2009 Regular Season Week 10 - Bears @ SF

Son of bitch....

It hurts to be a bears fan right now...

But its even more painful to be a huge Cutler fan....as most of you should know I am.

As I've said in the past....with the bears.....when you fix one problem (defense), the ONE thing that previously was NEVER really a problem....suddenly becomes your biggest.

Man...I just dont know how that happens....ALWAYS.

In Lovie's defense...I simply dont know how you deal with this. You put in effort to fix one thing (and are fairly successful in doing so), with the assumption that everything else would stay consistent. If Lovie's assumption was correct, we SHOULD have been decent enough to pull out a win; instead all falls apart in a worst case scenario nightmare come to life....

What do you do?

The bottom line for me though, is that Cutler simply isnt as bad as that performance (or really any of his performances this season) may suggest that he is. You cant be fickle with Cutler....you cant call for his head after a game like that.

We got what we paid for. Cutler is going to take risks to try to win a game. Its either going to make him a champion in our eyes, or make him the asshole; and which of those he is...comes down to mere seconds in his decision making. OBVIOUSLY...in this particular game, he took WAY too many risks that did not benefit our team. Theres no excuse for that. But I will take my odds with Cutler any day of the week. I think it will be rarely that he performs to that degree of shittiness throughout the remaining years of his career.

I heard a stat that both Peyton Manning and Drew Brees both had a way worse first three years than Cutler's so far. I know its ridiculous to make that comparison at this particular moment in time...but not everyone is a Matt Ryan or a Joe Flacco -- where they can put out great performances in their first year...or first couple years. Those two are the exception.

I think its normal for a young QB like Cutler to have some bad games....especially given that hes with a new team, with a lot of pressure (as all Chicago QBs experience), with very little talent around him. Should he be dealing with these inconsistencies this far into the season? Week 10? No...absolutely not. I'm not excusing him....I'm just not blaming the rotting elephant shit of a season on Cutler. Hes the only reason we had a CHANCE at a season this year in the first place. We cant blame him now, even if he did pretty much just close the door on this season. The door was swinging closed anyway...it was Cutlers foot that was in the way....he just chose this game to remove his foot...and let the door slam shut....thats all.

And to be perfectly honest...I'd much rather the Bears have THIS problem....than the problem that was most concerning to me after the Arizona game....which was complete ineptitude of our defense. Mostly, because I dont believe THIS problem is an enduring one, whereas the defense and some of the others we are experiencing have much more potential to be so.

I saw a drastic improvement in the defense. Dont get me wrong...im not saying they are a top tier defense....but they proved my point from previous discussions....that their inconsistencies are not a talent issue....its a preparation and coaching issue. I believe that after the horrifying loss to the Cardinals - Lovie got on those guys -- specifically the defense.....and they came out ready to play this time. They were not awesome....but they were way more sound than I thought they could be, given their previous performances. QB and offensive problems are WAY easier to fix than the problems of an entire defense.

Now im not saying that our defensive woes are solved....they just went from hopeless....to ALMOST not hopeless. And for me? Considering how i WAS feeling about them? Thats a change that I'm pretty happy with.

But lets be honest...any hopefulness that you COULD take away from that game....is all for naught anyway... the seasons over....too little, too late.

But as far as next year goes....seeing that some of these guys that had to step in on the defense, can at least hold a mediocre offensive team to 10, is a good sign. It shouldnt, by any means, signal the start of a parade for the defense....its just a good sign...thats it. Next year - Some of our injured guys come back...some of these guys are a tough year better...a tough year more improved....and can help us that much more. And it gives me more hope that with our limited draft picks, we can MAYBE fill enough of the holes we have on this team...because if these guys can stand tall in their roles as they did last night....maybe we have a chance to keep our focus on the positions that really need help in the off season....even more than these other concerning positions. Thats my hope....i have to hold onto something.

The change I saw was a change in defensive mindset....

In previous games, when the defense would get pounded and make a terrible play...they wouldnt recover...they would take on the attitude of, "ohh...here we go again" and allow for some sort of self loathing, self fulfilling prophecy to take place. I saw them recover much better during this game...I saw them get run over by Gore one play...and instead of letting him use that momentum and continue to run all over us....I saw them arch their back...and show a little pride....and stand up for themselves....and believe that they could do something about it.

Thats all I ask....go out there like you CAN win....not like lemmings ready to willingly walk off a cliff. I think the players banded together to make this happen....and I think whatever leadership did this time to get these guys ready, was good....and I hope its not forgotten for next week... returning the unit to business as usual. For Lovie...HE CANNOT let this happen. If he does...it truly is over for him....if he can even withstand what this year's lack of success will surely bring to him anyway. But for the record...he showed ME enough...at least to not want him gone right NOW like I did after Arizona. I dont know if hes the right guy to rebuild our team....but the slight change I observed, despite the poor outcome, was enough to stop me from finding out where he lives and doing unthinkable things with a chainsaw....and thats a start.

In any event....I called for an immediate and drastic change from leadership. It seems counterintuitive to say, considering the outcome of the game, but I am actually encouraged by what I saw....because the things that I was concerned about...DID show improvement...I just wasnt anticipating the monster diareah fart that was Cutler's performance. If Cutlers performance was ever so slightly less horrible, we win that game....and thats what I assumed would happen if Lovie got his defense to show up...which he did, at least to the degree that I expected he should be able to, if he had ANY ability to do his job.

The inconsistency weve endured on both sides of the ball, still bolsters my argument that there are coaching issues....but I saw a bit more preparation out of the team as a whole from a coaching perspective....they seemed more ready to play...(with the exception of Cutler and maybe our receivers...and the penalties). Thats a step in the right direction....and thats really what i was asking for....I just wanted to stop taking steps BACKWARD....and I think (as far as the defense goes anyway) the leadership did that....and that was a very very small step in the correct direction. Would I like more? of course.... But can you blame me for being even slightly happy that leadership at least seemed to get the picture? that they appeared to wake up a little? It wasnt enough....but its something....where I previously thought there would be a big NOTHING...

So go ahead...give me grief for being all up on Cutler's balls all this time, saying he would be the best weve ever seen and all that. He wasnt good. I'll take it on the chin...just like he will have to. But I still stand behind my support of Cutler. He WILL be the best QB weve ever seen in Chicago....I apparently just cant put a time constraint on when that will be realized. It appears that it will be a sec...

He needs to work on his footwork....he needs to see the field better....and he needs to probably take a cue from Orton and learn how to take care of the ball and not allow himself to be the one that beats us. I predict, Cutler bounces back and we hardly ever see him in this form ever again...

So, if you must..... take solace in my despair...and my disappointment...and my temporary disillusionment in Cutler.... I dont think it will happen very often....and sooner or later...i will eventually be proven righteous in my undying support and faith in his arm, and leadership of this team.

I only hope we can keep him alive long enough so he can prove it to you all....and so that maybe we can get some people around him to help him out.

With a low hanging head,

DLP