Marc Trestman will soon learn why Jay Cutler is the NFL answer to Deron Williams; a coach killer. It’s easy to scapegoat Cutler given that he’s like the 7-Up of caring: “Never have. Never Will.” However, he’s far from the biggest problem this season. Statistically, he’s having his best season ever, his first 90+ passer rating.
Unfortunately, that’s only good for 13th in the NFL, and the Bears passer rating allowed this season is on par with Cutler’s production. So you can blame the entire defense as much as you can blame Marc Trestman as much as you can blame the $22.3 million dollar man.
Being the highest paid player in the NFL, the standards are much higher for Jay Cutler. He doesn’t seem interested in reaching them. Just being a starting quarterback in the National Football League, it’s understood that you’re supposed to be the face of the franchise and the team’s leader. You’re supposed to be the guy that everyone looks to in the locker room.
Jay will never do that. He’s been given numerous opportunities with numerous coaches, offensive systems, coordinators, etc. This isn’t all Cutler’s fault, but with a visit to Packers occurring on Sunday night, it’s the perfect time to bring up that Cutler is 1-10 all-time in his career against the Packers. He has thrown 13 TDs to 20 INTs in those 11 games to a tune of an ugly 65.5 passer rating.
But he will not pay for this season’s disaster with his job. Instead it will be coach Marc Trestman. When that will be is anyone’s guess but he’s already received the dreaded vote of confidence publicly from everyone in the front office. This looks like a 5-11 to 7-9 team, which will finish no higher than third place. It will certainly cost Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker his job.
Now the NFL passing leader, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, get to lick their chops against the Bears no-show pass defense.
Sunday’s game is the 190th regular-season meeting between the Bears and Packers — the most played series in NFL history. In addition, the game marks the ninth consecutive season featuring a Bears-Packers primetime matchup, tying an NFL record (Chargers-Raiders, 1981-1989).
TV: NBC Sunday night football, Al Michaels, Michelle Tafoya, Cris Collinsworth.
SPREAD: PACKERS -7.5
Both teams come off a bye, with the Packers only one game behind the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (6-2).
NBC Analyst Tony Dungy: “Aaron Rodgers to me has been awfully hot, and he’s found some different weapons. Randall Cobb has come alive and Eddie Lacy is running the football. That has really helped them.”
NBC’s Rodney Harrison: “The number one thing the Bears have to do is reprioritize that offense. Make the focal point of the offense Matt Forte instead of Jay Cutler. That’s the way you have to go to take some pressure off of Cutler.”
Anyways, the Bears have no chance in this one. prediction Packers 41, Bears 24
Hey, thanks for coming Marc Trestman!
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and very often writes The Sports Bank.net ,which is partners with Fox Sports. Read his features stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. Listen to him on 1620 The Zone. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks). His work has been featured in hundreds of media outlets including The Washington Post and ESPN 2