Cutler's smart decisions have been key for Bears
While Jay Cutler's 86.2 passer rating is only marginally better than his career average of 85.2 and his Bears average of 84.4, he has compiled some numbers this season that are encouraging.
Last year Cutler led the NFL in turnovers, tossing 18 interceptions and losing 6 fumbles. This year he's been intercepted four times, 2.3 percent of his throws. Only once in nine previous seasons has he done a better job of avoiding interceptions. He's lost 1 fumble.
Cutler has also done a much better job at avoiding sacks than in any of his previous six seasons with the Bears. With 8 sacks in 182 dropbacks, his 4.4 sack percentage is significantly less than his Bears average of 7.0.
Adam Gase is the fifth offensive coordinator that Cutler has worked with in seven seasons with the Bears, and Gase says it's more perception than reality that job one is getting the quarterback to avoid critical mistakes that have plagued him in the past.
"We've basically been running the same type of system for the last three years, at least I have," said Gase, who was John Fox's offensive coordinator for two years with the Denver Broncos before following him to Chicago. "That's what was brought here, and he has done a good job of what we've asked him to do."
Cutler has had to do it for the most part without Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, who has played in just two of six games. Eddie Royal, the Bears' other starting wide receiver, missed one game with an ankle injury and was less than 100 percent in two others.
The offensive line has been weakened by the season-ending injury to veteran center Will Montgomery, and veteran left tackle Jermon Bushrod has missed the past three games with a concussion and shoulder injury.
Bushrod and Grasu (neck) are questionable for Sunday's game vs. the Vikings and Slauson (knee, shoulder) is probable.
Despite all that, Cutler's 114.0 passer rating on third downs is fourth in the league, and he's scrambled effectively, picking up 82 yards on 14 attempts, a 5.9-yard average.
"His ability to make plays with his legs has been critical for us," Gase said. "He's bailed us out of a lot schematically. He's done a good job of picking up pressures. He's done a good job of staying in the pocket when he does get guys blocked up and then he's done a good job of making some plays outside the pocket. He's saved us on some bad plays."
Cutler says his input into the offense is similar to what it's been in the past, but his relationship is different with Gase, since their paths first crossed, briefly, back in Denver.
"I have a comfort level with Adam," Cutler said. "I've known Adam for a long time. I've known (quarterbacks coach) Dowell (Loggains) for a long time. We have that going for us. I just think (Gase) does a really good job.
"The whole offensive staff does a good job of making sure that each week we have what we need to be successful. We have what we need to adjust in-game and coming up with some solutions for some of the problems we see."
Gase has yet to experience some of the problems that previous Bears offensive coordinators have had with Cutler. Cutler hasn't cursed him out during a game loudly enough for sideline microphones to pick up, as he did with Mike Martz. And Cutler hasn't got up and walked away from a sideline meeting, as he did with Mike Tice.
Gase claims he didn't approach the job with any negative perceptions, and he's been impressed with Cutler the more he's gotten to know him.
"I guess I didn't have the perception a lot of other people had coming into this job," Gase said. "I was surprised. I didn't realize how competitive he was. I didn't realize how intense he was in practice and in meetings.
"Any time you are a coach and you see a player that is in it as much as he is, that's what you really want, that's what you ask for, and he showed it to me early, and I think our players see that."
So far, so good.
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