Why Jay Cutler DOES Change Everything for Chicago

This article is in response to this article.

However, my response is not intended to be harsh or overly critical; the piece above is very well written and makes many solid points. But my response to it was such that I thought a better forum would be an article of its own rather than a lengthy note at the bottom of that piece.

I invite everyone to read that piece as well.

That being said, Jay Cutler changes everything for the Chicago Bears.

Consider the following items of note:

• In 2008, Cutler finished third in the NFL with 4,526 yards passing.
• In 2008, the Chicago Bears finished, as a team, with 3,061 yards passing. Cutler threw for 48 percent more yards than the Bears team did last year.
• Cutler was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2008.
• The last Bear signal caller to play in a Pro Bowl: Jim McMahon, after 1985. The franchise has only had four Pro Bowl quarterbacks at all.
• In his first three seasons, Jay Cutler has thrown for 9,024 yards.
• The all-time record for passing yards by a Bear quarterback is still held by Hall of Famer Sid Luckman. Between 1939-50, Luckman threw for 14,686. On Cutler's average of 3,008 yards per season, he'll break that record in 2014... after just five years as a Bear. He would be just 30 years old.

Let's take a step back from the emotions of Denver fans watching what they perceived to be their future pout his way out the door, and away from the irrational Super Bowl talk in Chicago. Look at the facts I just put out there.

It's been 24 years since the Bears had a Pro Bowl quarterback, and 59 since the all-time leading passer for the franchise hung up the spikes.

How does Cutler make things different? He's a good, competent quarterback. No longer to Bears fans have to look back at names like Erik Kramer and Jim Harbaugh and wish for "better days."

Now, to address a few points Mark makes in his piece about some issues Cutler is going to need to overcome in Chicago.

First, Mark says "He’s going to a Chicago Bears team that really is not even close in comparison to the Denver Broncos on offense, which is where I will start." I disagree.

I will concede that the Bears having a star running back in Matt Forte is indeed a complete departure from the dozen horses the Broncos ran last year because of injuries. But having a good, versatile back like Forte that can block and catch the ball out of the backfield will only help Cutler.

My disagreement with Mark is in the differences in the passing game.

• In 2008, Tony Scheffler, the Broncos tight end, caught 40 balls for 645 yards and three touchdowns.
• In 2008, Greg Olsen, one of the Bears two tight ends, caught 54 balls for 574 yards and five touchdowns. Desmond Clark, the other Bears tight end, caught 41 passes for another 367 yards and a touchdown. Both teams value the tight end.

Would anyone argue that Eddie Royal is a poor man's Devin Hester? While his experience as a receiver likely leads to more precise routes, his money was made after the catch. What's to say Hester, with another offseason at the position, can't put up better numbers than Royal?

I will stop now and hold both my hands in the air in concession that yes, it's true: the Bears don't have a No. 1 receiver that can hold a candle to Brandon Marshall.

But if Chicagoans continue to suspend disbelief in this world where the Bears have a quarterback and the Blackhawks are in the playoffs, is Torry Holt too much to ask for?

Next, in regards to the offensive line issues, Mark needed to dig deeper than the last 48 hours to address the Bears moving forward. I will agree that the Broncos have a stellar history with their offensive line, creating the zone-blocking scheme that's popular all over professional and college football now.

But Mark leaves the Bears line with just an addition of Orlando Pace, noting "Still, they lost both of their tackles from last year, and second-year Chris Williams is an injury concern and far from a certain thing."

The fact that the Bears "lost" John St. Clair to Cleveland and John Tait to retirement could very easily be viewed as two significant upgrades for the Bears. Williams was hurt last year and Pace does have an injury in the past couple years that cost him a few games.

Those are indeed concerns.

Until you place it into the context that Pace started 14 games last year and allowed 2.5 sacks, and Williams is reportedly fully healthy.

But even if one of those two does get hurt, the Bears have also added Frank Omiyale and Kevin Shaffer, two versatile combo players that can play either tackle or guard, to provide depth. The line for the Bears should be deep and solid in 2009.

So, as Mark says, let's break it all down.

The Chicago Bears have never had someone on their roster like Cutler. The fact that the phrase "4,000-yard passer" is even within the realm of a Bears fan's imagination changes everything.

Furthermore, you could argue that, with the exception of Marshall outside, Cutler is coming to an offense with significantly better skill position players than he had in Denver. He now has two 50-catch tight ends, a 1,200 yard rusher and an elite weapon in the slot.

Is Cutler an improvement? Absolutely. Is he a difference maker? He should be.

The pressure, in my mind, is more on the coaching staff now than on Cutler, Hester, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs or anyone else between the stripes. No longer is the quarterback a crutch for anything that goes wrong in Chicago.