http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9751140/Summer-two-a-days:-AFC-South,-NFC-North

NFC North

1. Is Jay Cutler capable of winning a division title?

Absolutely.

Everyone needs to forget the drama that engulfed Cutler over the past six months. Though you may have gone about it a bit differently, imagine a scenario in which you're doing very well at your job, a new boss is hired from an outside company and he's angling to get "his" guy from his old firm to replace you. All the while, he's doing this behind the scenes, without you knowing. Then, after things don't work out with his old buddy, he says you're his guy!

So it didn't go down exactly like that, but it was pretty darn close. Now Cutler has this public image of being an immature prima donna. Fine.

The guy's also one of the top 10 quarterbacks in this league. In the media's collective bash-job of Cutler a few months back, his unremarkable 17-20 career record continued to rise to the surface.

"He's not a winner." "He's all stats." "He's more of a fantasy football quarterback than a franchise one" — those were some of the sentiments we read and heard.

What everyone failed to mention was the fact that the Denver defense has been downright atrocious over the past two seasons. How's this for a stat? In games in which the Denver defense gave up less than 21 points over the past three seasons, Jay Cutler went 13-1 as the team's starting quarterback. That one loss came in a crazy OT loss to Brett Favre and the Packers on Monday Night Football.

Which leads us to the NFC North. Does Cutler have what it takes to lead a team through the brutal cold of the NFC Norris in the late winter months? Chicago doesn't have the weapons at wideout or on the offensive line that Cutler did in Denver, but the running game and defense are certainly better.

Jay Cutler's not a loser, and the Bears won't be losers under his wing.

Denver will miss him. Prima donna or not.

2. Is the "F" word secretly already a Minnesota Viking?

As you may know from a previous column this offseason, I'm refraining from referring to the dude who used to play quarterback for the Packers by name until he's officially back in the league. I'm just sick of seeing the word, hearing it aloud and the national obsession over the guy's summer vacation. I lost a July Fourth weekend to "F" word-mania last year; I refuse to lose this year's, too.

That might be impossible, though. According to the popular football blog Pro Football Talk, there are legitimate rumors circulating about the "F" word actually already being a Viking. According to the site, sources say Minnesota and the Favre camp are just waiting until July 3 — the start of a holiday weekend, where media attention would be minimal — to announce the news.

Then last Wednesday, WCCO's Mark Rosen came out and said a reliable source confirmed that Favre and the Vikings had already come to a contract agreement with "heavy incentives." Rosen also said the Vikings' equipment manager had ordered No. 4 jerseys with "F" word's name on it.

And you thought the Jon and Kate conspiracy theories were great!

Rumors, unnamed sources, blah, blah, blah. It all comes with the territory when you're dealing with this fellow.

Give me Jay Glazer providing up-to-the-minute updates from an airport Brookstone store like last summer when he broke the Favre-to-New York news.

Until then, I don't want to hear anymore about the "F" word.

And if he is already a Viking — that's great. Suit him up and get him on the field. Enough talk ... talk ... talk ...

3. Will the Packers field a real defense in '09, or last year's JV squad?

After what was a downright embarrassing effort in 2008, the Green Bay defense should look very different in '09. Old defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and most of his staff are gone. In comes Dom Capers and his 3-4 scheme. Yet, the players — mostly hand-picked and molded to work the 4-3 — remain mostly the same.

Tough situation that could make for a tough transition. Defensive leader Aaron Kampman, for example, will go from being a sack specialist defensive end to an outside linebacker, working in pass coverage on many downs. That's not a particularly easy move for a veteran.

Yet, word out of Green Bay is that the Packers' defensive coaches and players spent more than just the OTAs learning the complexities of the new Capers scheme. Players and coaches were meeting on their own time, learning, studying and talking the 3-4. Everyone's committed and on board — potential holdout safety Nick Collins, included.

Brady Poppinga has accepted the challenge of switching form a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense in Green Bay. (Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images)

One player who really seems to be relishing the challenge is linebacker Brady Poppinga. On the transition from 4-3 to 3-4, Poppinga told The Associated Press last week: "It's a process. When I came in here, I was a malleable piece of clay four years ago. Now, I'm breaking that clay pottery down — boom! — to build it back up. So it's a process. But I think I'm taking the necessary steps, and I'm enjoying the moment."

In addition to the scheme change comes a few package wrinkles, too. When the Packers go to their dime and nickel packages in '09, they will end up featuring what appears to be just two down linemen. According to Rick Braun of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "In effect, it becomes a 2-4-5 defense, with two of the four linebackers — and maybe a third linebacker or a defensive back — also likely to rush. The question the offense has to answer is, 'Which two?'"

On top of the coaching, scheme and package changes, there are some new faces in town, too. Rookies B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews bring young legs; safety Anthony Smith has the knowledge of the 3-4 from his Pittsburgh days.

Green Bay's defense should be much improved in '09.

4. What do the additions of Julian Peterson and Larry Foote mean to Detroit's defense?

They'll help.

Peterson, a five-time Pro Bowl player and a three-time All-Pro, still has some good football left in his legs. Traded in a package deal in the offseason, Peterson provides the veteran leadership and experience to what will end up being one of the younger defenses in the league. Foote is a two-time Super Bowl champion who can still get it done. Joined together with four-year veteran Ernie Sims, the three actually make for a formidable linebacker corps in Detroit. Lions fans haven't seen one of those in ... well, decades.

The issue, of course, will be the defensive line. The Peterson-Sims-Foote trio will be over-taxed and weary by Week 4 if there's no help up front. And from the looks of it, the talent on the defensive line does not look much better than it was last year.

I was very surprised in April when the Lions waited until the fourth round of the draft to select a defensive tackle — Sammie Lee Hill out of Stillman. DE and DT appeared to be Detroit's most pressing needs, yet they opted to beef up at other positions over the first three rounds, instead.

But maybe I've assessed the situation poorly and things aren't as dire along the defensive line as they appear. Maybe the front office and Jim Schwartz like what they have in Detroit up front. Either way, the Lions will have to make due with what they've got. Grady Jackson is a 13-year veteran who can still do the job at DT, second-year man Andre Fluellen has shown some promise and DeWayne White's had some very productive years in Tampa Bay. Individually, there are some decent players. Can they pull it all together to form a somewhat capable defensive line?

Peterson and Foote should make a difference. But they won't be able to do much without some production from the front four.

contin in link

What everyone failed to mention was the fact that the Denver defense has been downright atrocious over the past two seasons. How's this for a stat? In games in which the Denver defense gave up less than 21 points over the past three seasons, Jay Cutler went 13-1 as the team's starting quarterback. That one loss came in a crazy OT loss to Brett Favre and the Packers on Monday Night Football.

Which leads us to the NFC North. Does Cutler have what it takes to lead a team through the brutal cold of the NFC Norris in the late winter months? Chicago doesn't have the weapons at wideout or on the offensive line that Cutler did in Denver, but the running game and defense are certainly better.

Jay Cutler's not a loser, and the Bears won't be losers under his wing.

Denver will miss him. Prima donna or not.

Wonder how much longer it will take for teh silly prima dinna label to be shed? i agree culter will amke a huge difference and be a big winner in chigcao

Not only was McD doing all the transactions behind the scenes, he was telling Cutler he was the man from the beginning and the coaching staff was going to stay the same. What sports analysts failed to mention in the above scenario is human pride. If you have pride in yourself and what you do, you can not lay down and pretend you are the "Man" knowing all along your boss wants to get rid of you. Most of us donot have the options a QB does unless we want to cut off our nose to spite our face and in the process be unemployed. But with Jays skill set and the shortage of Probowl QB on the market every year, he could and did just what most of us would like to do in a similar situation. So I say the analysts, on this subject, can stick there opinions where the sun don't shine.

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“He came back with a touchdown, and caught another one when we were going in for the second touchdown. It’s going to happen. I’m going to miss throws. I’m going to throw interceptions. Guys are going to miss blocks. We just have to keep playing fast and get over it as soon as possible.” Jay Cutler

JamesH:

Not only was McD doing all the transactions behind the scenes, he was telling Cutler he was the man from the beginning and the coaching staff was going to stay the same. What sports analysts failed to mention in the above scenario is human pride. If you have pride in yourself and what you do, you can not lay down and pretend you are the "Man" knowing all along your boss wants to get rid of you. Most of us donot have the options a QB does unless we want to cut off our nose to spite our face and in the process be unemployed. But with Jays skill set and the shortage of Probowl QB on the market every year, he could and did just what most of us would like to do in a similar situation. So I say the analysts, on this subject, can stick there opinions where the sun don't shine.

agree 100% james not only about pride,but TRUST.

If you can't beleive in teh coach, think he isn't respecting you, hard to work for him long term.

When I worked on wall street, The unit under my direction was one of the msot profitable in the company, and despite my young age, i was moved to the maangement side and at the annual managers meeting, was talked to do a keynote speech on what we were doing and why it had increased the profits so much- at the meeting found out from other managers, i was vastly underpaid at the time for doing the same job they were- and was furious. Confronted the CEO, and asked for a meeting to explain the pay difference, and got a lame, well i was much younger, so of course their pay wa shigher because in teh company alot longer. Told him, well doing the same job( and doing it better, as having to do the keynote speech), and while not asking to be the top paid desrved to be alot higher, and asked him since he wasn't the oldest at teh company, but had the highest Pay, why is that different if its about age...  He said needed to talk with some otehrs and would get back to me the next day.. Honestly had decided if he didn't raise me up, would look at my options and different companies, even though really didn't want to go anywhere. Fortunately they came back teh next day with a substantial raise and package that rewared my hard work, and to me that showed did respect me, but if they had come back with nothing, i would have left, ebcause felt wasn't respected, so understand fully why if you don't trust or feel respected by your boss AND can leave you do, if you like in cutler's case, go talk with McDummy and he tells you tough crap his way or teh highway..

I think Jay really liked Shanahan, and his OC.  When they got fired, and McOffense tried to trade for Cassel, and lied about it, I think Cutler decided he wanted out of the mess - didn't like what what happening to his team - so he forced a trade.

He didn't complain about his contract, or act like an A$$clown if front of the TV camera - he simply said he wanted out an he got his way.  I see nothing wrong with it at all - he's still playing on his rookie contract for god's sake - if he was such a petulant child, don't you think he would be hammering for more money by now??

Jay Cutler is the best thing to happen to our Bears in the last (almost) 25 years

GRIZZLYBEAR:

I think Jay really liked Shanahan, and his OC.  When they got fired, and McOffense tried to trade for Cassel, and lied about it, I think Cutler decided he wanted out of the mess - didn't like what what happening to his team - so he forced a trade.

He didn't complain about his contract, or act like an A$$clown if front of the TV camera - he simply said he wanted out an he got his way.  I see nothing wrong with it at all - he's still playing on his rookie contract for god's sake - if he was such a petulant child, don't you think he would be hammering for more money by now??

Jay Cutler is the best thing to happen to our Bears in the last (almost) 25 years

agree 100%.. and if as a fracnhsie qb, you can't trust your coach AND if didn't take the opportity then, STUCK with him for 3 more years... you take advantage when can

oh and disagree strongly switching to teh 3-4 and having 3 players out of position( raji at De, kampman at OLb and harrell anywhere near the field) will work.. they will IMo be even worse in 2009 on "D" for packers

dbears54:

Wonder how much longer it will take for teh silly prima dinna label to be shed? i agree culter will amke a huge difference and be a big winner in chigcao

Probably 2 years depending on what record Cutler rings up. What I find amazing about this whole "Cutler is a Prima Donna" thing is it's true. Yes. He is a Prima Donna...so is probably every QB in the NFL. You mean to tell me Brett Favre isn't a Prima Donna? Pulleeze!

So Cutler will carry that title around with him for a period until he shows he can lead his team into a post season victory or two and act publicly like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Cutler is at the age and about at the experience point where the youth and cockiness turn into experienced and assured of his status in the league. This is where the boy becomes a man.

And the "experts" question if the Bears got the better part of the trade!

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Shoot man... if you let this group of guys get under your skin you'll be butt naked in the crazy house eating cat poop with knitting sticks.
-K3YPlNlTR33L

My favorite part of the article:

"You feign interest in things like baseball and your family, but you're really just thinking football."

MBM:

dbears54:

Wonder how much longer it will take for teh silly prima dinna label to be shed? i agree culter will amke a huge difference and be a big winner in chigcao

Probably 2 years depending on what record Cutler rings up. What I find amazing about this whole "Cutler is a Prima Donna" thing is it's true. Yes. He is a Prima Donna...so is probably every QB in the NFL. You mean to tell me Brett Favre isn't a Prima Donna? Pulleeze!

So Cutler will carry that title around with him for a period until he shows he can lead his team into a post season victory or two and act publicly like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Cutler is at the age and about at the experience point where the youth and cockiness turn into experienced and assured of his status in the league. This is where the boy becomes a man.

And the "experts" question if the Bears got the better part of the trade!

agreed elway had it until finally won when got a rb in davis... : )

 

MoreCowbell:

My favorite part of the article:

"You feign interest in things like baseball and your family, but you're really just thinking football."

LOL yep and agree with that 100%!!

dbears54:

oh and disagree strongly switching to teh 3-4 and having 3 players out of position( raji at De, kampman at OLb and harrell anywhere near the field) will work.. they will IMo be even worse in 2009 on "D" for packers

I could not agree more. While I was reading that, I was thinking of our O line and everyone saying that they have not been together and they need to gel and the process to become a cohesive unit.

Fast foward to the Pukers and every one thinks they will be improved even though it is the same group of guys, with a few extra rookies, and not just a new scheme, but new positions for everyone.

If they actually improve, it should be one of the greatest feats in sports history. Take a great edge rushing DE and make him a good outside LB in a 3-4 in one year??? It is not their ability to learn what they have to do, it is their ability to make adjustments during the game. Since they will ALL be unfamiliar with what that means until the games start, how do you seriously make a case they will improve??

Can't somebody call it like it is these days. The Packers are going to be bad. They could be REAL BAD, and still there are those that think they will win the division or make the playoffs. In the same article they say we can't because we need time to gel as an offense with a new QB under center.

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Make an IMPACT, rather than leave a mark

jnastorer:

dbears54:

oh and disagree strongly switching to teh 3-4 and having 3 players out of position( raji at De, kampman at OLb and harrell anywhere near the field) will work.. they will IMo be even worse in 2009 on "D" for packers

I could not agree more. While I was reading that, I was thinking of our O line and everyone saying that they have not been together and they need to gel and the process to become a cohesive unit.

Fast foward to the Pukers and every one thinks they will be improved even though it is the same group of guys, with a few extra rookies, and not just a new scheme, but new positions for everyone.

If they actually improve, it should be one of the greatest feats in sports history. Take a great edge rushing DE and make him a good outside LB in a 3-4 in one year??? It is not their ability to learn what they have to do, it is their ability to make adjustments during the game. Since they will ALL be unfamiliar with what that means until the games start, how do you seriously make a case they will improve??

Can't somebody call it like it is these days. The Packers are going to be bad. They could be REAL BAD, and still there are those that think they will win the division or make the playoffs. In the same article they say we can't because we need time to gel as an offense with a new QB under center.

exactly!!!.. its like he media is afraid to say the packers SUCK, they act like its still been a winning franchise the  last few years WHEN THEY ONLY HAVE ONE IN LAST 4 YEARS WITH  WINNING RECORD!.. any other team woudl be called a joke and rebuilding with that record..and esp. changing the whole "D" philosophy been drafting for the last 4 years.. but somehow people still think of teh late 90's packers and not what really has been going on there..

its very odd.

dbears54:

oh and disagree strongly switching to teh 3-4 and having 3 players out of position( raji at De, kampman at OLb and harrell anywhere near the field) will work.. they will IMo be even worse in 2009 on "D" for packers

Plus their corners are best at press coverage.  Big question can either one Harris or Woodson play off the ball.

dbears54:

JamesH:

Not only was McD doing all the transactions behind the scenes, he was telling Cutler he was the man from the beginning and the coaching staff was going to stay the same. What sports analysts failed to mention in the above scenario is human pride. If you have pride in yourself and what you do, you can not lay down and pretend you are the "Man" knowing all along your boss wants to get rid of you. Most of us donot have the options a QB does unless we want to cut off our nose to spite our face and in the process be unemployed. But with Jays skill set and the shortage of Probowl QB on the market every year, he could and did just what most of us would like to do in a similar situation. So I say the analysts, on this subject, can stick there opinions where the sun don't shine.

agree 100% james not only about pride,but TRUST.

If you can't beleive in teh coach, think he isn't respecting you, hard to work for him long term.

When I worked on wall street, The unit under my direction was one of the msot profitable in the company, and despite my young age, i was moved to the maangement side and at the annual managers meeting, was talked to do a keynote speech on what we were doing and why it had increased the profits so much- at the meeting found out from other managers, i was vastly underpaid at the time for doing the same job they were- and was furious. Confronted the CEO, and asked for a meeting to explain the pay difference, and got a lame, well i was much younger, so of course their pay wa shigher because in teh company alot longer. Told him, well doing the same job( and doing it better, as having to do the keynote speech), and while not asking to be the top paid desrved to be alot higher, and asked him since he wasn't the oldest at teh company, but had the highest Pay, why is that different if its about age...  He said needed to talk with some otehrs and would get back to me the next day.. Honestly had decided if he didn't raise me up, would look at my options and different companies, even though really didn't want to go anywhere. Fortunately they came back teh next day with a substantial raise and package that rewared my hard work, and to me that showed did respect me, but if they had come back with nothing, i would have left, ebcause felt wasn't respected, so understand fully why if you don't trust or feel respected by your boss AND can leave you do, if you like in cutler's case, go talk with McDummy and he tells you tough crap his way or teh highway..

Am I missing something here? Did Cutler miss a paycheck once McDaniels came to Denver?

If McDaniels decided he felt Cassell was a better QB for his system, it would be his obligation to pursue that option. If Cutlers "feelings" are hurt in the process and he ends up as the second choice, unless he's not getting paid he ought to have closed his mouth and done his job.

I'm glad the Bears ended up with Cutler, but this whole situation sets a very dangerous presedent. Now we not only have players disgruntled because of their contract, we now have acknowledged it is ok to demand a trade because of  "hurt feelings."

btw db, I think most of us have found ourselves in the situation you describe regarding compensation. But in the end I think you will agree, talent will always end up being appropriately compensated.

 

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When you bleed, make it orange and blue

billwade:

dbears54:

JamesH:

Not only was McD doing all the transactions behind the scenes, he was telling Cutler he was the man from the beginning and the coaching staff was going to stay the same. What sports analysts failed to mention in the above scenario is human pride. If you have pride in yourself and what you do, you can not lay down and pretend you are the "Man" knowing all along your boss wants to get rid of you. Most of us donot have the options a QB does unless we want to cut off our nose to spite our face and in the process be unemployed. But with Jays skill set and the shortage of Probowl QB on the market every year, he could and did just what most of us would like to do in a similar situation. So I say the analysts, on this subject, can stick there opinions where the sun don't shine.

agree 100% james not only about pride,but TRUST.

If you can't beleive in teh coach, think he isn't respecting you, hard to work for him long term.

When I worked on wall street, The unit under my direction was one of the msot profitable in the company, and despite my young age, i was moved to the maangement side and at the annual managers meeting, was talked to do a keynote speech on what we were doing and why it had increased the profits so much- at the meeting found out from other managers, i was vastly underpaid at the time for doing the same job they were- and was furious. Confronted the CEO, and asked for a meeting to explain the pay difference, and got a lame, well i was much younger, so of course their pay wa shigher because in teh company alot longer. Told him, well doing the same job( and doing it better, as having to do the keynote speech), and while not asking to be the top paid desrved to be alot higher, and asked him since he wasn't the oldest at teh company, but had the highest Pay, why is that different if its about age...  He said needed to talk with some otehrs and would get back to me the next day.. Honestly had decided if he didn't raise me up, would look at my options and different companies, even though really didn't want to go anywhere. Fortunately they came back teh next day with a substantial raise and package that rewared my hard work, and to me that showed did respect me, but if they had come back with nothing, i would have left, ebcause felt wasn't respected, so understand fully why if you don't trust or feel respected by your boss AND can leave you do, if you like in cutler's case, go talk with McDummy and he tells you tough crap his way or teh highway..

Am I missing something here? Did Cutler miss a paycheck once McDaniels came to Denver?

If McDaniels decided he felt Cassell was a better QB for his system, it would be his obligation to pursue that option. If Cutlers "feelings" are hurt in the process and he ends up as the second choice, unless he's not getting paid he ought to have closed his mouth and done his job.

I'm glad the Bears ended up with Cutler, but this whole situation sets a very dangerous presedent. Now we not only have players disgruntled because of their contract, we now have acknowledged it is ok to demand a trade because of  "hurt feelings."

btw db, I think most of us have found ourselves in the situation you describe regarding compensation. But in the end I think you will agree, talent will always end up being appropriately compensated.

 

bill you miss the point, he WASN"T DISGRUNTLED OR HURT FEELINGS.. he WAS LIED TO! and then even after this CUlter came into the office to iron things out, and mcdummy STILL didn't budge and basically told him he didn't need him or want him.. THAT was when culter wanted out and don't blame him, as the LEADER of a team( and any qb is just that), you Must have the TRSUT and backing of your HC, otherwise it can't work and you and the team will fail. Culter didn't trust mcdummy, he was lied to and more importantly mcdummy said he didn't need him.. at THAT point i'd want out also- and understand why he did it... its a uniqye situation