Bears Blitz

Published by James Williamson on July 21, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Steve Watson, Butch Johnson, Vance Johnson, Clint Sampson, Mark Jackson, Steve Sewell, Rick Nattiel, and Mike Young.

Anyone recognize those names?

I knew one, Butch Johnson, because he had been a receiver who caught a touchdown in Super Bowl XII for the Dallas Cowboys.

The other guys were simply names to me. Just names.

Do you know who they are? If you do, pat yourself on the back because these men were the wide receivers that John Elway had throughout his career before 1994.

These were the guys that actually had close to 500 yards receiving or more in a season. None of them ever made it to the Pro Bowl with Elway (Watson made it once in 1981), none will ever be given a thought towards the Hall of Fame, and only two ever had a 1,000 yard receiving season.

There you have it folks. You are looking at the weapons that John Elway had throughout his career in the 80s when he took the Broncos to the three Super Bowls in four years.

After further research, I found out that in the 80s, John Elway was the only offensive Pro Bowler the team had except for Sammy Winder, a running back who made the Pro Bowl in 84 and 86 and left guard Keith Bishop, who made it in 86 and 87.

When you look at John Elway’s numbers throughout his early career, they are not flashy, but rather pedestrian.

1986:   

• 280/504, 55.6% completion, 3,485 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, 13 interceptions.
• Leading receiver, Mark Jackson, with 738 yards.
• Second leading receiver, Steve Watson, with 699 yards.
• QB rating was 79.0 and win-loss record was 11-5.

1987:

• 224/410 54.6% completion, 3,198 yards passing, 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions.
• Leading receiver, Vance Johnson, with 684 yards.
• Second Leading receiver, Rick Nattiel, with 630 yards.
• QB rating was 83.4 and win-loss record was 8-3-1.

1989: 

• 223/416, 53.6% completion, 3,051 yards passing, 18 touchdowns, 18 interceptions.
• Leading receiver, Vance Johnson, with 1,095 yards.
• Second leading receiver, Mark Jackson, with 446 yards.
• QB rating was 73.7 and win-loss record was 10-5.

Those three years above are the years that John Elway took the Broncos to the Super Bowl and lost. He led them to victories they were not supposed to get.

This is why John Elway is a legend. He took a team, that had no real offensive fixture and he became the core of its power. This is why he has 47 fourth quarter comebacks, he took a team that was not supposed to win and made miracles on a regular basis.

Looking at these statistics, looking at these supporting casts and realizing that he took them to the Super Bowl three times, it just leaves me speechless with amazement.

This is what legends are made of. To take something that is scraped from the barrel and make it top quality. That is what John Elway did.

Now, lets go on to our Mr. Cutler. The former Denver Broncos quarterback who was traded to the Chicago Bears.

Whiny, arrogant, and has said he has a better arm than John Elway.

Who is he kidding? Is he really that stupid? Or does he think we are?

Do we dare compare? Yes, we do.

Jay Cutler has played two full seasons in the NFL, 2007 and 2008, and he has made one Pro Bowl selection and has a QB record of 17-20

Geez! I am impressed. Yessir, I am very impressed with a losing quarterback record.

Of course, I’m going to give him some slack for the defense. The defense with Elway was very good, top 10 in those Super Bowl years, while Cutler’s defense has been less than helpful.

And, he did lose like what? 12 running backs last year to injuries.

Well, he can’t blame them now if he screws up. He is now with the Chicago Bears because of a major dispute between him and Bronco’s management.

So, I have a few words for the new quarterback of the Windy City.

You are responsible for the offense. The Broncos in 2008 were ranked 2nd in total offensive yards, yet 16th in scoring. What does that tell me?

It tells me that you didn’t find a way like Elway did. It tells me that you didn’t become a leader like Elway was and find a way to get that ball into the endzone.

Don’t blame the rushing attack fully. The Broncos still had 1,862 yards rushing with 15 touchdowns to be ranked 12th in total yards and 14th in touchdowns.

That isn’t elite, but it isn’t like you were the Cardinals who were 32nd in rushing, and yet they made to the Super Bowl.

If they can make it to the Super Bowl with that rushing attack, and that inconsistent defense, you certainly are capable of making playoffs in a division that had two teams with a combined total of six wins.

I’m not going to say you aren’t good Jay. On the contrary, you are very good, but you are not John Elway. John Elway would not let a bad defense stop him from leading his men down the field.

John Elway would not have let himself be beaten as badly as you were in the regular season finale against the Chargers that decided the playoff spot.

John Elway would have taken those two great receivers you had named Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall and found a way. The two guys that had a total of 2,245 yards receiving.

If you want to be better than John Elway then do what he could not. Win the Super Bowl with the Chicago Bears as they are now!

This Chicago Bears team reminds me of Elway’s team.

Great defense, good special teams, good running back, and average to sub-average receivers.

The Bears leading receiver was Devin Hester, who was inconsistent, with 665 yards.

There is also tight end Greg Olsen, who had 574 yards.

Matt Forte (running back) and Rashied Davis with 477 and 445 yards respectively.

Desmond Clark (tight end) and Brandon Lloyd with 367 and 364 yards respectively.

Should I go on?

Elway got a team like this to the Super Bowl three times and was blown out in all three.

Show me you can do better. Show me you can take my father’s old team (He was born in Chicago) and restore their former glory. Be the top quarterback the Bears haven’t had since Sid Luckman, who played in the 1940s.

If you can do that, not only will you be cemented as a legend in Chicago, but you will be a legend to me and that is something that does not happen easily.

I’m waiting Jay.