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cutlerfan

09-19-2008, 08:28 AM

Paul Domowitch: Broncos quarterback making the Cut

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/columnists/20080919_Paul_Domowitch__Broncos_quarterback_makin g_the_Cut.html

By Paul Domowitch
Philadelphia Daily News

Daily News Sports Columnist

Mike Mayock has been getting a lot of phone calls this week from NFL scouts and personnel people.
"They're saying, 'OK, you win. We missed,' '' said the NFL Network draft analyst.

What the scouts and other draft analysts missed 3 years ago was Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.

Prior to the 2006 draft, most people had either Texas' Vince Young or USC's Matt Leinart as the top-rated quarterback, with Cutler, the mop-topped kid from SEC punching bag Vanderbilt, a distant third.

But Mayock was bullish on Cutler. Felt he was better than both Young and Leinart. Didn't matter that nobody else seemed to agree with the Newtown Square native.

"I remember [ESPN draft analyst Mel] Kiper made a statement a week or 2 before the draft that anybody who thinks Jay Cutler is a first-round pick or a starting quarterback in the NFL doesn't know football,'' said Mayock, a former Giants cornerback. "I saw him at the draft that year and I said, 'Wow, that was quite a shot.' He said, 'I didn't use your name.' ''

While Young is having his problems in Tennessee and Leinart has been benched in favor of Kurt Warner in Arizona, Cutler is flying high in Denver in his second season as the Broncos' starter. Heads into Week 3 ranked fourth in the NFL with a 118.6 passer rating and a league-high 650 passing yards.

"If I watch enough tape on somebody, I don't mind going out on a limb a little bit,'' Mayock said. "And I felt as strongly about Cutler as any player I've watched on tape.

"At the quarterback position, the first thing you look at is arm strength. It by no means guarantees success or failure. But his arm strength was at an elite level. Then you go to accuracy, which was incredible given the amount of pressure he was under every week.

"Then you get into those intangibles like leadership and toughness and work ethic. To me, this kid's toughness was off the charts. He won a game - I think it was against Georgia - on a 2-minute drive in which he got smacked three or four times in a row as he let the ball go. And he put velocity and accuracy on the ball like I couldn't believe given the hits he was taking.''

Even though Young played in an option offense at Texas and Leinart's arm strength left a lot to be desired, many scouts had them rated above Cutler because they played in more "pressure games.'' But Mayock didn't see it that way.

"Ninety-eight percent of the time, Young and Leinart took the field with superior talent surrounding them,'' he said. "That's not pressure. Pressure was Jay Cutler's situation. He knew walking into every SEC game every year he started that he had inferior talent and that he would have to bring his 'A' game for them to be competitive. That's pressure.

"The only thing that worried me when he came out and worried me his first 2 years in the league was that he threw the ball up for grabs too often. To me, that was the old Vanderbilt syndrome. But he's with a good football team now. There's a fine line between a poor decision and a great play. The best thing I've seen from him so far has been that a lot of those poor decisions have disappeared.''

The 2-0 Broncos have scored 80 points in their first two games. Cutler, who had 14 interceptions last season, has just one in 74 attempts this year.

While Mayock loved Cutler's NFL potential before the '06 draft, he had major reservations about Young, who was taken with the third overall pick by the Titans. While he loved Young's arm and athletic ability, he felt the spread offense he ran at Texas had ill-prepared him for the NFL.

"There are different kinds of spread offenses in college football,'' Mayock said. "You can spread the field and throw it 50 times like Texas Tech does. Or you can spread it to run the ball like West Virginia does. And Texas was closer to a West Virginia. They spread the field to use his athletic ability with that zone-read scheme.

"He showed signs of wanting to learn how to be an NFL quarterback. But that's a frustrating process when, your whole career, you've been asked to make one or two simple reads and then just use your athletic ability.

"They're holding him to a completely different standard now. I'm sure it's frustrating him. And I'm sure it's difficult to deal with. But the kid's at a crossroads now and is going to have to make some painful decisions. I hope one of them is he's going to immerse himself in the film room and do everything he can to learn how to be an NFL quarterback.''

BroncoBen

09-19-2008, 08:37 AM

"I remember [ESPN draft analyst Mel] Kiper made a statement a week or 2 before the draft that anybody who thinks Jay Cutler is a first-round pick or a starting quarterback in the NFL doesn't know football,''

I bet Kiper is kicking himself now... but then again who really listens to Kiper anymore.

Dr. Broncenstein

09-19-2008, 08:39 AM

Mayock flat out owns. It isn't even remotely close.

Smiling Assassin27

09-19-2008, 08:40 AM

And credit where it's due. Chris Mortensen was all over Cutler leading up to that draft.

socalorado

09-19-2008, 08:42 AM

I bet Kiper is kicking himself now... but then again who really listens to Kiper anymore.
Question
"who really listens to Kiper anymore."

Answer
NO ONE.

socalorado

09-19-2008, 08:43 AM

And credit where it's due. Chris Mortensen was all over Cutler leading up to that draft.

As was Merril and Jaws.

GoBroncos84

09-19-2008, 08:49 AM

Mayock and Mortenson nailed it, I didn't know much about Jay before the draft but their reviews on him gave me hope.

fontaine

09-19-2008, 08:50 AM

NAJCFP!!!!!!!!

Not Another Jay Cutler Fluff Piece!!!
lol

GoBroncos84

09-19-2008, 08:52 AM

I remember reading in TD's book that Kiper's analysis of him was a big motivating factor. He has whiffed on some of our best players

BroncoFiend

09-19-2008, 09:03 AM

I remember reading in TD's book that Kiper's analysis of him was a big motivating factor. He has whiffed on some of our best players

Kiper's only saving grace is that he compares every top rated player to Elway, saying that no one has ever graded out higher.

I would love to see Kiper answer fi he was confronted with that statement he made now.

ludo21

09-19-2008, 09:12 AM

I heart Mayock.

gyldenlove

09-19-2008, 09:16 AM

Mayock flat out owns. It isn't even remotely close.

That is true! Mayock OWNED the draft this year, he had pretty much every pick in the top 16 right.

Odysseus

09-19-2008, 09:17 AM

Broncosmang

09-19-2008, 09:21 AM

I heart Mayock.

And he just seems like a decent guy. Kiper always comes off as an arrogant ass. Phil Simms, Dan Marino alot of former quarterbacks were saying great stuff about him.

Bladerunner

09-19-2008, 09:23 AM

Bladerunner

09-19-2008, 09:25 AM

And he just seems like a decent guy. Kiper always comes off as an arrogant ass. Phil Simms, Dan Marino alot of former quarterbacks were saying great stuff about him.

yeah you beat me to it...I agree

Kaylore

09-19-2008, 09:32 AM

Mayock flat out owns. It isn't even remotely close.

Yeah the title of this thread should be "Why Mike Mayock owns Kiper." Mayock is right more than he's wrong and he always backs up his opinions with game tape - something Kiper never does.

Chris

09-19-2008, 09:33 AM

Generally speaking the louder he is (why do they all shout on sports shows??) and the bigger the hair, the more of a useless douche the guy is.

nickademus

09-19-2008, 09:40 AM

Mayock seems to be to be a far better draft analyst than Kiper...for one, I think he's better at getting it right (he hits obscure 4 & 5 round pics with alarming accuracy, he called Lichtensteiger and JMFW for Denver, not just the positions, the names)...on top of that though, he presents his analysis in a manner of a supported proposition, not a decree like Kiper does...Kiper is brutally annoying in comparison, even when he is right...

This is what I dislike about Kiper the most, its not his misses which are numerous its when he gets a pick right you hear about it for four years. I am glad ESPN has brought in some new blood to disect the draft big hair has had some issues the last few years.

On a side note is there another insider who can do it all the way Mortensen does? he is pretty good with the draft he usually has great inside stuff and his analisis is always good. He is one of the few guys on the network I can actually stomach.

Dr. Broncenstein

09-19-2008, 09:46 AM

This is what I dislike about Kiper the most, its not his misses which are numerous its when he gets a pick right you hear about it for four years. I am glad ESPN has brought in some new blood to disect the draft big hair has had some issues the last few years.

On a side note is there another insider who can do it all the way Mortensen does? he is pretty good with the draft he usually has great inside stuff and his analisis is always good. He is one of the few guys on the network I can actually stomach.

You actually watched the ESPN coverage this year? NFLN is where it's at.

Old Dude

09-19-2008, 10:07 AM

For your amusement:

http://www.thewarpath.net/redskins-locker-room/11216-kiper-says-culter-overhyped-eat-maylock.html

http://www.sportspickle.com/features/volume5/2006-0301-cutler.html

http://www.sportsargumentwiki.com/index.php?title=Jay_Cutler

http://www.jetnation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14240

http://www.sportsgamer.com/forums/nfl-chat/53902-cutler-overhyped-overrated.html

I'm sure there are plenty more like this.

Kaylore

09-19-2008, 10:08 AM

You actually watched the ESPN coverage this year? NFLN is where it's at.

It was night and day different. The year before me and my friends would flip between the two. This year the ESPN crew looked like they didn't know what they were doing and couldn't think of anything to say. The ratings were so badly skewed in favor of NFLN that there was talk of ESPN merging with NFLN because they knew they couldn't keep up. Thankfully It appears that talk has died down.

I think one of the reasons that NFLN's coverage was better is they had a mix of guys that watch and analyze college as well as pro football so there were people talking about what each team needed and what they were getting. ESPN was all NFL guys and Kiper was the only guy there who could share what he thought about each player.

rovolution

09-19-2008, 10:08 AM

You actually watched the ESPN coverage this year? NFLN is where it's at.

Thank the lord NFLN streamed their coverage this past draft. i cant wait when they do it again next year!!

ESPiNs coverage has become gimmicky.

lex

09-19-2008, 10:14 AM

Yeah the title of this thread should be "Why Mike Mayock owns Kiper." Mayock is right more than he's wrong and he always backs up his opinions with game tape - something Kiper never does.

Not that it would matter because ESPN is all about blather rather than analysis but Mayock actually has the forum to explain why and how and he uses it. Kiper is usually a guest that ESPN expects to drop nuggets in 4 second increments in between Trey Wingo's or Chris Bermans yelling. To NFLNs credit they give Mayock the forum. Thats not why he is better than Kiper but Kiper doesnt really have the forum to offer analysis even if he could.

bronco militia

09-19-2008, 10:15 AM

lex

09-19-2008, 10:17 AM

It was night and day different. The year before me and my friends would flip between the two. This year the ESPN crew looked like they didn't know what they were doing and couldn't think of anything to say. The ratings were so badly skewed in favor of NFLN that there was talk of ESPN merging with NFLN because they knew they couldn't keep up. Thankfully It appears that talk has died down.

I think one of the reasons that NFLN's coverage was better is they had a mix of guys that watch and analyze college as well as pro football so there were people talking about what each team needed and what they were getting. ESPN was all NFL guys and Kiper was the only guy there who could share what he thought about each player.

I think the same guys who covered the draft for NFLN are the same guys who went to the senior bowl and the combine. ESPN brings in their own personalities and try to shove them down our throats when NFLNs cast has a much better basis of knowledge to talk about guys. And NFLNs guys arent yellers save Dukes.

Kaylore

09-19-2008, 10:20 AM

eddie mac

09-19-2008, 10:23 AM

Mayock was also very high on Eddie Royal and stated that he, out of all the drafted WR's this year, would make the biggest impact in the NFL.

Dr. Broncenstein

09-19-2008, 10:27 AM

Mayock could piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.... and I'd believe him.

Beantown Bronco

09-19-2008, 10:28 AM

Mayock could piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.... and I'd believe him.

I can just see that weather report:

It's 70 degrees, mostly cloudy, with a chance of golden showers.

BroncoMan4ever

09-19-2008, 11:03 AM

I bet Kiper is kicking himself now... but then again who really listens to Kiper anymore.

Kiper is and has always been a giant douche.

ColoradoDarin

09-19-2008, 11:10 AM

Last year, I flipped between ESPN and NFLN. This year, it was wall to wall NFLN. Mayock rules, but Shefter does as well, plus they had a good mix of people with knowledge and the 'entertainment' commentators. ESPN is all 'entertainment'.

Bronx33

09-19-2008, 11:22 AM

KillerBronco#76

09-19-2008, 10:14 PM

TomServo

09-19-2008, 11:46 PM

but hes no Matt Leinart thank god.
in todays enviroment, who in hell would "waste" the no.1 pic in the draft on a qb from stanford who never even went to a bowl game?

Vladimir

09-20-2008, 12:58 AM

I take everything kiper says with a grain of salt.

Rock Chalk

09-20-2008, 01:01 AM

Kinda random but why are people comparing cutler to brett farve the only thing they have in common is mobility and a strong arm. Tony Romo is more comparable to farve in my opinion factoring in discision making.

Except that Favre has won 3 MVPs and a Superbowl and Romo hasn't even won a playoff game.

Be glad that they are comparing him to Favre. That, despite you people's undying hatred of the media portrayal of Favre, is a good thing.

Jetmeck

09-20-2008, 02:00 AM

The talking heads who liked Jay were all quarterbacks. That spoke volumes.

Despite Bates success Broncos might want to look at finding a veteran backup to give Cutler a different sounding board. I am not sure how useful Ramsey has been.

I hope that Jay starts pounding the ball more and being a Captain on offense instead of proving his detractors wrong. Jay seems to enjoy beating the crap out of statistics which is cool but win the games.

Our defense is like a cancer on this fine offense. Keep them off the field.

On Ramsey he just plain sucks but the story goes he is a study/film warrior which is supposed to be helping Jay.
I guess Ramsey really knows the game but cannot put that work on the field.

On the defense yes I would prefer longer drives by running more too but we did have some 12-15 play drives last week with a good mix of run/pass. Maybe Torrain will
allow us to pound it more.

watermock

09-20-2008, 02:17 AM

Cutler had to take risks at Vandy. He does make Favresque throws. Favre threw NY right to the SB. Elway lost SB's with stupid throws. I've only seen one bad throw this year, because Jay is so accurate and fast. He just didnt see the defender last week.

Sometimes you can be TOO close to the goalline.

CasinoRoyal

09-20-2008, 02:25 AM

Yeah i remember Mayock used to love Jay.........

However i said the Broncos would draft cutler in the 6th round 5 years ago........Before he even hit the scene......

And i swear to that on everything.

I have always known Jay was a special player at vandy when i was just running across future nfl prospects and seen some highlights. then i seen some live games and figured hed be a 6th round pick because nobody even knew about the guy.

Year later its going toe to toe with florida and that just sold me completely.

Pat Bowlen

09-20-2008, 02:35 AM

Could I please hire you as a scout? Who are the players you see being productive in the NFL four years from now?

watermock

09-20-2008, 03:08 AM

let's see what Jay thought of himself:

“I’m a confident guy, but I know in my heart of hearts that I’m not capable of being an NFL star or even a decent starter,” he said. “And I’m not sure I want to go down as a historic draft bust like a Ryan Leaf or Heath Shuler. It would be great to get the type of money that comes with being a Top 5 pick, but is all that worth being a punchline your whole life? I don’t think it is. That’s why I have half a mind to tell every NFL team: ‘Look, I appreciate your interest in me, but honestly – I’m not nearly as good as you’ve somehow let yourself believe I am. Just draft me late in the first round or in the second round and I’ll be a serviceable backup my entire career, I promise.’ I just think that if I’m honest with everyone now, it might save me a lot of grief in the (long run)

That says to me..."I want to go a good team mid first round."

lex

09-20-2008, 05:52 AM

Except that Favre has won 3 MVPs and a Superbowl and Romo hasn't even won a playoff game.

Be glad that they are comparing him to Favre. That, despite you people's undying hatred of the media portrayal of Favre, is a good thing.

Not really. Favre has thrown some very dubious interceptions and in playoff games. IN fact, a few years back against the Rams in what was a winnable game, Favre set the record for most picks in a playoff games. Favre has done a lot of good things. Few would deny that. But people, regardless of what the media says, also remember some of the not so good things.

Not only that but Emmitt Smith should have been the MVP in 1995 and Barry Sanders should have been the MVP in 1997. So those MVPs are kind of meh.

BroncoInferno

09-20-2008, 06:31 PM

Thank god we didn't draft Leinart like Taco wanted us to.

TheReverend

09-20-2008, 06:43 PM

let's see what Jay thought of himself:

That says to me..."I want to go a good team mid first round."

wtf?!?!?

LINK?!!?

DB-Freak

09-20-2008, 06:51 PM

Thank god we didn't draft Leinart like Taco wanted us to.

ROFL...

Hindsight is a bitch as always.

snowspot66

09-20-2008, 06:51 PM

It was a joke site...it's not a real quote.

DB-Freak

09-20-2008, 07:06 PM

I hope that Jay starts pounding the ball more and being a Captain on offense instead of proving his detractors wrong. Jay seems to enjoy beating the crap out of statistics which is cool but win the games.

Our defense is like a cancer on this fine offense. Keep them off the field.

I like you a lot quiet...but your posts are a bit nutty and very assuming at times.

First it isn't up to Jay to start pounding the ball more.

Second who's to say he isn't trying to be more of a captain? And he is winning the games and needed to beat the **** of statisics to actually win those games.

want2bAbronco2

09-20-2008, 07:41 PM

I always loved Mayock... Then this year I thought some of his views were off, but he proved me wrong. I have to admit he is about the only one that I actually listen to during draft time.

DenverBrit

09-20-2008, 07:55 PM

let's see what Jay thought of himself:

That says to me..."I want to go a good team mid first round."

Mock, that was 'satire' from 'SportPickle' ;D

TomServo

09-20-2008, 10:09 PM

Favre has thrown some very dubious interceptions and in playoff games

exactley. just watched nfc 1996 title game on NFLN, the pack is in the game until "he loves to play the game" throws a late game pic. SB 32, plenty of time left to win the game....same thing. last year-this year actually, all the 3 time mvp has to do is drive 30 yards for a probable field goal chance of going to a SB and........same ol story.
mvp trophys dont count for crapola unless you cash them in. ask rich gannon. or even elway.

CasinoRoyal

09-21-2008, 12:03 AM

The talking heads who liked Jay were all quarterbacks. That spoke volumes.

Despite Bates success Broncos might want to look at finding a veteran backup to give Cutler a different sounding board. I am not sure how useful Ramsey has been.

I hope that Jay starts pounding the ball more and being a Captain on offense instead of proving his detractors wrong. Jay seems to enjoy beating the crap out of statistics which is cool but win the games.

Our defense is like a cancer on this fine offense. Keep them off the field.

What the **** are you talking about when you say you hope Jay starts pounding the ball??? As if its him coming up with the whoel game plan and calling the plays ROFL!

Your funny dude

TheReverend

09-21-2008, 12:27 AM

exactley. just watched nfc 1996 title game on NFLN, the pack is in the game until "he loves to play the game" throws a late game pic. SB 32, plenty of time left to win the game....same thing. last year-this year actually, all the 3 time mvp has to do is drive 30 yards for a probable field goal chance of going to a SB and........same ol story.
mvp trophys dont count for crapola unless you cash them in. ask rich gannon. or even elway.

I hate Brett as much as, if not more, than anyone else... but 1996 is the season they won the superbowl over the pats... how'd they do that if he through them out of the game with a pick?!?

Odysseus

09-21-2008, 12:44 AM

Thank god we didn't draft Leinart like Taco wanted us to.

I was TERRIFIED that we would pick Leinhart. That would have destroyed Shanahan's credibility with me.

Young in retrospect would have been as much or more of a disaster.

Cutler's diabetes still looms as a dark cloud over his life and we depend daily on him to have self discipline but of the three Cutler is so far proving to be exactly what I thought he would be. After this year of rookie mistakes and some pretty exciting football I look for him to continue growing forward.

Jay wants to pass every down. As long as the passing attack works I don't know if the Broncos are ever getting back to pounding the ball. That doesn't mean they aren't looking for a running back who punishes defense but I don't think they are going to flat out run the ball. It's actually kind of fun having a QB that can shred defenses.

Odysseus

09-21-2008, 12:54 AM

I like you a lot quiet...but your posts are a bit nutty and very assuming at times.

First it isn't up to Jay to start pounding the ball more.

Second who's to say he isn't trying to be more of a captain? And he is winning the games and needed to beat the **** of statisics to actually win those games.

First of all I like you a lot to DB. Second of all I'm just saying is all.

Jay wants to pass every down. The coaches are essentially letting him have fun with it. It's Shanahan's team no question about it but coach is having a party out there. When Plummer was here you'd think that vein popping out of his forehead would burst. Now he just smiles a little bit and drinks a latte mocha. It's a completely different coach out there.

Jay is the leader of this offense. I don't have any questions about that. I don't think I questioned Jay's ability to lead and in fact that is one of the things I like about him a lot. I think if Jay ripped the top off of some statistics this entire season that he is not making a mistake. If he passes the crap out of the ball this whole season and they win I say cudos but this defense is bad. The Broncos are going to have to learn how to run the ball when they get into the playoffs so why not pick a couple of game this season and do just that?

I don't mind getting punched in the throat when I am talking goofy. No worries. I will try to cut back on my inhalation of bad sand. I've been out here so long I'm crapping pancakes. See you at the Raiders game.

fdf

09-21-2008, 01:39 AM

Jay wants to pass every down. As long as the passing attack works I don't know if the Broncos are ever getting back to pounding the ball. That doesn't mean they aren't looking for a running back who punishes defense but I don't think they are going to flat out run the ball. It's actually kind of fun having a QB that can shred defenses.

Actually, I see our early season emphasis on the pass as a way of getting an inexperienced OL up to speed on run blocking. Pass blocking is easier than zone blocking and we have two (effective) rookies starting at tackle. Sometime this season, we will return to a more balanced attack--esp in the second half when we have a lead.