2013 NFC North/NFL Thread

[NavinRJohnson]

If you consider "getting away with it" as throwing fewer interceptions and completing more passes, Favre's career INT% is 3.3%, while Cutler's is 3.4%. Favre's career completion percentage is 62.0%, while Cutler's is 60.9%. He didn't really get away with it as much more as you'd think.


Addition: If you actually look at Favre's first 8 seasons as a starter compared to Cutler's...

Favre: INT% 3.2%, Comp% 61.2%
Cutler: INT%: 3.4%, Comp% 60.9%

I wouldn't have thought those numbers would be that close.

Maybe because they aren't. Comparing their 7 first "full" seasons (because it is as many as Cutler has played)...

Favre (92-98) 3,201 attempts, 93 INT = 2.9%
Cutler (07-12) 2,818 attempts, 95 INT = 3.4%

TD/INT Ratio...

Favre (92-98) 182/93 = 1.96
Cutler (07-12) 127/95 = 1.34

Completion %...

Favre (92-98) 1971/3201 = 61.6%
Cutler (07-12) 1751/2818 = 62.1%

Despite all the talk about how goods he's been prior to yesterday, 25% into the schedule, he is currently on pace for what could be one of his worst years as far as INTs go, second only to '09. I still think he'll have a decent year, but at this point in his career, there is no "good Jay" or "Bad Jay," there's really just Jay.

[MerrittsMustache]

Despite all the talk about how goods he's been prior to yesterday, 25% into the schedule, he is currently on pace for what could be one of his worst years as far as INTs go, second only to '09. I still think he'll have a decent year, but at this point in his career, there is no "good Jay" or "Bad Jay," there's really just Jay.

That's very well stated. Cutler's 30-year-old and at this point in his career, he is what he is. Like I said before, he's not going to be in the Manning/Brady category but he's in the "upper middle-class" of NFL QBs (along with Flacco, Rivers, Schaub, etc).

[brandx]

Cutler reminds me of a "not as good" Brett Favre.  Favre did a lot of the same things Cutler did (throw off the back foot, say "f*ck it" and threw into coverage anyway), but because he was simply better, got away with them more often.

If Brett's dad and Jeff George's mom hooked up, I'm guessing a little Jay would be the result.

[DegenerateDish]

The multi million dollar question is what does Emery do this offseason with Cutler. I have no idea, have not heard anything. My gut tells me if the Bears want him back, they'll franchise him. That's the safest option for 2014, albeit a big cap hit. That would at least allow the Bears to draft someone or explore trade options for Mallett (who I believe will be dealt this offseason).

[jesmu84]

The multi million dollar question is what does Emery do this offseason with Cutler. I have no idea, have not heard anything. My gut tells me if the Bears want him back, they'll franchise him. That's the safest option for 2014, albeit a big cap hit. That would at least allow the Bears to draft someone or explore trade options for Mallett (who I believe will be dealt this offseason).

You think Mallett, as a trade, would be a better pickup than any of the QBs in the draft?

[MUBurrow]

You think Mallett, as a trade, would be a better pickup than any of the QBs in the draft?

Just save yourself the trouble and see if Brad Johnson has anything left in the tank.

[tower912]

Tebow, Freeman, Sanchez......can all be had for a song.

[GGGG]

I think you have to resign him.  He is a better QB than most in the league and you aren't going anywhere with a bad quarterback.

And if Mallett were an answer, don't you think someone would have tried to trade for him by now?

[NavinRJohnson]

I think you definitely franchise him. You then have 2 drafts to try to replace him. Safe to assume (at this point) Bridgewater ends up in either JAX or CLe. after that, it appears to be a pretty deep class at QB, so it'll be interesting to see what they decide to do.

[MerrittsMustache]

The multi million dollar question is what does Emery do this offseason with Cutler. I have no idea, have not heard anything. My gut tells me if the Bears want him back, they'll franchise him. That's the safest option for 2014, albeit a big cap hit. That would at least allow the Bears to draft someone or explore trade options for Mallett (who I believe will be dealt this offseason).

Emery is a different kind of GM. If Cutler has a typical Cutler season - 3200 yards, 20 TD, 15 INT - and the Bears go 9-7 or 10-6, I could see Emery franchising him, trying to trade him and drafting a QB like A.J. McCarron who will likely be available late in Round 1. The D is aging and clearly not what it used to be. Tillman, Melton, Jennings, Anderson and DJ Williams are all FAs after the season. Emery may want to blow it up and start over. Let's face it, the Bears are a potential playoff team but does anyone really think they're a legit Super Bowl contender or will be in the next 2-3 years with this core?

[GGGG]

Emery is a different kind of GM. If Cutler has a typical Cutler season - 3200 yards, 20 TD, 15 INT - and the Bears go 9-7 or 10-6, I could see Emery franchising him, trying to trade him and drafting a QB like A.J. McCarron who will likely be available late in Round 1. The D is aging and clearly not what it used to be. Tillman, Melton, Jennings, Anderson and DJ Williams are all FAs after the season. Emery may want to blow it up and start over. Let's face it, the Bears are a potential playoff team but does anyone really think they're a legit Super Bowl contender or will be in the next 2-3 years with this core?

I do.  They aren't far from it.  Shore up the lines on either side of the ball and why not?  Now do I *think* that's going to happen?  No.  But I don't think the possibility is as remote as you suggest.

All a team has to do is get hot at the right time, have the right pieces in place, and they can go real far.

[NavinRJohnson]

I do.  They aren't far from it.  Shore up the lines on either side of the ball and why not?  Now do I *think* that's going to happen?  No.  But I don't think the possibility is as remote as you suggest.

All a team has to do is get hot at the right time, have the right pieces in place, and they can go real far.

It is the NFL, so of course you're right, but unfortunately, shoring up the line on either side of the ball, is one of the toughest things to do, short of finding a QB. The Bears could find themselves having to do both soon.

[jmayer1]

I think you have to resign him.  He is a better QB than most in the league and you aren't going anywhere with a bad quarterback.

And if Mallett were an answer, don't you think someone would have tried to trade for him by now?

Couldn't you have said the same thing about Rodgers before he took over?

Cutler is the definition of an average NFL starting QB. I would think the Bears will franchise him, given the scarcity of quality QB options available, but I don't know if they have their heart set on necessarily keeping him.

[DegenerateDish]

I think you have to resign him.  He is a better QB than most in the league and you aren't going anywhere with a bad quarterback.

And if Mallett were an answer, don't you think someone would have tried to trade for him by now?

I don't know if Mallett is the answer, but I think if the Pats are going to trade him, it'd have to be this offseason. He'll be 26 going into next year, free agent after 2014 season. No idea if he'd be good or not, but if a team misses out on Bridgwater/Hundley/Mariotta, he'd be at least an inexpensive alternative (minus draft pick compensation).

[GGGG]

Couldn't you have said the same thing about Rodgers before he took over?

Only if the Pats view Mallett as the heir apparent to Brady.  (Because that is how Rodgers was viewed in GB.) 

Now Brady is 36...and Favre was 35 when Rodgers was drafted so maybe....

[jmayer1]

Only if the Pats view Mallett as the heir apparent to Brady.  (Because that is how Rodgers was viewed in GB.) 

Now Brady is 36...and Favre was 35 when Rodgers was drafted so maybe....

Yeah, i don't know on that. Obviously, I don't follow the Patriots very closely and as Dish pointed out, he (Mallett) is getting up there in age a bit.

[MerrittsMustache]

I do.  They aren't far from it.  Shore up the lines on either side of the ball and why not?  Now do I *think* that's going to happen?  No.  But I don't think the possibility is as remote as you suggest.

All a team has to do is get hot at the right time, have the right pieces in place, and they can go real far.

They aren't *that* far from it, but I don't think they're *that* close to it either. Only the Cardinals, Redskins and Lions are older than the Bears and the Bears have some potential big money (re: big signing bonus) guys about to enter free agency, particularly on defense. If Emery wants to gut the D and build it back around Bostic, McClellin, Paea, Greene, etc (potentially as a 3-4) then he may want to re-work the offense as well.

I'm not saying that I expect the front office to do that or that I want the front office to do that, but I wouldn't be all that surprised if Emery/Trestman wanted to bring in their own guy to run the offense sooner rather than later.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Finally word on how much JayBee's seat license will cost

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/2-500-average-seat-rights-005331884--nfl.html

[GGGG]

Finally word on how much JayBee's seat license will cost

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/2-500-average-seat-rights-005331884--nfl.html

"The potential cost of the seat licenses was a flashpoint as the agreements were negotiated, with Gov. Mark Dayton warning the team against excessive fees for what he had billed as a ''people's stadium.''"

How quaint.

[jesmu84]

It never ceases to amaze me that private corporations (NFL teams) are able to somehow convince the public that giving funds for their building (stadium) is a good idea. That private corporation then proceeds to make bank on the investment with a miniscule return to the investors.

[GGGG]

It never ceases to amaze me that private corporations (NFL teams) are able to somehow convince the public that giving funds for their building (stadium) is a good idea. That private corporation then proceeds to make bank on the investment with a miniscule return to the investors.

Eh.  The "return to the investors" is non-monetary in nature.  The public wants its football team.

[jesmu84]

Eh.  The "return to the investors" is non-monetary in nature.  The public wants its football team.

I know. But it just seems so... convoluted. It's funny how sports/fandom can supersede normal priorities/complaints like government spending/tax, etc.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

"The potential cost of the seat licenses was a flashpoint as the agreements were negotiated, with Gov. Mark Dayton warning the team against excessive fees for what he had billed as a ''people's stadium.''"

How quaint.

He signed the bill and then a year later could not believe that PSL's were part of the agreement and how wrong it was.  A bill that he signed.

[reinko]

I know. But it just seems so... convoluted. It's funny how sports/fandom can supersede normal priorities/complaints like government spending/tax, etc.

I gladly paid .10 for every $10 I spent in MKE county for years to keep the Brewers, and have an awesome stadium to go to throughout the year.

[Hards Alumni]

I gladly paid .10 for every $10 I spent in MKE county for years to keep the Brewers, and have an awesome stadium to go to throughout the year.

Exactly.  The ability to have something to do is valuable.