There’s this idea floating amongst the NFL Punditocracy that Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler could be this generation’s answer to Jeff George. It’s an interesting comparison, as Jeff George was signed by the Bears in 2004. There are some statistical similarities. Jay Cutler has a much better record as a starter, but the passing stats are close. Both Rich Gannon and Boomer Esiason of the NFL Today on CBS likened Jay Cutler to Jeff George in early 2013 Tom Jackson of ESPN jumped on the bandwagon shortly thereafter.
Add former Baltimore Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick to the mix now.
“I’m gonna say two terrible words when it comes to Jay Cutler, and I hate to compare him, but I’m seeing more and more Jeff George,” Billick said on Mike and Mike yesterday.
“When you go back and look at their numbers, obviously Cutler hasn’t played quite as long as Jeff George, but when you look at the active years Jeff George was a starter … the numbers, not only the numbers in terms of touchdown-to-interception, which is almost 1-to-1. You cant play that way in this league. You’ve got to be 2-to-1. And the wins, or lack of wins, to go with it,” Billick continued.
“He’s got a golden arm. He reminds me of Jeff George – one of the most gifted throwers in the history of the National Football League. That’s what Jay Cutler is, and yet there’s always been – it’s a vague term – something.” Jackson said when making the analogy last year.
I asked someone who actually played for the Bears and played with Jeff George what he thought about this analogy.
Illini Wide Receivers Coach and former Illinois, Bears WR Mike Bellamy:
“I think Jay Cutler is more of a runner than Jeff is, I think Jeff would throw the ball while Jay can use his talent at running. not to say that Jeff is one-dimensional, but he would take the negative yards before he would run the ball. But they’re both great athletes with strong arms,” Bellamy said.
For now the main way that Jeff George and Jay Cutler are like is this: each has only one playoff win to show for their NFL careers.
Jeff George finished his career with a 46-78 record; 151 TDs vs 133 INTs, and one playoff win (1999, while with the Minnesota Vikings)
Jay Cutler, drafted 11th overall by Denver, currently also has one career playoff win. His record as a starter is 58-51, 167 TD to 118 INT.
So Mr. Billick, his TD to INT ratio is not “almost 1-1” as Billick put it. It’s actually 1.67 to 1.18 But hey, thanks for coming anyway.
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