Kurt Warner: Extra blockers not answer

[Scoot26]

Kurt Warner sees the same Mike Martz offensive approach being run in Chicago, and that means extra blockers won't be the answer to curbing the constant pressure Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has been under this season.

The key in a Martz offense, according to Warner, the retired quarterback who won two MVP awards with Martz in St. Louis, is quick decision-making by the quarterback.

"[The Bears] are going to keep the pedal down, they're going to continue to take chances but so much of it as a quarterback is just making quick decisions, understanding what's going on up front and that you can't sit back and just wait for the big play every time," Warner said Monday on "The Mike & Mike Show" on ESPN Radio. "Sometimes you've just got to say it's not there initially, let's just get the ball out of my hands and let somebody else do something with it."

Cutler was sacked nine times in the first half of the Bears' 17-3 loss to the Giants on Sunday night. He suffered a concussion and didn't return for the second half.

Playing behind a largely inexperienced offensive line, Cutler has faced constant pressure all season but nothing like Sunday's two quarters of harassment by the Giants.

But the answer -- at least in a Martz offense -- is not to leave extra blockers in to protect the quarterback, according to Warner.

"In a situation like that for me, some quarterbacks on some teams would say, 'Well, let's leave a couple extra guys in to block. For me personally, I would say 'Coach, let me get every receiver out in a route and I'll get the ball out of my hands quickly," Warner said. "Don't leave me back there to hold it on a seven-step drop and just take our chances. Get everybody out, let me make a decision, let me get the ball out of my hands quickly. So I think there are a couple of approaches to it.

"Knowing Mike, knowing his system, that's what we always did. We didn't want to leave guys in to block. We would take chances trying to get the ball out of our hands and into our playmakers' hands and let them make plays if we were having trouble up front."

Kurt Warner: Quick QB decisions key to Chicago Bears' offense - ESPN Chicago

 

[Lefty]

Ok.......but those receivers were covered, there's nowhere for the ball to go. And they did try to spread the field when it became apparent that nobody was going to block, and Cutler ended up getting concussed. So....what's Cutler supposed to do?

 

[USCChiFan]

Ok.......but those receivers were covered, there's nowhere for the ball to go. And they did try to spread the field when it became apparent that nobody was going to block, and Cutler ended up getting concussed. So....what's Cutler supposed to do?

This

 

[zack54attack]

Let's see.... Warner with Bruce and Holt = SB.
Warner with Boldin and Fitz = SB appearance.

What did Warner do with average WR's like Cutler has in Chicago?

 

[Scoot26]

Collinsworth: Kurt Warner could help

After watching Jay Cutler struggle running Mike Martz's offense in a 17-3 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday, Chris Collinsworth said the Chicago Bears would be wise to hire Martz's prized pupil, Kurt Warner, as an adviser.

"I would bring in Kurt Warner. Not as a player. I would bring in Kurt Warner as a guy and say 'Kurt, here's $10,000. I need you to show up for a week and just talk to [Cutler],' " Collinsworth, an NBC analyst, said Tuesday on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN 1000.

"Explain what you would think when you had those five-man routes and explain what you thought in max protection and when you were able to get the ball downfield to Larry Fitzgerald and all the great players they had with the Rams. I think they are still figuring it out here. It doesn't help that they are going through all this massive change up front with the offensive line."

Warner, who retired from the Arizona Cardinals after last season, won two MVP awards when he and Martz were with the St. Louis Rams from 1998 to 2003.

Asked if he thought Warner would be game for that job, Collinsworth said: "I don't know. I sure would be making the call, though. I don't mean this as any insult to Jay. I think it's a new system, he's a young player. I think he learned a tough lesson the other night. Maybe he was playing with a concussion and it slowed him down.

Cutler was sacked nine times in the first half and left with a concussion. Bears coach Lovie Smith said he hopes to have Cutler back at practice on Wednesday.

"I'm sure Mike Martz is sitting there going -- probably not to Jay -- he's going, 'Why did he do that?' Like we all were," Collinsworth said. "Why was [Cutler] holding the ball? Why was he not reading it quickly because as Martz had talked to us about, he couldn't believe how quickly Jay was picking up the offense and knowing when he has to get the ball out of his hands and knowing when he could work it down the field. It was just the complete opposite of that in this game.

"And I'm sure somewhere in the back of Jay Cutler's mind he's thinking, 'Is Mike Martz going to get me killed?' Look at the statistics. Every quarterback he's had has taken a lot of sacks and thrown a lot of interceptions. There's only one Kurt Warner."

Chris Collinsworth: Chicago Bears should tap Kurt Warner as tutor for Jay Cutler - ESPN Chicago

I'm not a fan of Collinsworth and hate listening to him. I'm simply just reporting the news here.

 

[RandallPinkFloyd42]

I hate Collinsworth, but he has a point.

 

[Veritas]

Kurt Warner talking to Jay Cutler does nothing. When a defense can get to your quarterback in four seconds with only their defensive line (even when we keep a tight end and running back in to help) and they drop seven in coverage Jay can either take the hit or force a throw into coverage. The way to counter it is to be able to run the ball to force the linebackers to the line of scrimmage and respect the run to open up soft spots in the coverage to throw the ball.

Jay Cutler knows how to execute but when the players around you cannot block, get open on routes, or run the ball there is nothing you can do. Look what Kyle Orton has accomplished this season with an actual offensive line in front of him, and no one on this planet would argue that Orton has more talent than Cutler unless they were a complete moron.

People need to stop talking about what Jay Cutler can do better because you could put Drew Brees or Peyton Manning on the field with this team and not see results at this point.

 

[ClydeLee]

Let's see.... Warner with Bruce and Holt = SB.
Warner with Boldin and Fitz = SB appearance.

What did Warner do with average WR's like Cutler has in Chicago?

Oooh only, Get a career high in sacks even though he only started 9 games!

39 sacks. His other highest was 38 in all 16 games in 2001... I assume that Giants Oline was bad and Amani Toomer was their only WR threat with Shockey also.

Kurt Warner