Jay Cutler: First-Half Report Card for the Chicago Bears' QB

Good quarterbacks are defined by results: winning is the bottom line. 

Passing statistics are a common yardstick, but they're often the result of a team's offensive game plan, not just player performance. They can't be discounted but don't deserve all the attention.

Finally, a good quarterback is a team leader and has the respect of his peers. 

Here are Cutler's grades in these critical areas through the first half of the season.

Getting Wins

Has Jay Cutler cost the Bears a win?

Nope. Hard to put the blame for any of the losses squarely on his shoulders. But he wasn't great against New Orleans, getting sacked six times and fumbling once.

In his defense, against the Saints he managed 244 yards with a TD and threw no interceptions, despite completing just 42 percent of his passes. Poor safety play and Drew Brees' three TD passes were bigger problems for the Bears, though.

Has Cutler single-handledly won a game for Chicago?

Hard to give him much credit here, too. But he was the catalyst in the win over Atlanta, tossing two TD passes and totaling 312 yards with one interception.

Most importantly, he is often "good enough" to win.

Against Detroit he showed glimpses of greatness, escaping heavy pressure and turning in his best overall performance. That game was a turning point despite losing, 24-13.

His verbal jabs with offensive coordinator Mike Martz, along with manhandling the Vikings 39-10, was another defining moment as he had the offense rolling. 

Then the Bears faced Tampa Bay and went TE heavy, which helped them run successfully and eventually hang on to win. Cutler struggled, though it wasn't all his doing. 

The first interception was Marion Barber’s fault, going through his hands and into the defender's. And the play-calling didn't have Jay taking as many chances downfield, partly due to their sizable lead and Forte's running ability.

But Jay has been better, completing 17 of 32 pass attempts and throwing a second interception.  

That’s not all bad—it means the Bears are good enough to win even with a  so-so performance from Cutler.  

Four wins in seven tries sounds average, but the losses were to the Packers, Saints and Lions—all playoff contenders.

And when Jay is hot, the Bears are tough.

Grade for Wins/Record (4-3): B

Breaking Down the Numbers

The best comparison for Jay Cutler this season is the Jay Cutler from last season.

He's more comfortable in the Martz offense now and his statistics show it. 

Stats through seven games last year:

128 of 211 (61%) 1,671 yards, 9 TDs, 7 INTs
21 rushing attempts, 120 yards
28 sacks
7 fumbles (4 lost)
One game with 300-plus passing yards and two games with at least two TD passes

Stats through seven games this year:

137 of 232 (59%) 1,702 yards, 9 TDs, 6 INTs
8 rushing attempts, 27 yards
21 sacks (just seven in last four games)
4 fumbles (2 lost)
Two games with 300-plus passing yards and three games with at least two TD passes

The biggest difference? Turnovers.

In seven games last year, Jay turned the ball over 11 times. This year he only has eight.

Cutler has also rushed less often this season, but that's because his scrambles are a by-product of the defense. When the blitz is beat and Jay recognizes man coverage (something teams used more often against the Bears early last year) he takes off for some big gains. Consequently, teams are playing more zone and spy coverages that don't let him escape the pocket.

Still, Cutler has been more consistent from week to week.

Even with his ups and downs last year, Bears fans are a far cry from the Good Rex/Bad Rex era not so long ago in Chicago. Cutler is unlikely to be so awful he costs them the game.

Ironically, the last time he was that bad was against Rex Grossman and the Washington Redskins, when he threw four interceptions to DeAngelo Hall. 

There are some tough games ahead (Eagles, Chargers, Raiders, Green Bay) and the Bears will need him at his best. 

The good news: Cutler hasn’t peaked. 

Grade for Statistical Performance: B

Leadership

Perhaps the most telling attribute of Jay Cutler is his desire to win. He's a polarizing figure in Chicago because most fans appreciate his commitment—but some can't stand his attitude.

More accurately, they can't stand his perceived attitude. 

No, Cutler is not outgoing. Not a crime.

Yes, he can be prickly. He expects himself to be perfect and holds his teammates to the same high standard. You want a quarterback that doesn't? (There are several available...)

Some say he looks arrogant. But he's the quarterback. He knows what's supposed to happen on the play. And when it doesn't work, for whatever reason, he's disappointed. And it shows? So sue him.

You don't have to play nice to play with the big boys. You need to get the play right.  

Understand, he's a quiet, personal guy from a small town (Santa Clause, IN) forced to live on a big-city stage while dating a Twitter-happy, celebrity prom queen. It's not a shock he didn't know how to handle the media.

And that made it easy to paint him as the bad guy when he left the NFC Championship game against the Packers.

Truth is, some of it was the Bears' fault for not revealing the extent of the injury (which they might have done intentionally so Green Bay wouldn't know if Jay was returning to the game).

Despite the controversy, he didn't throw the team or anyone else under the bus, letting the media and fellow players in the NFL rip him apart.

One report said he was near tears when he heard what other players thought. But he kept his composure and didn't fire back. 

He let his team defend him. (Something the offensive line is still learning.)

It's fair to say, perhaps because of the whole experience, he's changed his image inside the locker room.

This year, Cutler also changed his presence in media interviews, talking more openly and comfortably in press conferences, and it's carried over to his teammates.

Fellow captain Brian Urlacher said recently, "He's a lot more outgoing, just more comfortable now. He always has been one of the guys, and I don't think anyone disliked him or anything, I just think his personality is really coming out. The guy is really witty and funny."

Maybe Cutler has learned the last lesson of a prime-time QB: read the media like a defense and bust their coverage, too.

Grade for Leadership: A-

Overall

First Half Report Card

Wins/Record (4-3): B
Statistics: B
Leadership: A-

Overall Grade: B+

Jay hasn't put the team on his back and carried them to victory—but he's capable. He kept the Bears close against the Lions but was betrayed by the Chicago secondary.

His statistics are not going to be eye-popping, despite running a Martz offense, because the Bears are committed to the running game. But Jay does a good job of taking shots downfield without forcing bad throws, throwing for more yards and turning the ball over less than last year. 

Surprisingly, he's made the most progress in terms of leadership.

Coming off last season's NFC Championship debacle, Cutler needed a public relations makeover. And he made one. 

Because Jay knows that wins and losses are everything. And winning over the locker room may be his most significant victory so far.

Ultimately, Cutler is poised to pass the first big exam of the season: making the playoffs.