely overused and quite frankly wrong. We have a hell of a lot of youth on defense and the "over the hill gang" is dwindling.

When I say aging defense I am talking about the players in the key spots...Briggs, Tillman, and Peppers

 

[xer0h0ur]

When I say aging defense I am talking about the players in the key spots...Briggs, Tillman, and Peppers

Just saying, media has been saying that shit for the past 5 years every single off-season. I guess they will keep going until they are right. "See guys. It only took 10 years but that defense is finally aged." Well no shit Sherlock.

 

[gpphat]

Just saying, media has been saying that shit for the past 5 years every single off-season. I guess they will keep going until they are right. "See guys. It only took 10 years but that defense is finally aged." Well no shit Sherlock.

in previous years I would agree that the aging defense was a little overblown, but right now it has some merit. Briggs, Tillman, and Peppers aren't spring chickens anymore. they won't bounce back from injury like they used to. If Tillman goes down, would you be confident that Hayden can step in and play anywhere close to Tillman's level? What about Peppers, could Shea be an every down DE? How about Briggs? All three of those players are also leaders on that defense, having all 3 of them healthy and on the field is huge for us. So when I say we are an aging defense, its because I don't see anyone on our roster who has the potential to fill any of their shoes

 

[Teddy KGB]

Just saying, media has been saying that shit for the past 5 years every single off-season. I guess they will keep going until they are right. "See guys. It only took 10 years but that defense is finally aged." Well no shit Sherlock.

With Urlacher already out and Peppers, Briggs and Tillman on the wrong side of 30, how is it wrong?

They are talking about the core, the heart of the defense.

It doesn't mean you can't get younger in some spots, but as of right now, your core, your defensive leaders are Tillman, Briggs and Peppers, and who knows how long they will be able to continue to sustain? Of the youth, there just isn't enough there yet to say "ok, here is a young core that is ready to take over".

So the people talking about the defense aging have been and continue to be right.

 

[xer0h0ur]

in previous years I would agree that the aging defense was a little overblown, but right now it has some merit. Briggs, Tillman, and Peppers aren't spring chickens anymore. they won't bounce back from injury like they used to. If Tillman goes down, would you be confident that Hayden can step in and play anywhere close to Tillman's level? What about Peppers, could Shea be an every down DE? How about Briggs? All three of those players are also leaders on that defense, having all 3 of them healthy and on the field is huge for us. So when I say we are an aging defense, its because I don't see anyone on our roster who has the potential to fill any of their shoes

There isn't a single successful team in this league that doesn't have a solid mix of veterans and young bucks. I am not sweating it right now.

 

[Teddy KGB]

I view Cutler at his best as more of a top 12-15 QB, but even if we go by your rating of him as in the bottom of the top 3rd of the league in QB's, that puts him as the 10-12 best QB. If you franchise him you are giving him a years salary as if he were a top 5 QB giving him $15M-$20M. I just think we can use that money to start finding the players to take over for our aging defense and upgrade other parts of the o-line and defense.

Business wise I just don't think it makes sense when you can probably still get 10 wins out of a game manager type QB and get one for a whole lot less than $15-20M.

I also don't see how replacing Cutler sends a message to the locker room that you aren't trying to win a Super Bowl. If anything it sends the message that if you aren't getting the job done than FO is going to cut you loose and find someone who can get the job done. These aren't high school players, these are professionals and I would hope they know that every team in the league has a goal to win the Super Bowl no matter who they let go or who they bring in.



The fact that this is a 10 win team with an aging defense is why we shouldn't tie up a big portion of our money to an inefficient QB (that is if he doesn't improve this year)...with the defense getting older signing Cutler to a big contract can make things difficult in bringing in young FA's to take those roles over or signing our younger stars to longer contracts. Next offseason if Cutler doesn't improve and we can't sign Melton to a long term contract because a lot of the teams money is tied up to Cutler, how does that really help our team?

The ultimate goal is to win Superbowls. You don't win Superbowls with game managers unless you have the best defense in the league by a mile (See 2000 Ravens, 2002 Bucs) and even then, continuing to win in the playoffs and make serious runs at the Superbowl with a game manager is untenable.

As for where we have Cutler, be it 8-10 or 12-15, what he can do still fits with what I originally said, regardless which of the spots 8-15 you rank him, imho.

 

[xer0h0ur]

With Urlacher already out and Peppers, Briggs and Tillman on the wrong side of 30, how is it wrong?

They are talking about the core, the heart of the defense.

It doesn't mean you can't get younger in some spots, but as of right now, your core, your defensive leaders are Tillman, Briggs and Peppers, and who knows how long they will be able to continue to sustain? Of the youth, there just isn't enough there yet to say "ok, here is a young core that is ready to take over".

So the people talking about the defense aging have been and continue to be right.

IF any of those three guys even showed signs of becoming worse and showing their age then I might be worried a little bit. Peppers had a solid season despite playing it with plantar fasciitis, Briggs and Tillman practically had career years. I am not even remotely worried about their ages at the moment. Age is a number, I look at their performances as better indicators than a number.

 

[Teddy KGB]

IF any of those three guys even showed signs of becoming worse and showing their age then I might be worried a little bit. Peppers had a solid season despite playing it with plantar fasciitis, Briggs and Tillman practically had career years. I am not even remotely worried about their ages at the moment. Age is a number, I look at their performances as better indicators than a number.

The problem is that when it happens for a player, it tends to be a very quick thing. Its almost like one day they are pretty good, and the next they are hot garbage. So just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't happen and quickly.

 

[xer0h0ur]

The problem is that when it happens for a player, it tends to be a very quick thing. Its almost like one day they are pretty good, and the next they are hot garbage. So just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't happen and quickly.

I get that, just saying we still have time to replace those guys unless you're talking about contract situations at which point its probably Peppers that is most at risk of being gone soon.

 

[Bearly]

Yeah, have to get them ready. First half of the season much tougher than the second half so get the excuses in early.

Here's one for you. New O and oline. I hadn't looked at the schedule but already said it takes 6 weeks to get coordinted. Doesn't mean we can't win and it will be nice to finish strong for a change. Hard to do with either/both Cutler and/or Forte getting killed by our Oline every year. Forte will be a lot more successful on short yardage this year which has been a drive killer. People will point to the greater fire and passion but it will be the much improved scheme and Oline. Hopefully, the same will be true of Cutler.

 

[dabears253313]

Don't post the facts of the game....u will confuse Bearmick. He's at coloring book level.

Can they color inside the lines?

 

[xer0h0ur]

Can they color inside the lines?

Who knows, he just made the switch from color by numbers.

 

[L GUAPO]

Where in anything he posted was there a fact? His whole post is pure speculation, not one fact except that Campbell finished the game.

Here are some facts:

Cutler went 7/14 40 yards and 2 int's
Campbell went 11/19 94 yards 0 int's
The Bears had 2 lost fumbles (K Davis & Bush)
The Bears were defending the pass well but Houston was running the ball well in rainy weather
The Texans were keeping Forte to 2.4 ypc, where the Bears had Foster averaging 3.5 ypc
The Bears created 2 turnovers while giving up 4 in rainy weather
The Bears abandon the run in a close game during inclement weather.

The facts show that Cutler wasn't having a great game, the weather wasn't helping them out, and Tice's game plan was subpar like most of his game plan's last year. Even if Tice had not abandoned the run Forte wasn't able to get anything going, but it seemed like Bush was running the ball ok outside of his one crucial fumble. I don't see how anyone can say definitively that Cutler would have given us at least a TD when he was struggling as much as Campbell.

Winnman posted no facts, just poorly speculated that Cutler could score a TD. He provided no backing to this claim. This is why he is being tagged as a bad poster, and your blind backing of him proves that you still are a horrible poster. You come on here plenty saying others don't use logic, but you almost never provide any backup to whatever half ass argument you are making.

What was the score again? I see u left out the most important fact that the game was still close and could have been tied up as well. 13 to 6 was the score btw Lol That was the main logical point of Winnman's post. How can u leave that out? Cherry picking gets u into trouble far too often and that is why most of your posts are not taken seriously.

 

[L GUAPO]

I caught that the second time I read it...Ha!

Little slow on the uptake there bud huh...at least your cheerleading for the Fecal crew is still slow and stinky

 

[L GUAPO]

Who knows, he just made the switch from color by numbers.

Color by numbers! LOL Haven't heard that classic gem for a while

 

[gpphat]

What was the score again? I see u left out the most important fact that the game was still close and could have been tied up as well. 13 to 6 was the score btw Lol That was the main logical point of Winnman's post. How can u leave that out? Cherry picking gets u into trouble far too often and that is why most of your posts are not taken seriously.

If the score is the only leg you have to stand on than you have a very weak argument...it still gives us zero backing on how anyone would have scored that mythical TD you speak of. It's like saying McCown would have been able to get us a TD had he been in. The score could have been 13-12 and still anything you say would be pure speculation. For example, I could say had cutler stayed in he would have thrown two more int's and the game would have been out of reach for us...at least my claim has some backing with actual facts outside of the score.

Go back to playing dungeons and dragons, and let the adults talk

 

[Schmidtaki]

If the score is the only leg you have to stand on than you have a very weak argument...it still gives us zero backing on how anyone would have scored that mythical TD you speak of. It's like saying McCown would have been able to get us a TD had he been in. The score could have been 13-12 and still anything you say would be pure speculation. For example, I could say had cutler stayed in he would have thrown two more int's and the game would have been out of reach for us...at least my claim has some backing with actual facts outside of the score.

Go back to playing dungeons and dragons, and let the adults talk

Oh oh oh can I go play to?!?!?!?! All this adult talk has me bored.

 

[onebud34]

Little slow on the uptake there bud huh

Nope

 

[FirstTimer]

The problem is how badly you and the others minimize Cutler. Even Cutler as he is, with no improvement gives you a chance to beat better teams and can win you games, and he doesn't have 2 clunkers in a row usually. He is at worst at the very bottom of the top 3rd of the leage in quarterbacks. You franchise him to buy time while you get a rookie set up behind him to take over in 2014. If you just outright replace him, it sends a message to the locker room that you aren't trying to win a Superbowl that year. And with the defense aging, you are trying to at least catch lightning in a bottle.

It'd be different if this weren't a 10 win team with a great but aging defense. If this were a young team, or a team that just flat out sucked and you were moving people out of the way to restart the culture, then I'd be all on board for just saying "the hell with it" IF I did not think Cutler was the guy.

But this team in this scenario at this time?

Damn right, lock Cutler up, at least in the short term.

So you are advocating paying Cutler $20 million for one season to keep the seat warm for a rookie?

:andruw: