Hammock Parties
10-01-2007, 07:33 AM
Oh what a beautiful morning oh what a beautiful day....
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_7049010
Shanny, take some cuts at Cutler
By Woody Paige
Denver Post Staff Columnist
Indianapolis - Preferring not to replicate Mark Antony's inelegance at Caesar's funeral, Mike Shanahan came Sunday evening to praise Jay Cutler, not to bury him.
"I was really pleased with Jay's effort, and he keeps getting better," said the coach - in spite of the Broncos' 38-20 defeat to the Colts.
The young quarterback wasn't quite as generous with his tribute for Shanahan. When asked about the Broncos' continued misfortunes near their opponents' goal line, Cutler responded: "You're asking the wrong person. I run what's called."
There wasn't a presence of malice in Cutler's expression, but there also wasn't any acceptance of blame.
Cutler took the matter-of-fact, assembly-line "I'm just doing my job" road often traveled. Cutler didn't deflect the attention when he was commended in the pressers after the Broncos' victories over Buffalo and Oakland. (He didn't show up to talk after the loss to Jacksonville.)
You don't have to get rid of the Beatles haircut, Jay, but grow up.
The coach didn't even rebuke the quarterback for a critical interception (on a short slant) in the third quarter that set up Indianapolis to score its second touchdown in three minutes and take a 28-13 lead.
The quarterback acted as if he weren't even in the building on the turning-point play.
Definitely in the Dome, on the other side, was diamond-cutter Peyton Manning. As usual, he turned a hard rock into a precious jewel.
At the goal, Manning, who recently won a Super Bowl, knows exactly what to do. He never says, "I just run whatever they send in."
Cutler might want to study Manning, although the former went to Vanderbilt, the latter to Tennessee.
But Cutler, matter-of-factly again, sort of dismissed Manning in his postgame (tooth-pulling) address.
"I had glimpses" of Manning "during the game," Cutler said.
He also said this: "I really don't have a clue what he's doing" when Manning is changing calls at the line, moving people around, adjusting to the defense.
Get a clue, Cutler.
You won't always have a coach protecting your back, quarterback.
Cutler hasn't been the friendliest guy in Denver, and he hasn't been the greatest quarterback in Denver. He doesn't quite get yet that he's a public figure in a big city, small town, and the stuff he does on the field and off will be judged. At least, he could give credit to his coach and also to the man who is the best on-field general in the game.
Manning is who Cutler should aspire to be.
Truth is, the Broncos have been rather unimpressive in the red zone in four games, and Cutler is a part of the problem. Shanahan, who used to be known nationally for his brilliance and creativity near the goalposts, may have become too conservative, but Cutler's inexperience and naiveté and lack of spontaneity are part of the cause.
The Broncos have become a field-goal team, not a touchdown team.
The Broncos played about as well as they could on Sunday.
Therein lies the difference between the Broncos and the Colts. The Colts are what the Broncos were previously. They can score from anywhere, anytime, anyhow. The Broncos have to slow the tempo by running the ball five consecutive times to open the game. They did it effectively, but eventually they have to try to win the game, not keep it close.
They reached deep in Colts territory three times in the first half and ended up with two field goals and a touchdown. Ultimately, the Colts beat the Broncos at their own game as Joseph Addai outrushed Travis Henry 136-131 yards.
The Broncos are just not in a class with the Colts, particularly here, although they may be in the same division with the likes of San Diego, Oakland and Kansas City, which aren't great shakes, either.
But the Chargers loom - thank goodness for Norv Turner - followed by Pittsburgh and Green Bay and, yegads, Detroit, Kansas City and Tennessee. Nothing is easy.
And 15, 23, 14 and 20 points won't win many, if any, games, especially if the offense, the defense, the special teams, the coach and the quarterback are on the same page - the wrong page.
At some point, as Billy Shakespeare might say in his playbook, Cutler has to acknowledge some blame, and Shanahan has to attribute some to him.
On Sunday, the Colts still were the horses in the NFL, and the Broncos were also-rans.
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_7049010
Shanny, take some cuts at Cutler
By Woody Paige
Denver Post Staff Columnist
Indianapolis - Preferring not to replicate Mark Antony's inelegance at Caesar's funeral, Mike Shanahan came Sunday evening to praise Jay Cutler, not to bury him.
"I was really pleased with Jay's effort, and he keeps getting better," said the coach - in spite of the Broncos' 38-20 defeat to the Colts.
The young quarterback wasn't quite as generous with his tribute for Shanahan. When asked about the Broncos' continued misfortunes near their opponents' goal line, Cutler responded: "You're asking the wrong person. I run what's called."
There wasn't a presence of malice in Cutler's expression, but there also wasn't any acceptance of blame.
Cutler took the matter-of-fact, assembly-line "I'm just doing my job" road often traveled. Cutler didn't deflect the attention when he was commended in the pressers after the Broncos' victories over Buffalo and Oakland. (He didn't show up to talk after the loss to Jacksonville.)
You don't have to get rid of the Beatles haircut, Jay, but grow up.
The coach didn't even rebuke the quarterback for a critical interception (on a short slant) in the third quarter that set up Indianapolis to score its second touchdown in three minutes and take a 28-13 lead.
The quarterback acted as if he weren't even in the building on the turning-point play.
Definitely in the Dome, on the other side, was diamond-cutter Peyton Manning. As usual, he turned a hard rock into a precious jewel.
At the goal, Manning, who recently won a Super Bowl, knows exactly what to do. He never says, "I just run whatever they send in."
Cutler might want to study Manning, although the former went to Vanderbilt, the latter to Tennessee.
But Cutler, matter-of-factly again, sort of dismissed Manning in his postgame (tooth-pulling) address.
"I had glimpses" of Manning "during the game," Cutler said.
He also said this: "I really don't have a clue what he's doing" when Manning is changing calls at the line, moving people around, adjusting to the defense.
Get a clue, Cutler.
You won't always have a coach protecting your back, quarterback.
Cutler hasn't been the friendliest guy in Denver, and he hasn't been the greatest quarterback in Denver. He doesn't quite get yet that he's a public figure in a big city, small town, and the stuff he does on the field and off will be judged. At least, he could give credit to his coach and also to the man who is the best on-field general in the game.
Manning is who Cutler should aspire to be.
Truth is, the Broncos have been rather unimpressive in the red zone in four games, and Cutler is a part of the problem. Shanahan, who used to be known nationally for his brilliance and creativity near the goalposts, may have become too conservative, but Cutler's inexperience and naiveté and lack of spontaneity are part of the cause.
The Broncos have become a field-goal team, not a touchdown team.
The Broncos played about as well as they could on Sunday.
Therein lies the difference between the Broncos and the Colts. The Colts are what the Broncos were previously. They can score from anywhere, anytime, anyhow. The Broncos have to slow the tempo by running the ball five consecutive times to open the game. They did it effectively, but eventually they have to try to win the game, not keep it close.
They reached deep in Colts territory three times in the first half and ended up with two field goals and a touchdown. Ultimately, the Colts beat the Broncos at their own game as Joseph Addai outrushed Travis Henry 136-131 yards.
The Broncos are just not in a class with the Colts, particularly here, although they may be in the same division with the likes of San Diego, Oakland and Kansas City, which aren't great shakes, either.
But the Chargers loom - thank goodness for Norv Turner - followed by Pittsburgh and Green Bay and, yegads, Detroit, Kansas City and Tennessee. Nothing is easy.
And 15, 23, 14 and 20 points won't win many, if any, games, especially if the offense, the defense, the special teams, the coach and the quarterback are on the same page - the wrong page.
At some point, as Billy Shakespeare might say in his playbook, Cutler has to acknowledge some blame, and Shanahan has to attribute some to him.
On Sunday, the Colts still were the horses in the NFL, and the Broncos were also-rans.