In one respect, Jay Cutler’s insertion into the starting lineup didn’t make a difference in the way the Broncos performed as a collective. They were 2-3 in the five games before the rookie made his first start on Dec. 3 against Seattle; they went 2-3 during the five games that followed.
But for the offense itself, Cutler’s impact was profound. An offense that had accounted for 16.9 points per game in the season’s first 11 games averaged 23.4 in the last five. The offense’s touchdown output increased from 1.8 per game to 2.4 and its passing touchdown production nearly doubled from 1.0 to 1.8 per game.
Those numbers reminded Head Coach Mike Shanahan that he’d made the right choice when he made the switch following the Thanksgiving loss at Kansas City.
“You’re not going anywhere in the playoffs averaging 17 points a game,” he said. “We put Jay in there, and we are averaging 25 points a game (an average that includes Champ Bailey’s touchdown return in Week 17). You’ve got a chance to do something in the playoffs if you are averaging 25 points a game.”
But Shanahan took a broader view in his assessment of Cutler than just the five weeks in December.
“It’s not just the last five games that was some good experience for him. It’s what he’s done since he’s been here,” Shanahan said. “(It’s) how excited he is about football. He’s a guy who loves it. He breathes it. He wants to be here. You see him here working out in the offseason. He’s a young guy who is excited about his future. That’s what separates the good ones from the great ones, guys that have a passion for what they do. They’d play the game even if they weren’t getting the type of money that they get. They enjoy it. That’s the way I felt about John Elway and Steve Young. They would have played the game because they are so competitive. They love to win.
“You’ve got to have guys that it’s part of their life, (to whom) not winning the Super Bowl is unacceptable to him. With that type of mindset, you’ve got a guy that’ll get those other guys to do the little things that they should do and can get over the hump.”
And Shanahan heads into the offseason believing that Cutler can be such a player.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Became the first rookie in NFL history with multiple touchdown passes in each of his first four games … Had the fifth-highest passer rating of quarterbacks who had at least 125 passes (25.0 per game) from Dec. 1 onward; his 88.5 rating was behind only Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning (102.6), St. Louis’ Marc Bulger (93.4), New Orleans’ Drew Brees (91.8) and New England’s Tom Brady (90.1) … Cutler’s nine touchdown passes in December were third in the league behind Bulger and Manning, who each fired 10; his touchdown percentage (6.6 percent) was second in the league among quarterbacks to start all five games in December, behind only Atlanta’s Michael Vick … His completion percentage (59.1), touchdown percentage and passer rating rank first all-time among Broncos rookies; his yardage per attempt places him second in team rookie annals.
NEXT: Defensive end Elvis Dumervil.
Tags: 2006 Season Review, Jay Cutler, Offense, Quarterbacks
3 words!!!! BETTER THAN ELWAY! This kid is goin to be awesome, I can not wait to see him mature next year and become one of the ELITE QB’s in the NFL!
Cutler sure looks like the real deal. Let’s shock the world and win XLI for Dwill.
Cutler ROCKS!!!!!!! Super Bowl Champs next year!! DO IT FOR DEE!!!
Cutler is the shizznit no doubt about it, but dude, Elway made 5 superbowls, no other QB has ever done that.
This kid is awesome. I loved the decision to put him in, i just wish theyu did it before Kansas city wiped us out. Maybe we would’ve won XLI if they did.
DWILL – We Miss You
YEA CUTLER IS THE NEXT ELWAY, I BELIEVE NO ONES GETTING IN OUR WAY OF GETTIN A SUPERBOWL NEXT YEAR.
Yes “Rocket Man” Cutler is the future..He has the gifts and talents to be one of the best ever,and he is from Santa Claus ,for those who DO BELIEVE.
Cutler is our man! I’m so happy that Coach Shanahan finally decided to use him. He has great talent and presence.
Diane
http://www.sacredjourneymassage.com
I can’t wait to see Cutler over the course of a full season. The experience he got at the end of the season will definatly help in prepare in the offseason. He has and amazing arm. Cutler can throw the deep ball and the way he spreads the ball around will make our offense more dangerous. This kid is going to have a great future as a Broncos QB.
Although Cutler may look homely (get a haircut), he has an incredible arm. The last 5 games for him were good, but next year he is going to be great. Lookout Romo, Young, and Leinart, because once Cutler gets going next year people are going to be saying, “Romo who?”
I ALREADY KNEW THAT HE WAS GOOD FROM JUMP STREET COACH MIKE SHOULD HAD PUT HIM IN ON A THREE GAMES LOSING STREAK TWO GAMES BEFORE K.C
SAY,
MIKE DO NOT CHANGE YOUR PLAN KEEP JAY IN THERE BUT CHANGE UP THE DEFENSE DAWG! TRY SOME TRICKS THE 4-6 DEFENSE AT TIMES I HAVE SUGGESTION FOR YOU COACH PAYTON MANNING DO NOT CHANGE THE PLAY CALLING WATCH THE FILM OFF SEASON AND YOU WILL SEE WATCH THE HAND POINTING HEY I WANT THAT RING DAWG! 2007!
I watched Jay develop his presence in the pocket over the last five games of the season. Yeah he made some mistakes but from the get go he looked like he has a handle on the offense. I can see nothing but good thins ahead.
All I really want to say is that Jay is NOT the next Elway. Jay is destined to be better. I think that since Jay actually MADE it all the way through his first Rookie game, I’d say that’s better than Elway. And why don’t we wait before we compare the “It took forever to win a Super Bowl” Elway to the Rookie that is Jay.
Jay is better than Elway!
Let’s not get so excited about Cutler. Everytime we get a new QB here we praise him as being like, or better than Elway. Hint: remember Greise?? Give this QB time before we give him all the bread in the basket. But i do think he will be a special QB.
cutler has a chance to be better than #7. but realistically Elway was a much better athlete and a lot more vercitile than anyone in the NFL right now. to Jays credit he looked like the Elawy that i grew up watching, you know the older one who had declined as an athlete but excelled at QB, if Tommy and Rod come back Jay will shatter all the passing records in Denver.
Well here it is Jay has the potential to be great just like someone else said as long as he stays focused in the offseason and practices hard. I also wish that Coach would have put him in sooner, I have not ever really been a big fan of Plummer, I feel that he is overated for our team, but on Jay he does have an incredible arm and great poise, but he needs to have more pocket presence, wich will come in time hopefully and not get over confident with his passes. I really like to see that this kid has heart, I feel that is huge to players that are going to be great and for being a rookie, he handled himself so well just waiting there behind Plummer and responded greatly to the media. I do see him as the future for our team, great job Coach on this pick. As far as comparing him to Elway, well that is to be seen still. You don’t become great overnight, it takes time for that and that is what Elway did. Just like any hall of famer it takes heart, patience, time, commitment, dedication and teamwork. For us to be superbowl contenders don’t forget we need to be able to put pressure on a quarterback……
Let’s not all buy into the hype of Jay Cutler’s “greatness” when compared to Elway. The man has to prove he’s better first. Which means breaking his records, winning more Super Bowls, and removing the curse Elway left behind. The QB curse. Cutler is good, but he is just a rookie…it took Elway four years before we found ourselves in the Super Bowl and it took “The Drive” to do it.
Remember we had a pretty stout defense back then as well. Give the guy a chance, Denver eats quarterbacks alive before they even have a chance to develop into a great QB…we just lucked out that Elway had a thick skin. I hope this kid has one as well or his confidence will be shattered if all you demanding fans expect a Super Bowl trophy in just the kids second year. Just because Ben Rothlesburger did it, doesn’t mean EVERY two year quarterback should.
Let’s just hope he progresses well and gets us deep into the playoffs. I for one will not be disappointed if we do not make it to the big game. Not this year anyways, with D-will gone it will run hard on our team emotionally. I feel we need this year to recover mentally, but we will be back in the playoffs…I just think Super Bowl is reaching far. Cutler’s third year will be the year I begin to have sky high expectations. By then I hope we have a TD-like back to go along with Cutler…
I think Cutler will be a good QB but he will not be a Elway. Its going to be a couple of season to really see what hes got to offer. Just hope its not like Plummer and not get the big one.
Lets not get cocky guys, yes we have one of the best quarterbacks in the league when it comes to arm strength, but Jake Plummer had accuracy. Quarterbacks need both of these plus good decision making. thats what jake didn’t have and jay needs to learn from jakes mistakes.
before I comment I’m checking my password
Cutler came from an extraordinary class of talented players – like Elway and the class of 93. Of that class Elway was the best. Elway’s story is one of the finest sports stories of all time – he rode off into the sunset and left the game at his best hour.
Cutler reminds me of Elway when I see him play. He still no Elway off the field yet – look at the camera boy.
Jay is far better than Griese and can throw way better than Plummer.
What is super exciting with Denver once again is that we now have a QB and a new workhorse running back in Travis Henry. I may take a season to gel, but by the end of the year the Donkeys should be rocking!
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