NFL 2011

[tacimala]

In Tom's defense, I don't think he realized that the entire AFC would blow this year, which indirectly makes the Steelers rise up with the cream.

[pdga#7648]

what a fool!!

[pdga#7648]

say what ya want, but the 2 best divisions in football are the NFC & AFC North!

[Stan the Blue Man]

Ok well the Broncos put Orton on waviers so I hope the bears can pick him up but also the Texans ate gonna go for him hard also with schub being hurt palso

[Dan Michler]

Ok well the Broncos put Orton on waviers so I hope the bears can pick him up but also the Texans ate gonna go for him hard also with schub being hurt palso

Not happening Stank.  The Bears would have to pay him a decent portion of his $7+ million salary just to rent him for a few games.  I guarantee they aren't even considering that.  What I've heard is they are likely to sign Josh McCown to backup Hanie.  There is hope Cutler will be back for the playoffs.  We just need to go 3-3 to get there.  We've got a cake schedule.

[Dan Michler]

I guess I was wrong Stank.  I heard the Bears put in a waiver claim for Orton, although they are close to last on the waiver list, so there is no guarantee we will get him.  I thought the Bears were way too cheap to pay a guy $3M to come in and be the backup QB for 6 games.  I guess I was wrong.

My thing is, what does having Orton gain us?  With Cutler, we have the 22nd ranked passing offense in the NFL.  We suck.  Yet we are 7-3 which shows that our passing game is not what brings us success.  The loss of Cutler won't dramatically change the performance of our team like what you saw with the Colts/Manning this year. 

We've got home games against the Chiefs and Seattle.  Thats 2 wins whether Hanie, Cutler, McCown, or Orton is our QB.  Then we've got road games @DEN and @MN.  All we need is 1 of those games to guarantee us a wildcard spot at 10-6.  I'd be willing to gamble that we can win 1 of those games with Hanie or some other minimum wage guy back there.  Lovie said he expects Cutler to be back by playoff time, so I'm not sure why you'd need Orton at all.  I think Hanie can limp this team into the playoffs. 

And lets not get carried away on how good Orton is.  I don't recall too many people being sorry to see him leave Chicago the 1st time.  He doesn't have much of an arm, so all you get is short to intermediate passes.  All you are hoping for from Orton is 180 yds and 0 INT.  Thats what he can do for you.  He won't win you the game, but he won't lose it for you.  Hanie can run around better than Orton and maybe keep some plays alive, so I'm more interested to see Hanie get a shot at this to be honest with you.  That GB game last year we had no offensive movement whatsoever with Cutler, then with Collins.  When Hanie came in suddenly we came alive, although he clearly threw the game away with the interceptions.  I'm willing to see him get another shot at this.

[pdga#7648]

I agree Dan
Orton got benched for the pathetic excuse for an NFL QB Tebow! that says it all right there. Haine did a fine job in last years NFC Championship game, and actually gave them a chance to win. with that weak of a schedule, why even bother signing anyone? if they can't win 3 of their next 6 games, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs.

but, if they want to sign someone??  go sign the dude that would love a chance at beating the unbeaten Packers on Christmas Day(if they win the next 2 weeks)  Brett Favre!  he would be much better than Orton.  Why not Bulger? he ran Martz's offense, so not like he would need to learn it!

[Tom McManus]

I guess I was wrong Stank.  I heard the Bears put in a waiver claim for Orton, although they are close to last on the waiver list, so there is no guarantee we will get him.  I thought the Bears were way too cheap to pay a guy $3M to come in and be the backup QB for 6 games.  I guess I was wrong.

My thing is, what does having Orton gain us?  With Cutler, we have the 22nd ranked passing offense in the NFL.  We suck.  Yet we are 7-3 which shows that our passing game is not what brings us success.  The loss of Cutler won't dramatically change the performance of our team like what you saw with the Colts/Manning this year. 

We've got home games against the Chiefs and Seattle.  Thats 2 wins whether Hanie, Cutler, McCown, or Orton is our QB.  Then we've got road games @DEN and @MN.  All we need is 1 of those games to guarantee us a wildcard spot at 10-6.  I'd be willing to gamble that we can win 1 of those games with Hanie or some other minimum wage guy back there.  Lovie said he expects Cutler to be back by playoff time, so I'm not sure why you'd need Orton at all.  I think Hanie can limp this team into the playoffs. 

And lets not get carried away on how good Orton is.  I don't recall too many people being sorry to see him leave Chicago the 1st time.  He doesn't have much of an arm, so all you get is short to intermediate passes.  All you are hoping for from Orton is 180 yds and 0 INT.  Thats what he can do for you.  He won't win you the game, but he won't lose it for you.  Hanie can run around better than Orton and maybe keep some plays alive, so I'm more interested to see Hanie get a shot at this to be honest with you.  That GB game last year we had no offensive movement whatsoever with Cutler, then with Collins.  When Hanie came in suddenly we came alive, although he clearly threw the game away with the interceptions.  I'm willing to see him get another shot at this.

I think you are jumping the gun on Seatle. They are playing some decent football right now.

[Jon Brakel]

From what I've read Orton's agent talked to the Bears after it was announced that Cutler's thumb was broken. After that discussion his agent talked to the Broncos about releasing Orton. USA Today said that Orton has been trying to get the word out to the Chiefs that he won't report to any team except the Bears.

My thought is that the Bears pick up Orton and it gives them an alternative to signing Hanie for next year. Hanie is a free agent after this year. Maybe Orton is ok with being the number two QB but would rather be in Chicago. In my theory the Bears sign Orton as the number two QB for next year and don't sign Hanie as a free agent. This then gives the Bears a solid backup QB in Orton. Orton is the kind of guy that at a moments notice can go out and not screw up a game. Then Martz, assuming he's still with the Bears next year, can keep his long term Enderle development project as his number 3 QB.

Alternatively the Bears will let Hanie get his shot this weekend and if he does well then good. If he sucks they can go with Orton and Orton will get a chance to showcase his talents with a winning team and possible playoff exposure if Cutler isn't ready to go by then. That will get Orton some good pub to get signed on as a starter somewhere for next year.

The Bears see Hanie every week in practice so maybe they have a feeling that things aren't going to go well for him on Sunday. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Jon Brakel]

NFL.com just posted that Orton was picked up by the Chiefs.

[Jon Brakel]

Bears signed backup QB Josh McCown to a one year deal. McCown last threw a pass in the NFL in September of 2009. I might want to put Enderle in the game before a guy who hasn't thrown a pass in a game for more than two years. But that's just me, I guess.

[Sr.]

I think the Bears will need more than Hanie before it's over. We are about to find out how tough Jay Cutler was this season and or how good our offensive line really is. There is no sure win in the NFL. As banged up and bad our offensive line has been, my guess is Hanie gets hurt quick and we have to rely on third string before the end of season. I hope I'm wrong.

[Jon Brakel]

I think Cutler is as tough as QBs come. He comes off sometimes as a smarky, spoiled child/athlete but I haven't seen a tougher quarterback.

[Tom McManus]

I think Cutler is as tough as QBs come. He comes off sometimes as a smarky, spoiled child/athlete but I haven't seen a tougher quarterback.

Ever seen a guy named Brett Favre play?

[pdga#7648]

Roethlisberger is by far a tougher QB! He has a fractured throwing thumb and is playing this week. Not to mention the broken nose last year and the broken bone in his foot. He has taken way way too many sacks in the last 5 years, I would guess more than any other QB.

Hell Stafford has a broken throwing index finger and is still playing.

Jay is not in the top 5 toughest QB's.

Tom is right as well, Favre played with all kinds of injuries.

[Steven Jacobs]

Roethlisberger is by far a tougher QB! He has a fractured throwing thumb and is playing this week. Not to mention the broken nose last year and the broken bone in his foot. He has taken way way too many sacks in the last 5 years, I would guess more than any other QB.

Hell Stafford has a broken throwing index finger and is still playing.

Jay is not in the top 5 toughest QB's.

Tom is right as well, Favre played with all kinds of injuries.

C'mon man. They are different injuries.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-11-21/sports/ct-spt-1122-cutler-injury--20111122_1_jay-cutler-thumb-fracture

[pdga#7648]

different or not, his throwing thumb is still broke, and he finished the game it happened in and won, now he is still playing. He needs to watch other games than just the Bears games.

[Dan Michler]

Attacking Cutler's toughness or comparing injuries is just dumb.  Nobody but Cutler knows what his broken thumb feels like.  And certainly nobody on this forum can say for sure whether Brett Favre or Ben Roethelisberger would play effectively through Jay Cutler's injury.

[Tom McManus]

I mentioned Favre only because Jon mentioned that he hasn't seen a tougher quarterback.  There is no way to compare injuries. I will mention that Cutler has played through two seasons without missing a game, while the rapist has only played one full season in the league up to this point in their careers.  Also, I don't think that there is a quarterback in the league who has his injuries more discussed in the media than the rapist.  Supposedly he is always hurt, is that being tough, or being prone to injuries?

[pdga#7648]

of course he will be injury prone when he wont throw the ball away Tom. But to play thru all of those injuries, yes that proves his toughness. Even you mentioned his piss poor O-Line earlier this year.



and Dan, I broke a thumb playing baseball as a 15 yr old. it was not my throwing thumb, but I batted with it broke.  I did not need surgery, just needed set back in place. So I do know what a fractured thumb feels like.  But like Tom mentioned, Jon said no QB tougher than Cutler. I will argue that point all day, as I think alot of Bears fans would.  Stating that Jay is the toughest, now that is dumb.