Bears vs. Lions: Why Jay Cutler Should Learn Something from Matthew Stafford

Jay Cutler needs to take notes.

Sure the Chicago Bears have the more experienced quarterback in tonight’s game against the Detroit Lions, but he needs to mimic one major aspect of the Lions offense if he plans on finishing the season in one piece.

Cutler is a 28-year-old with over five years of starting experience at the NFL level. He has played every team in the league and has seen every defense out there.

Yet I believe Cutler should start paying attention to the young Matthew Stafford. The 23-year-old only has 17 career starts to his name, but is already a better player than Cutler.

Why do the two players have such different numbers? Both teams have horrible offensive lines that are the big problems with each team, and thy both have small running backs in Matt Forte and Jahvid Best that can beat you with speed, but little else.

The big difference…aside from Calvin Johnson?

Taking snaps out of the shotgun.

Stafford leads the NFL in snaps in the gun, and has put up 1,217 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions as a result. Cutler, who still takes the vast majority of his snaps under center, has thrown for 960 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions.

His 54 percent completion percentage is by far the lowest of his career. Conversely, Stafford’s 62 percent is by far the best of his career.

It gives Stafford that extra second or two to process the field before the pressure alters things. New York Times reporter Judy Battista talks about the increasingly popular formation:

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With so few blockers staying in to pick up pass rushers, more quarterbacks are operating out of the shotgun, which gives them a little extra time to see where the pressure is coming from and to release the ball. According to FootballOutsiders.com, 40.9 percent of all offensive snaps this season have been in the shotgun, a jump from 37.6 percent in 2010 and a huge spike from five years ago, when 19.5 percent of snaps were from the shotgun.

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It’s a trend that isn’t going away anytime soon and the Bears need to jump on board and embrace it.

Cutler is getting mauled at a disturbing rate and now he’s facing a Lions team that has one of the most ferocious front fours in the NFL.

If Cutler wants to live to see the age of 29, offensive coordinator Mike Martz needs to make some serious adjustments.

This is a results based league and this stat tells it all:

Stafford has been sacked five times…Cutler has been sacked 15 times.

More plays out of the shotgun are the short-term remedy for a long-term problem with the Bears and their O-line.

Unless the adjustment is made tonight, the Lions second ranked offensive unit is going to destroy the Bears.