While I do agree that you should be professional and play for pride I don't think reality is quite so clear cut... However it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened because this looks like a team that can be a contender a lot sooner than I anticipated
I agree it's not always clear cut, but that said my beefs with Cutler were all for things that fall squarely onto his shoulders: Poor fundamental mechanics and decision making.
By the end of 2014 his mechanics and decision making had both regressed from where they were in 2013. I don't think you can scapegoat the coaching staff for those issues. The coaches can't make the drop backs, navigate the pocket, and make the decisions/throws for him. It's on Cutler to put the work in to clean up his mechanics and study the playbook & game-tape. Then it's him to execute it all correctly, not the coaches.
Plus he executed Trestman's offense just fine in 2013, so why did he regress in 2014? Because his coach is a beta nerd? Sorry I don't buy that. If that's the case then he never would have bought in and improved like he did in 2013.
I'm sure having a better coach and relationship with Gase has played a role in his improvement this year but I'm willing to bet he simply put in more work this offseason because his career here was hanging on by a thread. Just like how he put the work in for 2013 because he was playing for a new contract....