Cutler adds a dash of scrambling to recipe

QB tames defenses by being a threat to run

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 10, 2008 at 10:57 p.m.

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Photo by Barry Gutierrez / The Rocky

Jay Cutler, on a broken play against the Packers during preseason, has used his feet to force defenses to change coverages. "If there's nothing there, he's got the ability to run," quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates said.

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It's a fight or flight mechanism.

Stand your ground in the pocket or take off.

Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler would much rather survey the field and deliver the ball downfield to his receivers than go into scramble mode.

But as the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday demonstrated, Cutler has some wheels in the open field and isn't afraid to pick his spots using them.

Cutler never will be confused with Vince Young or even David Garrard, his counterpart Sunday (2:05 p.m., CBS 4), but he does present enough open-field ability on the run that defenses have to take that skill into consideration.

"You look at his speed. He's 4.75," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said, citing Cutler's 40-yard dash time coming out of Vanderbilt.

"That's good speed for a quarterback. And he's 230 pounds."

Less desirable if you're the Broncos: Cutler isn't averse to using his stockiness to draw contact instead of sliding to a safe stop.

Plenty of evidence

Exhibit A came in the preseason opener at San Francisco last season, when, at the end of a 16-yard run up the middle, Cutler's helmet was dislodged by safety Michael Lewis.

Exhibit B was on display in the regular-season opener this year, at Oakland, when Cutler saw an opening until he was sent airborne by cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha after a strike on the QB's knee.

The latest example came on a third-and-11 late in the first quarter Sunday against Tampa Bay. The Broncos bunched three receivers to the left and split Brandon Marshall wide right, aligning running back Michael Pittman offset to the right in the shotgun formation.

Cutler took the snap, quickly surveyed the field, took a couple of crow hops in the pocket and, with Tampa Bay rushing only three linemen, took off, beating Bucs linebacker Cato June to the left sideline. Cutler then lowered his right shoulder and drove through cornerback Ronde Barber out of bounds, past the first-down marker.

"That's probably the last person I'm going to hit like that this year, hopefully," Cutler said.

He wasn't even done against the Bucs.

One first-down scramble was wiped out by a holding penalty. But on another, Cutler's knee was ruled down by replay after he bolted up the middle but was tripped from behind by hustling defensive end Greg White.

"They played some two-man," Cutler said of the split-safety alignment Tampa Bay employed deep, helping explain his unusually heavy rushing load in the first half. "That opens up the middle of the field, and sometimes the only way to take that away is for the quarterback to run and get them out of it. Some opportunities opened up. We got them out of it in the second half. They zoned up on us and it opened up some (passing) windows."

Cutler has come a long way in developing the "clock" in his head, telling him it's decision time and to move it or lose it.

Certainly, he has taken leaps from his NFL debut two years ago, which was marked by a penchant for holding on to the ball too long and taking a beating because of it in a game against Seattle.

Chalk it up to experience, both present and past.

"In professional football, there's a different sense of timing than there is in college. Maybe it's close at Vanderbilt, especially with who they were playing, or at least closer to it," Shanahan said, alluding to Cutler playing behind a suspect offensive line going against Southeastern Conference competition replete with pro prospects.

"That's why he does take off. But it has a lot to do with the defenses that he's looking at, where he knows everybody's cleared out and he's got a chance to make a play."

Making progress

Cutler's improved decision-making in that respect is evidenced by the fact that five of his seven rushes last year of at least 10 years in his first full season as a starter came from mid-October on.

So far in 2008, he already has two 10- yard-plus scrambles.

"If there's nothing there, he's got the ability to run," quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates said. "It puts a lot of pressure on the defense and gets them out of some coverages that they sometimes play against guys who won't run."

Cutler's mobility, pocket feel and quick release also help explain why Denver has yielded only two sacks during its 4-1 start.

"We don't have to hang on our guys as long, because he gets rid of the ball," right guard Chris Kuper said. "And with him taking off a couple times last week, if he feels he's in a bind and there's pressure, it helps us out a lot."

It's clear, though, that Cutler is apt to take off only under duress or if the defense backs off, opening an obvious lane.

"He's going to do whatever it takes to win," Bates said. "That's why he's a special player."

Cutler has rushed 15 times this season, but six of those attempts have come on game-ending kneel-downs.

Asked this week if he needed to run more, Cutler had a quick response.

"No," he said, breaking into a smile and shaking his head. "No . . . "

• October 10, 2008

  11:24 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  angryman1n writes:

  Ya'll are supportive of his scrambling??? I went to the should-be loss to the Chargers earlier this season. Cutler boot-legged twice, and CutSoon fumbled on both.

• October 10, 2008

  11:36 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  BroncoFaninLA writes:

  You are indeed too angry for your comments to be taken seriously. This is a franchise QB that could easily carry an offense on his back to a SB with a decent defense.

  Now we just need the same kind of talent on our DL/pass rush.

• October 11, 2008

  12:21 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  BroncoFaninLA, don't pay him any mind. He just likes to hear himself type. He's STILL crying about his Chargers getting beat. Oh, and the "Ya'll" tells me everything I need to know about your education. Angryman, don't go away angry, just go away.

• October 11, 2008

  1:31 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  MayanCalendar_2012 writes:

  As a lifer bronco fan, I'm not convinced that #6 should be running the ball. His arm is the strongest in league, if not of all time. So he should exhaust any attempt at using that lethal weapon before taking off like Vince Young (a backup taken before Jay in the '06 draft).

  I have to acknowledge way angryman posted, that he fumbled the ball in that SD game when scrambling. However that was an example of a competitive young QB who let the pressure overcome his nerves. What worries me is the play against the Raiders. When Jay ran for the 1st down mark and was abruptly taken out be Nandi Asumouga, a fine player in his own right. If I recall, Cutler was on the injured list as a result, only to come back the next Sunday and bless the Saints.

• October 11, 2008

  6:31 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  nmbronco1 writes:

  goldenratio - as good as Cutler's arm is, and it is damn good, it still isn't stronger or more accurate than John Elway's was in his prime. Elway on a number of occasions rolled one way, stopped, and threw downfield at least 50 yards with deadly accuracy. Cutler can almost do this and is in many ways very similar to Elway, including in his running style. I have no problem with him running now and again and like the fact that as a QB he's not afraid to lay on a hit. This is the kind of toughness that players like out of their leader, and there is no doubt Cutler is becoming one of the premier QBs in the league.

• October 11, 2008

  8:38 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  TXBRONC writes:

  Arm strength can be argued because it is speculative because they are from different eras. However, accuracy is hands down in Jay's favor. Just taking the first three years of Johns career, his completion percentages were 47.5%, 56.3% and 54% Jay on the other hand in his first two seasons has completion percentages of 59.1% and 63.6%. So far in his third season he is completing passes at clip of 65.4%. Jay is the more accurate passer. Now that in no way demeans John's greatness as quarterback he was one of the best and arguable the best to ever play the position.

• October 11, 2008

  9:20 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  barryvictor writes:

  Cutler needs to run out of the pocket from time to time just to keep the rush contained when his receivers are covered or there is a nice hole available. What he really needs to do is slide once the open ground closes, to keep injuries to a minimum. He sure doesn't need to prove he can take a hit or deliver a hit, for that matter. What he does need to prove is that he has good sense in both the pass and run options. So far this season, his errors have been few...let's hope the injury bug stays far, far away!

• October 11, 2008

  9:26 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  SteveC writes:

  I don't want Cutler to run very often but one of the things that made Elway such a threat was his ability and willingness to run when the other options were exhausted. If Cutler can't find any other options, RUN! It adds a whole new threat to the offense if you have a QB who can scramble and pick up the first down or more. I don't want him to be a run first QB but if he can't find an open receiver and there is room, let him go.

• October 11, 2008

  10:49 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  RMThunder writes:

  “Cutler boot-legged twice, and CutSoon fumbled on both.” …and the Broncos STILL won - and CUTLER still threw for 350yds, with a 72% completion against the biggest crybabies in the league. We don’t want him to run, but it’s nice to know it's available - and effective!

• October 11, 2008

  11:04 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  azis1100 writes:

  Longest throws I've seen at the QB challenge or whatever at the ProBowl.

  Randal Cunningham - 81yrds
  Brett Farve - 80yrds
  John Elway - 77yrds

  This preseason there were Broncos saying Jay Cutler was throwing around 80-85yrs in the air without pads.

• October 11, 2008

  12:06 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  CABroncoFan writes:

  I saw all I needed to see about Jay Cutler as a football player when he directed traffic on a running play that Young reversed his field on and then threw a great block to spring him for alot of yards. Last time I saw something like that from a quarterback was when Elway ran for a touchdown in the Super Bowl against the Packers and lowered his shoulder to get it. They both are football players that play the quarterback position. Not the other way around. Let Jay do what he does and just enjoy the show....like we did with John.

• October 11, 2008

  4:30 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Tuch5280 writes:

  I love the fact that Cutler is willing to run if need be. He's a play-maker and that's what play-makers do. Sometimes you have to take what the defense gives you and that's exactly what he's doing when he scrambles. I will agree, however that he should slide at the end of the run to avoid injuries. That being said, doesn't anyone remember when Elway dove through the air in the Super Bowl and was then sent spinning like a top? I don't remember anyone saying "oh, he shouldn't have done that" then, so why is it such a big deal if Cutler decides to lower his shoulder and pick up a first down?

• October 11, 2008

  5:42 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  Tuch5280, because Elway was nearing the end of his career so we wanted him to win at all costs. But I "cringed" when he got hit. We cheered when he got up, but I'm sure that "deep down", nobody liked to see him take that hit. Cutler is at the start of a very promising career. Nobody wants to see him get hurt and possibly have his career ended.

• October 11, 2008

  5:52 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  refguy writes:

  You can't compare Elway's completion percentage with Cutler's. The offense John ran under Dan Reeves was a run, run fling the ball down the field 30 yards and punt if it isn't complete offense. It was designed to get yards per pass but not necessarily a high percentage of completions. Cutler is running a West Coast offense which is designed to get high completion percentages, but not necessarily the yards per pass. The good thing is Cutler is becoming very adept at taking the deep shot when it's there.

• October 11, 2008

  7:53 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  TXBRONC writes:

  Refguy with all do respect I disagree. They both have gotten to be in the same system. Granted barring anything unforeseeable Jay will get to play in it longer nevertheless they both have spent time in the same offense. That being said, out of the four seasons that John played in Shanahan's offense he only had one year where he completed 60% or better.

  I do make myself here that I no intend this to critical of Elway. He was a one of greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, and arguably the greatest to ever play the game.

• October 11, 2008

  9 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  TXBRONC, have to agree with you on this one. Also, the last 3 years, Elway had TD, McCaffrey, Smith, Sharpe. They were not lacking in talent. They played Shanahans system, although they ran a lot more because of TD.

• October 11, 2008

  9:41 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  angryman1n writes:

  DynamicDave... Thank you for setting Tuch5280 straight. I was still in High School back in the Texas when Elway made that dramatic dive, but even I realized that he only did it to ensure that he wouldn't be a "what-if."

  *** Nobody enjoyed watching Karl Malone blubber like a little kid. ***

• October 11, 2008

  10 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  angryman1n, welcome.

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