Bears and Broncos Trade: Why It Works For Both Teams

"The Bears did what!"

This was probably the first thing out of every Bears fans' mouth when they learned that the Bears had traded Kyle Orton and many draft picks to the Denver Broncos for Pro-Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler.

It is a day that will live in infamy for Chicago football fans.

Not so fast though. I believe that this trade worked perfectly for both the Bears and the Broncos and I will explain.

Now let's face it, the Bears don't have the greatest offensive line in the league by a longshot. Last year, Bears Qbs were sacked 29 times (Orton 27 of them). There were also many times where pressure would force Orton to make bad throws. Orton does not have the strongest or the most accurate arm either though and is a rock in the pocket.

Bring in Jay Cutler.

Cutler was sacked only 11 times in the entire season. Cutler also threw 18 interceptions last year compared to Orton's 12. Granted, the Broncos O-Line was and is better than the Bears'. However a lot of credit can be given to Cutler with his mobility and the ability to sense pressure and get out of it (Compare Cutler's 200 yards rushing to Orton's 49).

We all know that Cutler is what they call a "gunslinger" while Orton is... well, Orton. Mediocrity at it's finest. He won't do anything flashy, but he won't give the game away either. He is the definition of average.

Fast forward now to this season. I think both teams are getting exactly what they need out of their Qbs. The Bears needed a quarterback that could move and make up for the lacking offensive line. Right now, the Bears are 3-1 and much of that is because of Cutler's ability to make all the tough throws under pressure and his ability to scramble.

If Orton was under center for the Bears this year, the Bears may be 1-3 or 2-2. Somebody try and tell me that Orton makes that touchdown throw to Olsen in week 3 with the Seahawks defender in his face and throwing him to the ground. He wouldn't.

Also, Cutler brings that kind of swagger to a Bears offense that is in desperate need of a leader. With all of their young receivers, Cutler is perfect for them. What is more comforting than a guy that tells you, "If you run your route, I will hit you just fine." It relaxes the rookies and that is why you've seen good receiving numbers for the likes of Johnny Knox and Earl Bennett.

Now, we move on to Denver. Denver's main problem last year was its defense. Peyton Manning couldn't help a team win 10 games if they gave up 28 points a game. Obviously, the defense is drastically different this year with Denver allowing a ridiculous 26 points in its first four games.

Cue the average joe music if you have it. Kyle Orton is exactly what the Denver Broncos need. They are the epitome of what the Chicago Bears were the past few seasons. A team that is run-oriented and designed around defense, and protecting the football.

The Broncos O-Line isn't going to give up many sacks. This fits Orton perfectly as he likes to stand and model in the pocket. Denver also has some very talented running backs and receivers. What this means is they just need someone to throw them the ball. They don't necessarily need a guy who takes charge and can win the game single handedly. Orton is a guy who makes all the little throws and will pull a big one off here and there.

As noted before, Cutler did throw 18 interceptions last year with Denver and fumble five times. Orton is a guy who won't throw that many interceptions, especially with the protection Denver gives him. Orton isn't going to take many risks... but that is just fine for Denver.

With their defense generating turnovers and their offense protecting the ball, it's exactly the type of situation that Orton is comfortable with. That is why both teams are performing well.

In the end, I think both teams are going to have pretty good seasons. As long as the Broncos defense can continue its brilliance and the Bears can continue to develop their receivers, I think both teams finish with double digit wins.

Can you imagine the media if the Bears and Broncos were to meet in the Super Bowl?