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Actually a decent article. Go figure.
Jay Cutler understands the impatience, the eagerness of Chicago Bears fans who want to see their quarterback of the future play as soon as possible.
But Cutler, who made 102 starts over eight seasons with the Bears from 2009-2016, also sees little harm in the team’s current plan to keep Justin Fields behind Andy Dalton until the rookie is better equipped to play, has a firmer grasp of the offense, greater command in the huddle and increased comfort on the field.
During an interview Tuesday on “Waddle & Silvy” on WMVP-AM 1000, Cutler cast his vote in Chicago’s loudest current sports debate: Should Fields start in Week 1?
“I wouldn’t play the kid to start,” Cutler said. “That’s where I’d start. I’d let him watch. I think it’s just a tough spot to just throw someone out there, especially in Chicago. And I think Andy is more than serviceable. I think they can win games with Andy and kind of pull the ship along until (Fields) is ready.”
Fifteen years ago, Cutler was a highly regarded rookie with the Denver Broncos — coincidentally drafted at No. 11 like Fields — brought in to push 10th-year veteran Jake Plummer for the starting job. There were cries in Denver for Cutler to take the steering wheel in Week 1. But Broncos coach Mike Shanahan didn’t give his young quarterback his first NFL start until December in Week 13.
Cutler started the Broncos’ final five games of a 9-7 season, throwing for 1,001 yards with nine touchdown passes and five interceptions. The Broncos were 2-3 in that closing stretch.
“I remember the first game (of the season) and there were rumblings that I might play,” Cutler said. “And I was like, ‘I don’t even know what’s happening here. Let’s figure this thing out for a minute.’ We were in the old dome in St. Louis (in Week 1) and it was insanely loud. We had a million checks that game (as an offense). We were checking everything. And none of it worked.
“We got beat down that game (18-10). But I was like, ‘If I go in this game, they better dial it back to day one or I’m screwed.’ ”
Asked if he benefited from sitting for a prolonged stretch to start his career, Cutler said he felt equipped to play but hadn’t gotten the starter’s reps through training camp or into Week 1.
“I need the reps. I need to see it,” Cutler said. “I didn’t take the reps so I wasn’t ready to play. But I also feel like it benefited me tremendously watching it. Seeing the ups and downs. Seeing us lose games. Seeing us win games.
“Jake was the consummate pro. He was fabulous. And just seeing how he handled the life of an NFL quarterback those first 10 or 12 weeks was insanely valuable. Then when I stepped in, he supported the hell out of me and helped me and answered questions and was there.”
Cutler acknowledged he didn’t watch Fields play a whole lot in college, but he understands the giddiness of Bears fans to have the dynamic rookie in the mix.
“He’s obviously talented,” Cutler said. “He can move. He can throw. He won a lot at Ohio State. He seems to have a little chip on his shoulder, which I don’t think is a bad thing. But like we’ve talked about numerous times, when you’re playing quarterback (in the NFL), there are a lot of moving parts.
“They have to get the line (stabilized). They have to get some weapons. … And I really like the coach (Matt Nagy). That’s never been an issue in my mind. I think he’s going to put together a plan.”
Part of Nagy’s plan for now is to bring Fields along at a more conservative pace, to feel no outside pressure to rush him into action just because.
Said Cutler: “Everyone’s different. I’ve just always been on the side of, what’s 10 games? What’s a season (of sitting) in the grand scheme of this kid’s career? If you believe he’s the guy, get everything set up so that when he’s thrown in there, he’s supported and he can make things happen the way he should instead of battling through all this stuff and seeing ghosts five years from now or three years from now.”
But what if Fields proves beyond a shadow of a doubt through training camp and the preseason that he has developed quickly and is better equipped than Dalton to win games for the Bears?
“No one knows if he’s ready or not,” Cutler said. “It’s preseason and training camp and all this stuff. You don’t know. Look at Peyton Manning. Didn’t he set the rookie record for interceptions? Now, he went out there and did it. But it wasn’t pretty. Obviously, he figured it out and he figured it out quickly.
“But at the quarterback position, especially (being) drafted in the first round and especially with a team that’s struggled a little bit, I think it’s going to be hard to say, ‘All right. He’s 100% ready. We’re good to go with him.’ But I hope I’m wrong.”
As for what Cutler would share with Fields about the pressure of playing quarterback for the Bears in Chicago?
“He came from Ohio State,” Cutler said. “He has played in big games before. So I don’t think he’s going to mind it much. But I will say this isn’t Ohio State. This isn’t college football. The playing field gets leveled really quickly in the NFL. You’re going to get humbled. Bad things are going to happen. You’re just going to have to deal with it.
“So then you have to go back and look at the film and say, ‘Hey, my bad.’ You just want to kind of limit your mistakes as you get older and as you see things. And hopefully the organization builds around him and gives him a chance to win.”
www.chicagotribune.com
Jay Cutler on whether the Chicago Bears should start QB Justin Fields in Week 1: ‘I wouldn’t play the kid to start. I’d let him watch.’
Jay Cutler understands the impatience, the eagerness of Chicago Bears fans who want to see their quarterback of the future play as soon as possible.
But Cutler, who made 102 starts over eight seasons with the Bears from 2009-2016, also sees little harm in the team’s current plan to keep Justin Fields behind Andy Dalton until the rookie is better equipped to play, has a firmer grasp of the offense, greater command in the huddle and increased comfort on the field.
During an interview Tuesday on “Waddle & Silvy” on WMVP-AM 1000, Cutler cast his vote in Chicago’s loudest current sports debate: Should Fields start in Week 1?
“I wouldn’t play the kid to start,” Cutler said. “That’s where I’d start. I’d let him watch. I think it’s just a tough spot to just throw someone out there, especially in Chicago. And I think Andy is more than serviceable. I think they can win games with Andy and kind of pull the ship along until (Fields) is ready.”
Fifteen years ago, Cutler was a highly regarded rookie with the Denver Broncos — coincidentally drafted at No. 11 like Fields — brought in to push 10th-year veteran Jake Plummer for the starting job. There were cries in Denver for Cutler to take the steering wheel in Week 1. But Broncos coach Mike Shanahan didn’t give his young quarterback his first NFL start until December in Week 13.
Cutler started the Broncos’ final five games of a 9-7 season, throwing for 1,001 yards with nine touchdown passes and five interceptions. The Broncos were 2-3 in that closing stretch.
“I remember the first game (of the season) and there were rumblings that I might play,” Cutler said. “And I was like, ‘I don’t even know what’s happening here. Let’s figure this thing out for a minute.’ We were in the old dome in St. Louis (in Week 1) and it was insanely loud. We had a million checks that game (as an offense). We were checking everything. And none of it worked.
“We got beat down that game (18-10). But I was like, ‘If I go in this game, they better dial it back to day one or I’m screwed.’ ”
Asked if he benefited from sitting for a prolonged stretch to start his career, Cutler said he felt equipped to play but hadn’t gotten the starter’s reps through training camp or into Week 1.
“I need the reps. I need to see it,” Cutler said. “I didn’t take the reps so I wasn’t ready to play. But I also feel like it benefited me tremendously watching it. Seeing the ups and downs. Seeing us lose games. Seeing us win games.
“Jake was the consummate pro. He was fabulous. And just seeing how he handled the life of an NFL quarterback those first 10 or 12 weeks was insanely valuable. Then when I stepped in, he supported the hell out of me and helped me and answered questions and was there.”
Cutler acknowledged he didn’t watch Fields play a whole lot in college, but he understands the giddiness of Bears fans to have the dynamic rookie in the mix.
“He’s obviously talented,” Cutler said. “He can move. He can throw. He won a lot at Ohio State. He seems to have a little chip on his shoulder, which I don’t think is a bad thing. But like we’ve talked about numerous times, when you’re playing quarterback (in the NFL), there are a lot of moving parts.
“They have to get the line (stabilized). They have to get some weapons. … And I really like the coach (Matt Nagy). That’s never been an issue in my mind. I think he’s going to put together a plan.”
Part of Nagy’s plan for now is to bring Fields along at a more conservative pace, to feel no outside pressure to rush him into action just because.
Said Cutler: “Everyone’s different. I’ve just always been on the side of, what’s 10 games? What’s a season (of sitting) in the grand scheme of this kid’s career? If you believe he’s the guy, get everything set up so that when he’s thrown in there, he’s supported and he can make things happen the way he should instead of battling through all this stuff and seeing ghosts five years from now or three years from now.”
But what if Fields proves beyond a shadow of a doubt through training camp and the preseason that he has developed quickly and is better equipped than Dalton to win games for the Bears?
“No one knows if he’s ready or not,” Cutler said. “It’s preseason and training camp and all this stuff. You don’t know. Look at Peyton Manning. Didn’t he set the rookie record for interceptions? Now, he went out there and did it. But it wasn’t pretty. Obviously, he figured it out and he figured it out quickly.
“But at the quarterback position, especially (being) drafted in the first round and especially with a team that’s struggled a little bit, I think it’s going to be hard to say, ‘All right. He’s 100% ready. We’re good to go with him.’ But I hope I’m wrong.”
As for what Cutler would share with Fields about the pressure of playing quarterback for the Bears in Chicago?
“He came from Ohio State,” Cutler said. “He has played in big games before. So I don’t think he’s going to mind it much. But I will say this isn’t Ohio State. This isn’t college football. The playing field gets leveled really quickly in the NFL. You’re going to get humbled. Bad things are going to happen. You’re just going to have to deal with it.
“So then you have to go back and look at the film and say, ‘Hey, my bad.’ You just want to kind of limit your mistakes as you get older and as you see things. And hopefully the organization builds around him and gives him a chance to win.”
Jay Cutler on whether the Chicago Bears should start QB Justin Fields in Week 1: ‘I wouldn’t play the kid to start. I’d let him watch.’
Jay Cutler understands the impatience, the eagerness of Chicago Bears fans who want to see their quarterback of the future play as soon as possible. But Cutler, who made 102 starts over eight seaso…
www.chicagotribune.com
