Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago

Change is hard as the face of an NFL franchise 

Pressures on Cutler, Favre to mesh with new teammates, learn plays, move

ASK THE NFL EXPERT

By Dan Pompei

NBCSports.com contributor

updated 7:53 p.m. CT, Thurs., Sept . 10, 2009

When veteran quarterbacks change teams, the guy in the upper deck isnt affected much. Might have to adjust his fantasy roster a bit. Or even add or subtract from his jersey drawer.

But for a quarterback like Jay Cutler who went to the Bears from the Broncos, changing teams means a complete upheaval of everything in his life from where he lives to who he deals with, to what he wears to what he is asked to do.

And it isnt always an easy transition. Putting a quarterback on a new team isnt as simple as screwing a light bulb into a different socket.
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Its more like taking a delicate marine fish and putting him in a different tank. You have to be concerned about if the water temperature will be a shock to his system, if the salinity, PH, calcium and phosphate levels are right for him, and whether or not the other tank inhabitants will get along with him. And then you have to worry about if he will be negatively affected by the activity outside of the tank.

Asked about making the transition to a new team, the first thing Cutler and Kyle Orton brought up was something the public rarely thinks about the hassle of physically moving.

Moving your family is difficult, said Orton, who went to Denver in the Cutler trade. My wife was in Chicago for a couple years and she started to make some good friendships. To pack up and leave, for her, was tough. Shes adapted well though.

Orton was surprised to find out he was traded on April 2. On April 3, he left his home in suburban Chicago for Denver. More than five months later, he has yet to see that home again.

No one likes to move, Cutler said. That whole process takes time. Its a struggle. Then you have new teammates, new coaches, new offense, new city. There are a lot of different elements involved in changing teams.

Learning a new offense can be the most daunting challenge. It certainly was for Brett Favre when he went from the Packers to the Jets because the Jets had a completely different offense from the one he played in for his previous 16 years in Green Bay. The transition from the Jets to the Vikings was much easier on Favre because he is going back to what he did for so long.

Its the same system he knew so well, Vikings coach Brad Childress said. Its like being back in France and speaking French. It all comes back to you pretty quick.

It wasnt the same for Orton, who left a West Coast based system for Josh McDaniels offense, which is completely different and arguably one of the most complex in the NFL.

It was a struggle learning it, Orton said. Its a very complex offense, especially after being in one system for four or five years. You develop a comfort level. You have favorite plays, everything you like. You have to learn everything from scratch, even operation at the line of scrimmage and calling the play in the huddle.

The transition has been easier for Cutler, who went from Mike Shanahans West Coast based offense to Ron Turners West Coast based offense.

It hasnt been as hard as I first imagined it, he said. There are similar protections, similar routes. There are only so many different ways to put guys in different spots on the football field. Its come fairly easy, but Im still learning.

Besides learning a new system, a veteran quarterback changing teams has to hope he fits the new system. They dont always. When Kurt Warner went from the Rams to the Giants, he wasnt anywhere near as effective because the system did not complement his abilities. But when he went to the Cardinals, he looked like the old Kurt Warner in part because he fit the offense so much better.

The veteran quarterback also has to hope he clicks with new teammates. Cutler and tight end Greg Olsen seemed to hit it off immediately, both on and off the field. But Cutler and wide receiver Devin Hester dont appear completely on the same page yet.

Favre never seemed to completely be in sync with Laveranues Coles after they were put in the same aquarium in New York last year. Jets running back Thomas Jones made some publicly critical comments of Favre late last season.

Favre hopes he melds better in Minnesota, both in terms of personally and on the field. A big factor will be getting used to our guys, how they run their routes, who are the fastest, who wiggles open, how do you throw Sidney Rice the ball, Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell says.

Looking sharp in purple is one thing. Playing sharp in purple is another.



I'm digging deep within my soul to muster some compassion or sympathy for these guys . . . and failing utterly. I hate moving more than anybody, but rather than bemoaning the fact they have to move, perhaps they should be rejoicing that they can actually afford comfortably to own homes in multiple states.

I'm definitely looking forward to this shakeup in the NFC. I still see it breaking down thus:

Packers
Bears
Vikings
Lions

And I think the Lions will be serious contention within two years, if not next year.
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Fan Shout
beast (5h) : Yeah, but also some of the wording suggestions Jax only pranked called the QB, not the others... and if he had an open spreadsheet & 3 calls
beast (5h) : Thank goodness he's not leaving the Turtle in the Red Tide
Mucky Tundra (6h) : Cowboys 1st round pick Tyler Booker will indeed be bringing his pet turtle to Dallas with him
Mucky Tundra (6h) : that contained all prospects info and contact
Mucky Tundra (6h) : beast, according the Falcons statement Jax came across it on an ipad. If I had to guess, probably an open spread sheet or something
Zero2Cool (6h) : Simmons put up an emoji with cheese.
beast (6h) : Not sure anyone is interested in Isaiah Simmons... Collin Oliver might of taken his potential slot
beast (7h) : I'm going with Jax Ulbrich is not telling the whole truth... he accidentally came across it? Why would a defensive coordinator have a QB #?
Zero2Cool (7h) : He's not that great, but final piece of the script.\
Zero2Cool (7h) : If we add Isaiah Simmons, book your Super Bowl tickets
Mucky Tundra (8h) : Colts 1st round TE Tyler Warren also got prank called, was that Jax Ulbrich as well?
Zero2Cool (8h) : Jax Ulbrich, Jeff Ulbrich’s son, released an apology for his role in the Shedeur Sanders prank call.
Martha Careful (8h) : apparently he did not participate in practice or play on the east west shrine game nor the NFL combine. The kid was a mediocre spoiled brat
Mucky Tundra (8h) : Yeah that one that was a super wounded duck that Sanders supporters are highlighting to prove a point
Zero2Cool (8h) : Shough is the guy who missed guys at combine isn't he?
beast (9h) : It's not official until I'm dead! I have a chance still! (Not really)
Mucky Tundra (18h) : I could feel my body decomposing in real time when I read that
Mucky Tundra (18h) : @MIKEYSAINRISTIL Tyler Shough will officially be the last person drafted to the NFL born in the 1900’s
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : saw the tweet, he meant the city
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : Was that for the team or the city?
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter · 3m Draft grade is in: Green Bay gets an A. The people, the city, the venue were all superb. NFL Draft’s next
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matt LaFleur says Jaire Alexander is participating in #Packers offseason program, which has been conducted virtually during this first week
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : ✅ ...
buckeyepackfan (26-Apr) : Check
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matthew Golden cahanged 81 to 22??
TheKanataThrilla (26-Apr) : Sam Howell to Vikings...guess no Aaron
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Agree
dfosterf (26-Apr) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (26-Apr) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (26-Apr) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (26-Apr) : Great point Martha
beast (26-Apr) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (26-Apr) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (26-Apr) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 3rd. Hate this phone
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 4rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes in the 4
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 7 minutes between picks in the 2nd round
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : Sorry to bitch, but the headline writers in that section absolutely mislead, or don't know how to read. It is maddening
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : No thanks. Not a dependable guy to be in the right place and run the right route. Dumb as a box of rocks.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Losing 2nd round pick for a one year rental, not ideal. Especially a headcase.
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Pickens for Jaire may be interesting. Definitely not sure we want Pickens long term.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : No.Absolutely not
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : NO NO NO NO NO NO!!1 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
dhazer (25-Apr) : scenario: Our main prospects are off the board when our pick comes around, do we just throw a 2nd round pick at Pittsburgh for Pickens
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