Cutler Ready To Put His Stamp On Chicago Bears Against Buffalo Bills

Normally starting quarterbacks play a few series of the first preseason game, then joke around on the sidelines the rest of the night.

However, coach Lovie Smith seems to have something different in mind for new starting quarterback Jay Cutler.

Actually, that applies to all of his starters when the Bears play at Buffalo Saturday night at six.

“They’ll play into the second quarter and we’ll just see how it goes really,” Smith said about his starters. “There are a certain amount of plays we would like for them to get. We use that (performance) of course to tell us a lot.

“They’ll probably play a little bit more than you probably think they will.”
But Jay Cutler too?

“Our team will play a little bit more than you probably think they will,” Smith added with emphasis.

Cutler’s idea of an ideal preseason opener might be somewhat less elongated.

“Preseason is preseason,” Cutler said. “You kind of want to get in there and get your work done and get out as fast as possible without getting anybody hurt.

“We’re going to get some quality work in, but we don’t want to overdo it.”

Cutler is concerned with finding receivers to work with besides starters Devin Hester and Earl Bennett. So far in practices, Brandon Rideau and Devin Aromashodu are the receivers he has thrown to most besides Bennett, Hester and tight ends Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark.

“We’ve got to have guys that can step in there whenever we want to go four-wide,” Cutler said “When Earl and Devin get banged up, a little bit in need of a break, we’ve got to have some quality guys to step in there and they can take some of the weight off their shoulders.”

Cutler made no bones about liking his two tallest receivers, Rideau (6-foot-3) and Aromashodu (6-2). He had a close working relationship with another tall receiver in Denver, Brandon Marshall (6-4).

“Every time we’ve went at them, they’ve made big plays for us,” Cutler said. “As long as they keep doing that and showing up on film and getting to the right spots, they’re going to be fine.”

Rideau is listed second team behind Bennett at one receiver spot on the first depth chart. Aromashodu is listed third behind Rideau. At the other receiver spot, Rashied
Davis is listed second team behind Hester with Juaquin Iglesias third.

Having Cutler’s stamp approval is big. He said he plans to offer an opinion to coaches about who to keep.

“I think they’re definitely going to ask me,” Cutler said. “If they don’t ask me, I’m going to tell them what I think because I’ve got to be the one throwing to them on game day and I’ve got to trust them.

“But (offensive coordinator) Ron (Turner) and I have been on the same page since the start of training camp in what guys we wanted to see working in with me and what guys have stepped up and what direction we want to go with this group.”

Coach Lovie Smith confirmed Cutler’s input in this matter.

“Of course we’ll listen to the quarterback, and not only the quarterback but the rest of our team, too,” he said. “We want to know how a player fits into the rest of the group. Quarterback has to feel comfortable with the receivers, so we listen to them but in the end we’ll (coaches) make the decision.”

So far it’s been difficult to judge how well the Bears’ offense has played. They’ve excelled in the passing game, but it’s difficult to say how much is because the secondary is down two of its best cornerbacks and how much is because of Cutler’s arm and the timing with receivers.

This game should offer a better idea.

“I think the guys are kind of tired of going against ourselves,” Cutler said. “This will be a good change of pace to go against somebody else; go against a different defense and offense and just see what we’ve got going on out there.”

A handful of injured players probably won't play in the game, including defensive tackle Tommie Harris. Smith said the artificial surface in Buffalo probably makes it a good place to avoid for those with minor soreness. Clark and safety Danieal Manning might be in the same category.