Still young, still a little bit inexperienced, makes some mistakes out there.
That’s not my scouting report on Jay Cutler. That was Jay Cutler’s scouting report on Jay Cutler during his weekly news conference Wednesday afternoon.
But you know what? One of these days, the kid isn’t going to be a kid anymore. He’s going to be older, more experienced and less inclined to make mistakes, and maybe sooner than later.
Even in the interim, Cutler is showing signs of being a quality NFL quarterback. But more than that, he appears to have that little something extra, that sixth sense, that extra dimension that separates great players from great athletes.
He’s got the arm to be a big-time player, but, just as important, he has the stomach for it, too. He proved it Sunday at Buffalo when he drove the Broncos downfield for the game-winning field goal.
So, did his teammates have confidence that Cutler would get it done?
“They don’t have a choice,” Cutler said. “I’m the one calling the plays.”
Good thing. It remains to be seen how many games Cutler wins this season, but he promises to be great entertainment. The good times, the bad times and everything in between will keep Bronco Nation glued to the TV for the next four months.
And to think, the ride is just beginning. The fun part will be to see how long it is before we quit calling Cutler a star-in-the-making and just call him a star.
No comparisons to John Elway, please. Then again, with the rules having been changed since Elway’s day to promote the passing game, Cutler almost certainly will put up bigger numbers than No. 7 did in his early years in the NFL.
Take 300-yard passing games, for instance.
Elway had two in his first two seasons in Dan Reeves’ offense. Cutler had 304 at Buffalo in his sixth NFL start.
Jim Armstrong issues regular reports throughout the day along with exclusive video interviews each week. Visit The Jimmy Page.
