The media has missed the point of the Cutler vs. McDaniels spitting contest.

Fryingpan Sports

The media has missed the point of the Cutler vs. McDaniels spitting contest.

t

By Bill Smith

As usual, the media have totally missed the most important fact in the QB Jay Cutler vs. new Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels. The antique media call Cutler a cry baby. Others say that McDaniels has all the power because Bronco team owner Pat Bowlen backs his new guy. That is not the key story here. The key story is that Bowlen blew it when he fired Mike Shanahan and blew it again in hiring the 32 year old McDaniels. McDaniels is not mature enough to be a head coach in the NFL. It was a bad hire and this is only the first screwup for which McD will be responsible.

To go back to the beginning, McDaniels and GM Brian Xanders committed an unforgivable sin—trying to trade a somewhat proven young franchise QB for another somewhat proven older QB Matt Cassel. McD thought that word of the failed deal would never get out. How stupid was that? In this era of 24 hour sports channels, there is no way on earth or any alternative universe that someone wouldn’t blab. Even when the reports leaked out about a 3 way deal between the Patriots, Bucs and Broncos he refused initially to acknowledged the attempt.

Cutler was not happy and that is understandable. He has been the QB for 3 years and made the pro bowl last year. According to Cutler’s agent Bus Cook, in meeting with McD earlier this year to go over the playbook, McD had told Cutler that he had come to Denver specifically because he wanted to coach the young man. Given the trade talk, Cutler feels that McD lied to him then as well.

McD immediately compounded the gaff. Rather than trying to resolve the situation face to face by going to see his jilted QB, McD called Cutler and reportedly committed another major error by lying to him. According to multiple reports, McD told Cutler that other teams had contacted him about Cutler’s availability. That conversation just added fuel to the feud.

When a face to face finally happened this past weekend, it was an even bigger disaster. Rather than a 1 on 1 with his QB, Cutler insisted on bringing his agent Cook. Not being man enough to face a 2 on 1, McD brought his GM along for support. In that meeting, things did not improve. According to Cook, the Cutler contingent believed that McD was going to call Jay for a one on one. According to McD, it was Cutler that was supposed to call.

When the call came, it was Cook calling to tell the team that Cutler now wants to be traded because he has no faith in McD, Xanders, or Bowlen.

My analysis: Bowlen blew it. He is now trying to save face by backing his sniveling coach McD. McD showed no guts in confronting the issue. He wants his Patriot QB like a 2 year old needs his blankie. He wouldn’t even face Cook and Culter alone. He needed backup.

Josh, engage brain before dialing for deals. You don’t dangle your franchise QB in trade talks that and keep the locker room together. This is what will happen if Cutler is not traded. Some players will back the new coach but others who played with Cutler will back him.

Pat, you blew the firing and blew the new hire. You had better tell McD to back off or you are going to lose what fan base has not already written you off. You need to get the D fixed because it was a well oiled turnstile threw which opponents ran on their way unmolested to the endzone. Cutler was the 3rd rated QB last year while McD has not won anything by himself yet. You need to get control of your coach or replace him.

That’s what I think. Tell me what you think.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for and edits https://fryingpansports.com. He has also published several novels on and edits .

My email is [email protected].

Technorati Tags: Broncos, NFL, FOOTBALL, McDAniels, Bowlen, Shanahan, Cutler, trade, Buccaneers, Patriots, Cassel
No votes yet.
Please wait...

2 thoughts on “The media has missed the point of the Cutler vs. McDaniels spitting contest.”

  1. Cutler is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and for there to be any discuss of not keeping him makes no sense at all. Sucks to be a quarterback on a poorly run franchise.

    No votes yet.
    Please wait...
  2. I think the problem is that they should have kept Mike Shanahan as a coach, but needed to get rid of him as a GM.

    McDaniels isn’t mature enough but there was a temptation to go with a young coach because of the Mike Tomlin/Jon Gruden/Sean Payton/Raheem Morris trend.

    No votes yet.
    Please wait...

Comments are closed.