This is part two of an exclusive interview that Jay Cutler granted to broncosculture.com. If you would like to read part I of the interview, then click it.
Broncos Culture (BC): With all due respect, Mr. Cutler, don’t you respect the record that Jake Plummer had as a starter with the Broncos? Don’t you respect Kyle Orton’s record as an NFL starter? Don’t you have to be somewhat understanding that there would be interest in Matt Cassel, who went 10 and 5 as a starter last year? I mean, this might sound like a putdown, and I don’t want to hurt your fragile sensibilities, but you were 17-20 as a starter with the Broncos and never made the playoffs.
Jay Cutler (JC): We all know how Matt Cassel is doing as a starting quarterback this season, and he didn’t make the playoffs last year either.
BC: Okay, that’s fair. Does it give you any satisfaction to see Matt Cassel struggling in Kansas City?
JC: It fills my heart with glee.
BC: Okay, you have only addressed one part of that last question. It was a complex, multi-faceted question, the kind they ask at Vanderbilt. How do–
JC: Yes, I am aware of the type of questions they ask at Vanderbilt. Only geniuses attend Vandy.
Cutler being a genius, but not a winner, at Vanderbilt.
BC: So, you would call yourself a genius?
JC: I don’t know if I would, but I think my skill set speaks for itself. I am sure the media would say that I am a genius.
BC: Please tell me how you feel about your record as the Broncos starter compared to the records of Plummer and Orton.
JC: Look, I didn’t lose those 20 games in Denver by myself. The defense never helped me. We lost like seven running backs in Denver last year. I still made the Pro Bowl.
BC: In all fairness, you still failed to help lead your team to victory in that three-game meltdown at the end of the season.
JC: Well, the Denver Broncos never believed in me. That was the real problem.
BC: The Denver Broncos never believed in you? Many people would say that they believed too much in you. Did you see how up in arms the Broncos fans were when you were traded? You forced them to do that. Josh McDaniels said that he wanted you as the quarterback. Why couldn’t you accept that, put the difficulty behind you, and suit up for the team that stood behind you so much, even in the face of a losing record as a starting quarterback? Mike Shanahan possibly commited career suicide as Denver’s head coach for reshaping the “franchise” around you.
JC: Mike Shanahan was right about me, but he is not a part of the Denver Broncos anymore. If the Denver Broncos really had believed in me, they would not have been willing to trade me. Pat Bowlen always saw me as expendable.
BC: Well, you are entitled to your opinion even though most rational people see things differently and see your departure as more of a temper tantrum. Back to Plummer and Orton. The media and a number of fans were never behind these guys, but they have done nothing but win wearing the blue and orange. They didn’t make any excuses.
JC: Yes, they won games, but Plummer choked in the AFC Championship back in January of 2006. Plus, they can’t throw the deep ball like I can. Chicks dig the deep ball.
BC: Do you have a girlfriend?
JC: I like Kelly Clarkson. Especially the song “Breakaway.”
BC: Curious! Let me change the subject, and I really appreciate your humility in answering these tough questions. Five of your last six losses have come against teams who were either in the playoffs last year or have a winning record this year. In your last 12 losses as a starting NFL quarterback, you have failed to achieve a quarterback rating above 80, and you have thrown only 14 touchdowns compared to 25 interceptions. This leads many to question your ability to win big games against good teams, and the touchdown to interception ratio in the losses leads people to question your ability to be a productive leader of a team in important games. How do you respond to that?
JC: You must not have been paying attention in week 2 when I led the Bears to victory over the Steelers. Last I checked, they are the defending Super Bowl champions. Yeah, talk to me next week after Kyle Orton has a repeat of his performance in Baltimore against the Steel Curtain. I had a QB rating over 100, I threw two touchdowns, and I didn’t throw an interception against the Steelers. Why don’t you mention that game?
BC: I was not denying that such a game took place, Mr. Cutler. I was asking you about your ability to win such games consistently or at least to put up decent numbers in such games.
JC: Well, I have already said that I didn’t lose those games by myself. Last year, the Broncos defense was awful and I didn’t have a healthy backfield with which to work. I still threw for over 4,500 yards and made the Pro Bowl.
BC: Congratulations on that! However, what I am basically hearing you say throughout the whole course of this interview is that you think you are a “franchise” quarterback. Quarterbacks have the biggest load to carry for a team. They must show leadership, maturity, and responsibility at all times. You have a different idea of what a franchise quarterback is. You want the full, blind faith from your coach, GM, owner, and fans that you are a talented, responsible leader, but you want to blame shift when things fall apart. Do you pay attention to your numbers against playoff caliber teams? What about the San Diego game last year?
JC: I threw for 350 yards and four touchdown in that game. I threw the touchdown that brought us within one, and I completed the two-point conversion that won us the game. That was against the champions from the AFC West last year, and that was one of my proudest moments, next to getting the meida to drink my Cutler Kool Aid.
BC: I was referring to week 17, the game that really mattered. The one that you lost 52-21, not the week 2 win that was won, let’s be honest, very controversially.
JC: Quarterbacks don’t give up 52 points.
To Be Continued…
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