As much as this trade has flip-flopped throughout the season, it seems to be a draw at this point. The QB's performed fairly evenly less Cutler's interceptions. Ayers was pretty much a non-factor, especially for the 18th overall pick. Knox was obviously a complete surprise and made significant contributions as a rookie with over 1,400 All-purpose yards and 6 TDs. Both teams missed the playoffs, so there is no real winner yet. The Broncos do hold the Bears 1st rounder in next year's draft, but they traded their own 1st rounder to Seattle. Alphonso Smith, the player they traded their 2010 1st rounder for ended the season with 0 INTs and 14 tackles.

 

Broncos 8-8

Orton 336-541, 3802 yds, 21 TD, 12 INT, 29 Sacks, Rushing 24-71 yds

Ayers 18 Tackles, 0 Sacks

 

Bears 7-9

Cutler 336-555, 3666 yds, 27 TD, 26 INT, 35 Sacks, Rushing 40-173 yds, 1 TD

Knox 45-527 yds, 5 TD, KR - 32-927, 29.0 AVG, 1 TD

As much as this trade has flip-flopped throughout the season, it seems to be a draw at this point. The QB's performed fairly evenly less Cutler's interceptions. Ayers was pretty much a non-factor, especially for the 18th overall pick. Knox was obviously a complete surprise and made significant contributions as a rookie with over 1,400 All-purpose yards and 6 TDs. Both teams missed the playoffs, so there is no real winner yet. The Broncos do hold the Bears 1st rounder in next year's draft, but they traded their own 1st rounder to Seattle. Alphonso Smith, the player they traded their 2010 1st rounder for ended the season with 0 INTs and 14 tackles.

 

Broncos 8-8

Orton 336-541, 3802 yds, 21 TD, 12 INT, 29 Sacks, Rushing 24-71 yds

Ayers 18 Tackles, 0 Sacks

 

Bears 7-9

Cutler 336-555, 3666 yds, 27 TD, 26 INT, 35 Sacks, Rushing 40-173 yds, 1 TD

Knox 45-527 yds, 5 TD, KR - 32-927, 29.0 AVG, 1 TD

 

I real surprised that these numbers are so even sans the INTs. I would do this trade again 99 times out of 100. Not much has been mentioned about a seemly superior Orton lead team absolutely crumbled down the stretch(2-8 last 10). Lets not forget how much of a group of inept idiots we have to groom/coach our WR's and QB.

IMHO Jays numbers are tainted by bad play calling, poor protection, and lack of run game.

 

The last two games we did all three of these things better and the difference in Cutler's performance was night and day. Go figure.

 

If the line played like that more this year and we had decent success running, and Ron actually catered to Cutler's strengths, you could argue that Jay's numbers would be much better.

 

Of the two QB's Orton benefited from a ground game and a good O-Line. While Cutler didn't yet his numbers are close Orton's. Makes me think that had we still had Orton we'd have seen worse stats for our QB.

Again, I totally agree. The OL has finally begun to gel, and in those games, Cutler throws for 8 TD's and only 1 INT. Orton is not, I repeat- IS NOT, an NFL QB. He benefitted all year from a great defense, great OL, and a great WR. Now, the defense starts to falter at the end of the year and Marshall gets benched, and he starts to suck. Go figure.

Again, I totally agree. The OL has finally begun to gel, and in those games, Cutler throws for 8 TD's and only 1 INT. Orton is not, I repeat- IS NOT, an NFL QB. He benefitted all year from a great defense, great OL, and a great WR. Now, the defense starts to falter at the end of the year and Marshall gets benched, and he starts to suck. Go figure.

Orton is not a top 15 NFL QB. He is a game manager and that is all. He will be in the league for another 10 years if he wants. There are alot worse QBs right now.

 

Peace

I'm glad he ended the season with his TD's ahead of his INT's. He actually ended in the top 10 in TD passes. I think in the last two weeks you finally saw him relax and take what the defense gave him. He didn't force anything today against the Lions, if passes weren't there he threw it away. If he can continue that into next year he and the Bears will have a much better season.

I'm glad he ended the season with his TD's ahead of his INT's. He actually ended in the top 10 in TD passes. I think in the last two weeks you finally saw him relax and take what the defense gave him. He didn't force anything today against the Lions, if passes weren't there he threw it away. If he can continue that into next year he and the Bears will have a much better season.

According to the Comcast post game show, the hot dog vendors little sidekick Jiggets thinks that we should bring back Turner because it was the QB and not the play calling that cost the season. Turner did a bang up job according to Jiggets. The defense and everything has been fine. Its only the QBs fault. If we only had a Kyle Orton according to the hot dog vendor and his sidekick we would be on the way to the playoffs. Jim Miller of course thinks that bringing back Turner is a wonderful idea and if anything only Pep Hamilton should be gone. Everything should be the same as this year. Just add a safety and poof fixed. The last 2 games are just proof of that according to Miller and Jiggets.

 

GMAFB

 

Cutler had 16 TDs and just three interceptions in Chicago’s seven wins. In its nine losses, he had 11 TDs and 23 interceptions.

That is night and day.

I'd do the trade over in a heart-beat.

I'd do the trade over in a heart-beat.

Absolutely. Give him time to pass and he will be fine.

 

Peace

This is not meant as a knock on Orton, though I know some will take it that way, but as up and down of a season as Cutler had, I feel far more confident moving forward trying to build the offense around Cutler than I would if Orton were on the team this past year. If Orton were still a bear, I think we would be putting QB at or near the top of our list of needs.

 

Absolutely. Give him time to pass and he will be fine.

 

Peace

 

If Orton were still a bear, I think we would be putting QB at or near the top of our list of needs.

 

Of course you would. Not just because of performance either. Orton's an unrestricted FA this year. Either the Bears were going to have to tag him and pay him $15 million for next season, destroying whatever cap space they might have had, or they'd have risked having him walk and thus be forced to start rebuilding completely with a new QB with whatever pick they were holdilng.

Technically speaking, there is still no new CBA, and thus Orton can be retained for simply a RFA tag, which likely isn't more than about $1m.

 

Even if Orton had another year or two on his deal for cheap, I would stick to my comments.

 

Of course you would. Not just because of performance either. Orton's an unrestricted FA this year. Either the Bears were going to have to tag him and pay him $15 million for next season, destroying whatever cap space they might have had, or they'd have risked having him walk and thus be forced to start rebuilding completely with a new QB with whatever pick they were holdilng.

 

To sum it up in a few words- with this OL, run game, offensive playcalling, and WR's, Orton wouldn't have sniffed 6 wins.