BOURBONNAIS - The stakes for this year’s Bears season are not lost on the players, even if coach Lovie Smith prefers to change the subject.

It’s "Win One for Lovie (or else)" after three straight disappointing seasons.

“Lovie’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around and I know that everyone on this team has a great amount of respect for him as he does for us,” quarterback Jay Cutler said Thursday afternoon, as players filtered into Olivet Nazarene University on reporting day for training camp.

“He treats us well and I know that certainly guys who have been here longer than me definitely have a lot of ties with him and want to go out there for him and play well because you never know what’s going to happen this year if we don’t go out and perform—if Lovie gets to stay or not.

“So that’s definitely a question that I’m sure is in the back of everyone else’s mind. But we can’t worry about it. We’ve got to go out and play game one and just play hard.”

Smith acknowledged the team’s struggles of late while trying to avoid wearing the title of man on trial.

“We need to win for the Chicago Bears,” Smith said. “Players want to win. They want to play their best and that’s what we’ll talk about: players playing their best every time they get an opportunity to. Everything else takes care of itself, there’s no more than that.”

The Bears’ last playoff game was in Miami in February of 2007 at Super Bowl XLI. Their defense hasn’t been the same since Tommie Harris’ 2006 hamstring pull and the firing of defensive coordinator Ron Rivera after the Super Bowl.

“I mean we’ve been a long time since we’ve been in the playoffs,” Smith said. “We want to play our best football, and from what I know about, I have been in this game a little bit, I think I know what a good football team looks like. This is a good football team.“

So much is going to depend on turnovers. The defense has to force more like they did in the 2004-06 era. The offense can’t turn it over the way Cutler did in his first Chicago season with 26 picks.

“Well, you talk about the interceptions, I talk about the touchdowns,” Smith told reporters.

Cutler threw 27 of those, but eight came in two meaningless games at season’s end. At least they were meaningless games in the standings.

“Finishing up the season last year with two big wins against Detroit and Minnesota I feel like got us started on the right foot this year,” Smith said.

Yet, the team is one in the midst of so much change, it seems unlikely they they'll pull it all together for a coach-saving run. There’s a new offensive scheme under coordinator Mike Martz, a new offensive line coach in Mike Tice, and new defensive coordinator in Rod Marinelli.

The complicated Martz offense had players’ heads spinning at Halas Hall. Now they’ve had time to absorb some of it.

“It is complicated, I think at first,” Cutler admitted. “Once you really get into it and really learn the little details to it, I think a lot of it starts to make sense. But at first, whenever you take a look at that [play] book, you’re overwhelmed absolutely because there’s just so much information to retain.

“But I think he does a great job…he really hits the gas pedal at first and just throws as much information as he can and then he goes back over it and he starts explaining and that’s when he does some of the best coaching I’ve seen.”

“Football is football,” added tight end Greg Olsen.

But the Bears have so far to go in a new offense that demands great pass blocking because of all the seven-step passer drops. They haven’t exactly got the 1990s Dallas Cowboys offensive line. They don’t know who the left tackle will be and they’re selling everyone on Frank Omiyale moving from being an ineffective left guard to right tackle, his so-called “natural position.”

Omiyale did little to calm fears about the line when he pointed out, “I haven’t played the right side, but just glad to be back at tackle.”

He did play six games at right tackle before—as a sophomore at Tennessee Tech in 2002.

The defense appears more stable with Brian Urlacher back and Julius Peppers trying to justify his $91 million deal by sacking quarterbacks or helping teammates.

“Of course, we haven’t been in pads right now,” Smith said. “But what I have seen from Julius, when you have a dominant player like that, you know, on the offensive line a few of the guys will get double-teamed.

You’ll have to keep backs or tight ends to chip guys.

“If you have a dominant player, it’s a trickle-down effect a little bit. Somebody eventually will get the one-on-ones that you want. We feel like we can get Julius and Tommie in some positions where they’re one-on-one and we think they’re going to win most of those battles.”

Their secondary will need the extra pass rush pressure because it’s in a state of flux. The cornerbacks switched sides and Smith offered little explanation again as to why Zachary Bowman is on the left side now and Charles Tillman the right side, other than to say, “We just felt like Zack was more comfortable on the left side, no more than that.”

With Chris Harris playing free safety instead of strong safety, where he played as a Panther and former Bear, and Danieal Manning moving from free safety to strong safety for the first time, the defensive backfield might look as confused as the Bears’ offense at times.

Experimentation and personnel gambles are actions well-established contenders can afford. Instability can be a nightmare for teams hoping to preserve a coach’s job. At least, Smith pointed out, everyone is healthy as practices start, including center Olin Kreutz and Harris.

“The Chicago Bears have the same goal every year: We want to win the Super Bowl,” Smith said.

It’s the 25th anniversary of their only Super Bowl win.

If they fail to make strides toward that goal this year, odds are good that it will be someone else coaching them during the 26th anniversary of that Super Bowl win.

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Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Such is the case with Jay Cutler in Chicago. 

Cutler has never been a winner.  While he was highly decorated and praised while in his four-year starting tenure at Vanderbilt, his numbers don't lie.  Cutler's best year came when he threw for 21 touchdown passes and nine interceptions.  In his four years as a starter, Cutler only won eleven games and lost 35.  Furthermore, Cutler only had five wins in four years against SEC opponents. 

Then there are Cutler's skills.  There is no doubt that he has all of the physical tools which give him the potential to succeed.  He has outstanding arm strength. His pocket presence along with his scrambling ability out of the pocket have given him a distinct advantage over many other NFL quarterbacks. 

He draws comparisons to Brett Favre for his willingness to gamble, but that has gotten him in trouble throughout his pro and college career. Cutler completed less than 60 percent of his passes in college, and his accuracy in the pros has been less than stellar. Since his rookie season, he has just barely completed more than 60 percent of his passes.

Cutler has been blessed with two very talented offensive teams.  The first of which was Denver.  In 2008 Cutler played with two Pro Bowl receivers, Brandon Marshall and Javon Walker; a former Pro Bowler, Brandon Stokley; and a future Pro Bowler, Eddie Royal. As a result, Cutler ended up making his first and only Pro Bowl. 

In Chicago, he was blessed with an extraordinary runner in Matt Forte, who rushed for more than 1,300 yards in the 2008 season. With Forte leading the offense, the load that Cutler had to shoulder in Denver should have been lifted.  Cutler also was reunited with college teammate Earl Bennet. In addition, he was blessed with a big deep threat in Devin Hester, who is nearly impossible to overthrow.

Yet Cutler found a way to turn the ball over again and again.  His lowest interception total of his career is 14, and that wasn't even the season when he went to the Pro Bowl (when he threw 19).  However, the worst was yet to come. Cutler threw a league high 26 interceptions. Cutler struggled in Lovie Smith's system, often forcing throws and telegraphing passes to opposing defensive backs. 

Then there is the issue of maturity, a hallmark trait of successful quarterbacks in the NFL. The top quarterbacks, from Brees to Manning to Brady, all demand a a high level of respect from teammates, coaches, opponents, fans, and critics. Cutler has earned none from anyone. 

In Denver he fought with receivers. Cutler has had no problem passing the buck on to the next guy.  Part of the problem may have been a six-year $48 million rookie contract, despite falling to the 11th pick. This sense of entitlement may have led to Cutler's inability to effectively lead an offense, and co-exist with other high profile players.

That sense of entitlement also led to the rift between head coach Josh McDaniels. At first, many critics and pundits blamed McDaniels for the break-up of "franchise" quarterback and rookie coach.

Now, in hindsight, it seems McDaniels wasn't that wrong after all.  The Broncos started the season 6-0, with former Bears quarterback Kyle Orton, something Cutler couldn't achieve

After demanding a trade, Cutler arrived to a franchise clamouring to anoint a savior under center since the era of Jim McMahon.  The city called  him the next great Chicago Bear before he even took a snap.  They thought they were getting a franchise quarterback.

Instead what they got was one of the lowest rated quarterbacks in the league.  A clubhouse cancer that blamed coaches, teammates, game plans, officials, and even fans.  In essence, Cutler blamed virtually every possible person but himself. 

Whether it was the guaranteed money, plethora of talent, lack of wins, or consistent turnovers, and most importantly Cutler's appalling lack of maturity and leadership, the Bears were unable to come to the realization that when a twenty-five-year-old multi-millionaire demands a trade, then maybe there is a reason he is being shipped off in the first place. 

Chicago was so desperate for a great quarterback, they were willing to bet anything.  "Anything" in this case is a first- and third-round draft pick in 2009 and a first-round draft pick in 2010.  In the NFL, this is a gambler's version of going all in.  Guess we know it's not worth it.  Just ask Lovie Smith.

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The Chicago Bears, like any other team in the NFL, has just as many questions as they do answers. Perhaps, the Bears have many more questions than most. 

We have seen this team undergo a lot of changes since going to the Super Bowl in 2006.  There has been a lot of turnover in the coaching staff, there are players who have come and gone, and the philosophy has changed from one of a strong running game with an overbearing defense, to one of a passing offense and a cross your fingers hope it works defense.

Now, with jobs on the line and the hopes of another chance at a Super Bowl slipping, both head coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo believe the Bears have a lot to do to right the ship and get them back on the right path.

There are so many questions heading into the preseason with the Bears—way too many to list here—but I thought that I would take a stab at answering the five biggest questions heading into training camp and beyond for the Chicago Bears. 

Here is a look at the five biggest “Bear” questions heading into the preseason this summer.

1.  Can Jay Cutler cut down on his interceptions?

The promise of a new offense is always exciting for a quarterback, but this offense in particular is going to have Cutler throwing the ball more than he has ever thrown it in his career. 

So what does that mean? 

More opportunities for interceptions, thats what it means.

The key will be whether or not he and his receivers learn the system well enough to run the proper routes, make the proper reads, and take full advantage of what the system has to offer.  Granted, they have had several months to learn the new system, but they haven’t spent a lot of time on the practice field in practical application of the offense.  There will definitely be a learning curve, but hopefully things will be better and Cutler won’t make as many mistakes as he did last season.

2.  Can the Bears get the running game going?  

Last year, the Bears pulled away from their usually effective rushing attack and went to the air much more often.  Granted, they figured that since they had Cutler at the helm and his big time arm, they would be able to throw the ball much more than they had in the past (and throw it more effectively) even though that wasn’t the case.

Last year’s starter Matt Forte appeared a little tentative when running the ball and would, at times, “dance” around in the hole and not run straight through it.  He was also the victim of some minor injuries as well as bad run blocking from his offensive line.

The Bears are going to want to pass the ball a lot again this season, but they also want to run the ball in certain situations to keep the defense off balance.  They have gone out and grabbed some decent talent at the running back position (Chester Taylor is a good example) to help keep Forte healthy and keep a change of pace in the backfield.  Keeping two fairly fresh running backs in the game will help the Bears out a lot and give opponents fits.

3.  Can the Bears generate a pass rush this season?  

The answer to this question is a resounding yes.  Peppers will be eager to show his stuff in a new division and make his presence felt. Hopefully this will end up being enough to light a fire under defensive tackle Tommie Harris and Mark Anderson, making both of those guys much better (or helping them revert back to their previous form).

It is imperative that the Bears are able to generate a pass rush this season.  Their secondary is experiencing growing pains as well and could be considered a weak point on defense this season.  They could use all the help that they could get and a good pass rush would be a huge help for them.

4.  What do the Bears do with Greg Olsen? 

Greg Olsen is much more of a pass catching tight end than he is a blocking tight end, but knowing that the new offense is going to require tight ends to block much more than they have in the past, can the Bears use Olsen much? 

His presence on offense would most certainly tip the defense to the fact that the ball will probably be coming his way.  The defense can then blanket him (with coverage) and take him out of the play.

It will be interesting to see what the Bears do with him during the preseason. You can almost bet that if a team comes along with anything close to a decent trade offer then the Bears will probably bite on it. 

Olsen didn’t really work his way out of a job in Chicago, it’s more like the team and the new philosophy may have gotten him out of the job.  He’s definitely someone to keep an eye on in training camp as a trade could come along at anytime and he could be gone.

5.  Will Peppers Produce? 

There have been some that state the newly acquired defensive end Julius Peppers is not an every down player (meaning that he takes plays off and doesn’t always play his best).  Some feel that he was just looking for a big payday and now he is going to sit back and not play to his fullest potential.  Granted, there is always a chance that he will turn out to be much less than expected, but Peppers has certain motivations to play at a high level in Chicago.

First, not many people realize that Pepper’s contract does have some pretty significant incentive laden bonuses in it so his performance is key to just how much money he will make.  That being said, the more Peppers wants to get paid the more (and better) he has to play.

Another reason why he will probably step it up and play hard in Chicago is that he wants to prove that he is the best pass rusher in the NFC North.  With Jared Allen holding onto those honors for the past few seasons, Peppers may want to try to find a way to be the guy that is tops in the division in sacks.  That could make things pretty interesting as well.

There are many more questions that weren’t covered here and we have only scratched the surface of all that can be asked about the Bears and what they are going to do in 2010.  Some people feel that they could be headed for greatness while others feel that they won’t even be able to get past the Lions in the NFC North.

We will soon find out just how good or bad the Bears will be this season.  Hopefully things will get better so fans have something to cheer about in 2010.  We will all find out very soon.

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I recently read a comment on an article I wrote, which stated that Chicago Bears' quarterback Jay Cutler isn't all that he's cracked up to be.

The guy commenting had no real ill intentions, but I just didn't think his logic was right-on, and I actually didn't deem it to be very fair, either.

He commented that Cutler wasn't shaping out to be the type of passer that most "franchise" passers are supposed to be, that his interception total has climbed each season he's been in the league, and that considering his body of work, he wasn't even a lock to be better than Detroit Lions' quarterback, Matthew Stafford.

Now, that's where I draw the line.

I'm not a Chicago or Detroit fan. In fact, I'm a Brett Favre and NFL fan. But sometimes you just can smell a defense story that needs to be told.

Just like the person commenting on my article (it was actually on Stafford, by the way) had no ill will toward me, I likewise am not trying to offend or attack them.

But sometimes quarterbacks like Cutler need someone to stick up for them. And damn me if I'm wrong, but this sad little writer at B/R gets the feeling it's got to be him.

I think you have to look at the circumstances surrounding Cutler before you cast that preemptive "he's not what he should be" stone.

People talk about interceptions, and Matthew Stafford threw 20 as a rookie in just 10 starts in 2009. Cutler threw five picks in five games as a rookie (on pace for 16).

Stafford missed the final four games last year and six overall. Just imagine how many picks he would have thrown in six more games. Plenty. He could have had 30 picks, easily.

In his second season, Cutler only threw 14 picks, despite it being his first full season as a starter and tossing up over 460 passes. He also topped 3,400 yards and notched 20 passing touchdowns, while completing 63.6 percent of his passes.

Not bad for a guy who hailed from a crummy school (Vanderbilt) and routinely looked like you stole his stick of gum.

His 18 picks the next season? An increase, true, but that's what happens in a Mike Shanahan pass-happy offense that raised Cutler's second-year 467 passing attempts to a career-high 615.

Few quarterbacks will pass the ball 600 times and not throw 16-plus picks. Ask Drew Brees—ask Peyton Manning.

Last year was a debacle, no doubt. But Cutler was in a new city, a new offense, and without Brandon Marshall, Tony Scheffler, and even 2008 stud rookie receiver, Eddie Royal.

Instead of bona fide talent to work with, he had a converted cornerback who still didn't know how to play receiver (Devin Hester), a trash possession WR (Earl Bennett), and a guy who came out of nowhere for, what, three or four weeks to end the season (Devin Aromashodu).

That, and he faced the Vikings and Packers twice each, both of whom were tops in the league at either forcing turnovers or getting to the quarterback.

All of that, and despite his league-high 26 picks, Cutler still turned it around, threw eight scores to zero picks in the final two games of the season, and ended with the most passing touchdowns in his career (27).

But of course, it's not always just about the numbers. Being a franchise passer is about being a leader, being consistent, making big plays, and winning games.

True, Cutler hasn't reached the playoffs (which means he doesn't have a playoff win). But is he alone in this? Is he the only supposedly "elite" quarterback that is stuck in that young-quarterback purgatory?

Not even close. Aaron Rodgers has one playoff appearance and no wins. Carson Palmer has two playoff appearances and no wins.

It took Tony Romo several years to win his first playoff game, and then even he bottomed out in a 34-3 crushing dealt by the Minnesota Vikings.

The point is, Cutler hasn't won much, he's thrown a decent number of picks in the past two seasons, and he plays in a division where the talent at quarterback is so stacked (if Brett Favre returns), that he's arguably only the third-best passer.

But he's not inaccurate. Cutler hasn't completed under 60 percent of his passes since his rookie season, and even then was just a hair under at 59.1 percent.

He's not a horrible decision maker, either, as many would suggest. Sure, he had a few off games, but it was two horrid games against solid play-making defenses (Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers) that he threw a combined 10 interceptions, which truly led to his woeful turnover numbers.

He's not a bad leader, and he doesn't lack the ability to make big plays. Just take a look at the tape, as Cutler bombed an overtime winning touchdown pass at home against the Vikings near the end of the season.

The numbers don't usually lie, and I'll be the first to admit that. But with Cutler, they kind of do.

Just like Brett Favre's insane career interception numbers would lead you to believe he's the worst quarterback who ever played; that is, if you hadn't actually seen him play.

The same goes for Cutler. And just like the Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romos, and so many others, he deserves more than one down season in Chicago and four total seasons in the NFL to prove he's worth being called a franchise passer.

This is a kid with a silky-smooth release, the confidence and gusto to match Peyton Manning, and a chip on his shoulder no one would truly dare try to knock off.

Mike Martz entering Chicago to turn the Bears into a more explosive, pass-happy offense could be the best or worst thing ever to happen to him.

But if he embraces the change and offense like he did his teammates and abilities during the stretch run of 2009, a lot of people are going to be shocked at what they see out of the pouty kid who temper-tantrummed his way out of Denver.

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