- Messages
- 5,432
- Reaction score
- 0
Bears player: Cowboys softened up on defense
06:05 PM CDT on Sunday, September 19, 2010
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON -- The book on Jay Cutler has been read so many times, the pages are frayed and the entire NFL pretty much has it memorized.
Harass him. Dog him. And he will make mistakes.
The Cowboys used that blueprint for a while. But when it backfired a couple of times, they abandoned it. The Chicago Bears said they saw a different Dallas defense after the Cowboys’ blitzes were burned. And it made all the difference in the Bears’ 27-20 win Sunday afternoon.
"They started softening up a little," Bears’ receiver Devin Hester said. "They weren’t really pressing us. They kind of played off and gave us an opportunity change up our routes a little and get our hands on the ball a little quicker.
"And Jay was great. He’s probably the best quarterback I’ve been around."
For a day, Cutler wasn’t the most maligned and second-guessed quarterback in the stadium. In Chicago, criticizing the Bears’ quarterback is a sport in itself. But on Sunday, he dismantled the Cowboys’ defense, first with quick strikes that nullified blitzing linebackers, then with heady play. He avoided the silly plays that occasionally have marred his past.
Cutler rolled up 277 yards passing with three touchdown strikes and no interceptions. His passer rating of 136.7 was his best since opening day in 2008. On this day, it was Tony Romo who through the interceptions and couldn’t come up with the big plays.
For Cutler, surviving the first moments of the game was criticazl.
"We knew we were going to get their best punch early," he said. "They were coming off a tough loss and wanting to put a good showing on at home. When we started attacking them a little, we settled down."
Cutler caught Keith Brooking and Bradie James in a blitz and flipped a quick pass to tight end Greg Olsen, who went 39 yards to put the Bears up 10-7.
From then on, the Cowboys’ defense was not the same. Cutler divvied up the credit, particularly with his offensive line. For much of the first quarter, Cutler had Cowboys rushing in his face. After a couple of quick hits to Hester and Olsen, the pressure backed off.
"It was so rocky there in the first two or three possessions and those guys stuck with it," Cutler said of his line.
Added coach Lovie Smith: "The receivers played well. But it all starts with Jay Cutler. Jay really stayed in there early on and made the big throws that we brought him here to make. They (the Cowboys) kept coming. The protection got a little better and gave Jay a little more time. When you blitz, there’s a lot of risk involved as far as giving up the big play. And we liked some of the matchups we had."
When the Bears’ offense perked up, it had an impact on their defense, too.
"It was huge," said cornerback Zackary Bowman. "The offense went out there and held the football and did a good job of not turning it over. As a defense, we went out there and caused some turnovers and obviously in this league, it’s a turnover league and we got plus three. Normally you win with that.
"And there was a sense of urgency (with the Cowboys). I noticed. At the beginning they were running the ball a lot. Then in the second half it became more of an aerial attack."
06:05 PM CDT on Sunday, September 19, 2010
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON -- The book on Jay Cutler has been read so many times, the pages are frayed and the entire NFL pretty much has it memorized.
Harass him. Dog him. And he will make mistakes.
The Cowboys used that blueprint for a while. But when it backfired a couple of times, they abandoned it. The Chicago Bears said they saw a different Dallas defense after the Cowboys’ blitzes were burned. And it made all the difference in the Bears’ 27-20 win Sunday afternoon.
"They started softening up a little," Bears’ receiver Devin Hester said. "They weren’t really pressing us. They kind of played off and gave us an opportunity change up our routes a little and get our hands on the ball a little quicker.
"And Jay was great. He’s probably the best quarterback I’ve been around."
For a day, Cutler wasn’t the most maligned and second-guessed quarterback in the stadium. In Chicago, criticizing the Bears’ quarterback is a sport in itself. But on Sunday, he dismantled the Cowboys’ defense, first with quick strikes that nullified blitzing linebackers, then with heady play. He avoided the silly plays that occasionally have marred his past.
Cutler rolled up 277 yards passing with three touchdown strikes and no interceptions. His passer rating of 136.7 was his best since opening day in 2008. On this day, it was Tony Romo who through the interceptions and couldn’t come up with the big plays.
For Cutler, surviving the first moments of the game was criticazl.
"We knew we were going to get their best punch early," he said. "They were coming off a tough loss and wanting to put a good showing on at home. When we started attacking them a little, we settled down."
Cutler caught Keith Brooking and Bradie James in a blitz and flipped a quick pass to tight end Greg Olsen, who went 39 yards to put the Bears up 10-7.
From then on, the Cowboys’ defense was not the same. Cutler divvied up the credit, particularly with his offensive line. For much of the first quarter, Cutler had Cowboys rushing in his face. After a couple of quick hits to Hester and Olsen, the pressure backed off.
"It was so rocky there in the first two or three possessions and those guys stuck with it," Cutler said of his line.
Added coach Lovie Smith: "The receivers played well. But it all starts with Jay Cutler. Jay really stayed in there early on and made the big throws that we brought him here to make. They (the Cowboys) kept coming. The protection got a little better and gave Jay a little more time. When you blitz, there’s a lot of risk involved as far as giving up the big play. And we liked some of the matchups we had."
When the Bears’ offense perked up, it had an impact on their defense, too.
"It was huge," said cornerback Zackary Bowman. "The offense went out there and held the football and did a good job of not turning it over. As a defense, we went out there and caused some turnovers and obviously in this league, it’s a turnover league and we got plus three. Normally you win with that.
"And there was a sense of urgency (with the Cowboys). I noticed. At the beginning they were running the ball a lot. Then in the second half it became more of an aerial attack."
