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| Cutler mopes and pouts on the sidelines. |
Since Elway’s retirement the Broncos have been in a futile
search for that QB who could lead them back to the promise land. So far it’s
been an 11 year curse that has damned the team and the fans to mediocrity and
worse. The Broncos have had one playoff game win since he retired, ONE. There
are various reasons for it but lets’ just examine the QB position alone for the
moment. Would Cutler have broken the curse if he’d of stayed with the Broncos?
I’ll address this question in a minute but first…
You never blame losses totally on the QB because it is a
team game but having said that a great one can make the difference when the
chips are on the line in any game. Defense wins championships but even a good
defensive unit can a make a few bad plays in a big game. It then is up to the
offensive to score and the focus turns to the talent of the most important
leader on the field, the Quarterback.
I researched all the starting QB’s from every Super Bowl and
this is what I found out factually but already knew. There have been exceptions
don’t get me wrong were a below average QB has been at the helm of Super Bowl
winning teams but very few, only four in fact. Four times in 44 games not very
good odds is it?
The 4 worst QB’s to ever win a Super Bowl
The single most glaring example is Trent Dilfer of the
Ravens team from SB XXV. I think he stands alone as the single worst QB to ever
win a Super Bowl period. He had a good college career at Fresno State but was a
total bum in the NFL. It cracks me up now that today he’s an analyst on ESPN
passing judgment on QB’s when he couldn’t carry most of their jocks including
even the beguiled Cutler.
I’d have to put Jeff Hostetler on the list from the Giants
team that won SB XLV over the Jim Kelly lead Bills team. Hostetler was far from
being a consistent pro and was only put in the starting spot because Phil Simms
had been injured. If not for a gimme FG that Scott Norwood missed Hostetler
doesn’t even enter into this conversation.
Personally the most painful example of a lousy QB winning a
SB was Doug Williams of the Redskins in SB XXII against my beloved Broncos. I
remember the 1987 NFL season just like it was yesterday. The Broncos had a
great season and I was thrilled that they drew the Skins because in every
aspect of the game coming in they were better. Williams was a lucky bum, he was
far from a great QB and that season it was the D that helped the Skins win it,
not his superior talent. That and one of the all-time worst defensive collapses
in Broncos team history.
Next up for some critics would be Brad Johnson of the
Buccaneers in SB XXXVII. Yeah, maybe at that point in his career but
before the Super Bowl and early in his career he was one of the best in the
game when he played for the Vikings. If not for the multiple injuries he
suffered from he was talented enough to be on the list of great QB’s in his
era. He was just one of those unlucky players who spent more time in the
training room than on the field. So I’m not sure he truly belongs in this group
but for the sake of argument I know others will so I will include him here.
The 4 worst QB’s to ever lose a Super Bowl
Now that we’ve established who the worst QB’s lucky enough
to have a team carry them to Super Bowl wins let’s look at some of losing QB’s
in the SB’s. Could these teams have pulled out a win with a better QB?
Debatable yes, but in my opinion they probably do win instead of
lose.
David Woodley of
the Dolphins who lost to the Redskins in SB XVII
Neil O'Donnell of
the Steelers who lost to the Cowboys in SB XXX.
Matt Hasselbeck
of the Seahawks who lost to the Steelers in SB XL.
Rex Grossman of
the Bears who lost to the Colts in SB XLI.
Simple put Woodley wouldn’t have started on a bad Division
II College team.
O’Donnell could throw but was a total slug if he had no
protection in the pocket.
Some would argue that Hasselbeck doesn’t belong on that list
but he does. He’s one of those QB’s that gives then takes away. One week he’ll
throw 5 TD’s looking like an All-Pro and the next week throw 5 Interceptions
and play like a confused Rookie. Sorry Seahawks Fans, it was his crappy play in
the 2nd half of that Super Bowl game that lost it for the Seahawks not the bad
ref calls.
Why Grossman was even drafted by an NFL team is still a
mystery to me.
By the numbers there have been 44 SB’s played, of those in
only 4 cases did a team with a mediocre or a below average QB win. In 4 other
SB’s it could be easily argued that if the teams had an above average QB’s they
win but who knows for sure.
Now to the bottom line, hard to admit since I’m never wrong
I totally bought the idea that Jay Cutler was in line to be
one of the great NFL QB’s. I honestly believed that of all the QB’s that had
been on the Broncos post Elway he gave them the best chance to win a Super
Bowl. I’ve defended him throughout, in almost every case I wanted to give
him the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because he does have a better than average
physical skill set and he’s also a very cerebral smart player.
It’s hard for me to admit a mistake but after the Packers
game on Sunday Cutler has been permanently removed from my list as a
“potential” great QB. Everybody was right I was wrong.
I read today were Cutler has a Grade II MCL tear in his
knee, something that can take up to four weeks to properly heel. Hmmm?
Some people may not agree I still think he should have come
back in the game. It seems very clear to anybody watching that Cutler
quit on the Bears, knee injury or not. I watched the replays over and over and
just can’t see how the injury to his knee was so bad that he was unable to
return. The proof was there for all to see when he stood on the sidelines and
watched the game. If his knee hurt as bad as he claimed why the hell was he
standing on it and even riding a stationary bike? If he was done for the day he
should been in the locker room. Cutler is no rah, rah type personality; his
whole body posture and that whining baby look did nothing to inspire the Bears
that he was really hurt bad enough not to play. He had no business being on the
sidelines with the true warriors who were still trying to salvage the game with
that attitude.
Cutler does his best impression of a pathetic crybaby
quitter on the sidelines of the NFC Championship game.
The other problem I had with Cutler was he couldn’t even say
which play it was he got hurt on. Really? If I had a severe knee injury one bad
enough to take me out of a game I’d sure as hell know what play it happened on.
I believe he got roughed up a little in first half of a very cold game in which
he didn’t play well and used the knee to quit on the Bears. There I said it.
Did you think John Elway or Brett Favre would have set on
the sidelines under the same set of circumstances? How about old warriors like Joe
Namath or even old Broncos QB Craig Morton do you think they’d of pulled
themselves out? Not a chance, not a chance in hell I should say.
I was willing to defend almost every red flag that Cutlers
career had generated up into this game but I will never ever defend a quitter.
Cutler needed to be out on the field and play in the game and show some respect
for the fans and his other teammates who were just 30 minutes away from a Super
Bowl. I'd bet the bank that he'd give anything to go back and finish out the
second half of the game. To late Cutler, my guess your Super Bowl opportunity
is done and over with forever and rightfully so.
I “quit” on Cutler, thank God he didn’t stay in Denver. For
all the criticism and doubters out there about Tim Tebow I bet even he would
have toughed it out. I’ll take a rough around the edges warrior over a talent
quitter every time.
Side note: Packers beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl. That
is all….
Late add on watch this video below. Point made in bold colors,
thanks Paul.
