Do you guys actually watch the games, or just comment on the stats you are seeing online? I just went back and watched the Saints game, replaying it play by play, and in the end there was very little else Cutler could have done in the circumstances:
Just watching the replay of the Saints game now. First drive actually wasn't too bad right up to the final play with the INT, Julius Thomas just didn't turn around fast enough or was physical enough at the contest. Cutler actually looked okay getting the ball away early, although it's clear him and Thomas aren't on the same page when it comes to both of the timing pattern throws of the drive. Left guard is a serious problem already where Steen just doesn't look up to it. Expecting things to start going rapidly downhill from here...
Second drive: again, there's a bit to like here, Cutler looked alright getting the ball away quick before the pressure arrived, the right side of the line not as horrible as I was fearing. Apart from that one big catch in the first quarter Julius Thomas is having a stinker: that false start penalty that stalled the drive momentum, then he completely ignores a blitzing player from the right on the sack that killed the drive. Is he a tight end or just a big, soft, stupid wide receiver who occasionally catches a pass when he's wide open on a busted play? Seriously, we should stop adding players with the surname Thomas to our roster, they all seem to suck...
Third drive: Killed by a terrible offensive pass interference call on Stills, Davis replaces Steen at left guard and misses a block on the final play resulting in Cutler getting sacked. The fourth drive never got going because of sloppy penalties by Tunsil & Fasano. Poor play calling too, short passes that aren't going to gain yardage without some kind of pick play - it's like Gase has no confidence in the offensive line, probably for good reason. Overall it's an awful first half, but that can't be pinned on Cutler.
Start of the third quarter: remember that bullshit call the Phins got for offensive pass interference in our third drive? The Saints get away with an obvious pick play on the touchdown pass by Josh Hill around 5 yards from the line of scrimmage - and that's after a bullshit holding call on Godchaux after he was dragged down by two Saints linemen, and a questionable spot on fourth down that kept the drive alive.
Our fifth possession: after a nice first down throw by Cutler and a nice run to the left, Ajayi makes a poor decision on 3rd and inches by ignoring his daylight to the left and going right to where the Saints had everything blocked up. Sure, there was a linebacker coming but daylight was there and it's only inches which would have been gained with a cutback! Steen is back in at left guard, actually looked okay on those three plays.
Sixth possession, another three and out: put this one down to inane play calling and poor execution. Checkdown throw for maybe two yards, a run play where Pouncey gets pushed backwards into Ajayi before he gets to the line, and a third down throw to a receiver well short of the marker. The wheels are falling off...
Seventh possession: Nice pass to Parker followed by a solid run by Ajayi (featuring a great block by Parker) for the first down. Next play is another blown (non) call by the officials, Cutler goes for the deep pass downfield and Parker is clearly held by Crawley - should have got a flag. James completely misses his block on the right side resulting in the Cutler sack-fumble, at least he gets back to recover it but the damage is done. After a delay of game penalty, a completely useless short pass that goes nowhere. Ugh, does Gase think his Quarterback is Chad Henne with these checkdown pass calls in long yardage situations?
Eighth possession: Nice crisp throws by Cutler to Thomas and then Landry for the first down. Next possession Williams drops the pass. Then Landry doesn't come back quickly enough on the timing throw and it falls short - it's the receiver's fault and would have been a first down. Third down Julius Thomas (remember him?) blows his block and his opponent pressures Cutler into a throw to Stills short of the first down. Fourth down is a carbon copy of second down - Landry doesn't break from his initial run quick enough to come back to the throw and again it falls short. Again it would have been a first down if he did his job.
Ninth possession with 1.09 on the clock - by this stage things are pretty much meaningless. Checkdown pass to Drake followed by great pocket movement (well for about the second time in the game a great pocket hole ahead of Cutler to step into) and a laser pass to Parker down the sideline for the first. Great blocking by the whole line on the four man rush on that play. Next possession, high snap by Pouncey and the pocket collapses before Cutler has any decent amout of time. Last play was a dump off to Drake and let's face it, with less than 10 seconds remaining there was sweet FA of anything relevant happening.
So that's it, and what do I make of it? The offensive line has issues (we knew that, for a few years now), specifically at left guard (we knew that too). I was a Cutler skeptic going in, and to be honest I am not sure what else he could do with the shit sandwich he has been dealt up. Would Tannehill or Moore have done better under the same circumstances? I seroiusly doubt it.
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