Let’s start off with a pair of blind resumes
QB 1: 8 games, 63% completion rate, 13 TDs, 8 INT, 63.2 QBR, 88.4 QB rating
QB 2: 7 games, 66.8% completion rate, 13 TD, 1 INT, 85.7 QBR, 109.8 QB rating
Behind door #1 we have Jay Cutler and #2 is good old Josh McCown. Now I won’t begin to tell you that these stats are created equal; McCown has played against some lesser defenses and he also has the benefit of the season long development of everyone else in this offense. Jeffery has turned into an absolute monster and the offensive line is playing the best we have seen in a few years. Obviously stats don’t tell the whole story but it is worth noting that McCown has simply outplayed Cutler when he has had the chance this year.
So what do we do now? We have been praying for a good QB, offensive weapons, and a decent offensive line; we now have all 3 including 2 starting level NFL QB’s. I never thought I would see a day when Bears fans would argue about which QB is better as opposed to which QB is less bad(Grossman vs Orton). The immediate question is when Jay is healthy, should he get his starting job back right away? The fact is McCown is playing as well as any QB in football and the reality is that if the Bears want to make the playoffs they basically have to win out. Can we really afford the risk of rolling out a rusty Cutler when we have a guy sitting behind him who is lighting up defenses on a weekly basis. There is no doubt about the fact that Cutler is the more talented QB but he hasn’t made this offense look easy this year. McCown has stepped up and delivered and most importantly, he has not turned the ball over. Cutler has looked great at times this year but he has continued to cost us possessions with errant throws and bad decisions in the red zone. To be honest, I think I would roll with McCown and put Cutler on deck (this opinion is subject to change based on my mood).
The only problem is that the Bears have already made up their mind, Cutler has been declared the starter when healthy. I’m not sure if this decision has anything to do with Jay’s looming free agency (it absolutely does) but he is our starting QB. I don’t know if I agree with that decision but I am willing to trust my guys Marc Trestman and Phil Emery. Emery is the guy who turned around this entire offense in 2 years, he traded for Marshall, drafted Jeffery, signed Bennett, and turned the worst offensive line in football into a very respectable one (with 2 rookies starting). Trestman has made some rookie mistakes this year but the fact is he is a 1st year coach who has taken a team without their starting QB and a completely depleted defense into a tie for 1st place. If they say Jay is the starter, who am I to argue with these titans of talent evaluation?
I don’t have the energy to get into the long term discussion right now but that is an even more intense discussion. Either way, I will personally be in attendance on Sunday in Cleveland to watch Jaysh McCutler light up the Browns.
Baseline commentary 