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Javalon
09-06-2007, 02:54 AM
Nice confidence builder for the fans heading into the opener:

http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_6812099

Cutler clearly in control with Broncos approaching opener

By Bill Williamson

Suddenly, during Wednesday's walk-through practice, Jay Cutler halted the play.

A receiver made a slight mistake. Cutler recognized it and corrected it.

"That's his duty," tight end Stephen Alexander said of Cutler, who will make the sixth start of his NFL career Sunday when the Broncos open the season at Buffalo. "We're a veteran team. We don't need the coaches to tell us when we're out of place. We'll do it. As the quarterback, it's part of Jay's job. For him to notice it right away and call it out shows that this is his team. That stuff is good to see."

It was a nice confidence booster before the season starts. The kid quarterback is no kid anymore.

Cutler has flown under the radar in recent weeks because of all the worry about the Broncos defense in the preseason and buzz over the signing of veteran pass rusher Simeon Rice. But if the Broncos, who spent nearly the entire past eight months gearing up for a return to the postseason, are going to have a chance to win the Super Bowl, it will be up to Cutler. The Broncos believe he is a franchise quarterback, which explains why they traded up to take the former Vanderbilt star with the 11th pick in the 2006 draft.
As a rookie, Cutler started the final five games of the 2006 season, which the Broncos ended 9-7 and out of the playoffs. Jake Plummer started the team's first 11 games at quarterback before coach Mike Shanahan pulled him and promoted Cutler. Even though the Broncos went 2-3 in Cutler's starts, there were flashes that showed why they drafted him. Cutler became the first NFL rookie to throw multiple touchdown passes in each of the first four games he played.

Cutler passed for 1,001 yards and nine touchdowns in five games but also threw five interceptions.

He said he felt like he was given a pass last year. He knows his rookie mulligan is over. And he knows he is expected to lead the Broncos back to the playoffs.

"I've had a lot of time to get into the offense and figure stuff out," Cutler said. "People are going to expect a lot more out of me. Last year it was just, 'He's a rookie and will make mistakes.' This year, they are going to expect me to go out there and execute."

Mike Heimerdinger, the Broncos' assistant head coach in charge of offense, said Cutler appears comfortable in the offense and attributes that to Cutler getting thousands of repetitions since offseason workouts started in the spring.

"Jay has an understanding of what is going on," Heimerdinger said. "Last year, it was more of a case of memorization because everything was so new to him."

Shanahan said Cutler has total confidence and the 24-year-old knows the game plan inside and out.

"I feel more confident in what I'm doing and have a better command of the offense and understand what we're trying to get done offensively on the field," Cutler said.

It seems Cutler has gotten his teammates in his corner.

"The quarterback is getting better every day," running back Travis Henry said. "We see it every day. He's the leader out there."

BroncoManiac_69
09-06-2007, 03:15 AM
Oh Boy.

This kid is clearly our future. This kid has the talent, the know how and the ability to be a star.

Although I love all this praise, I can't help but feel it's my duty to remind everyone that as a guy that watched John Elway grow up and mature into a champion, it took many many years before we had our trophy.

Crap... I used the "E" word.

If we can surpass the "E" era and make a new presence in the NFL with new faces, we then will become a team that is not a one man fluke.

TXBRONC
09-06-2007, 06:45 AM
Looks like he really starting to get a firm grasp of the offense.

anton...
09-06-2007, 09:46 AM
im sooooo excited for this season i could poop myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:afraid:
________
Wet_kitty (http://camslivesexy.com/cam/Wet_kitty)

rcsodak
09-06-2007, 08:25 PM
im sooooo excited for this season i could poop myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:afraid:

again?:tsk:

rcsodak
09-06-2007, 08:45 PM
In control, AND nervous. Which one wins?


(AP) ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Opening the season as the starter has second-year quarterback Jay Cutler a bundle of nerves.

"I'm excited, I'm nervous, I'm anxious," he said Wednesday. "There's a lot of things going through my mind. Right now we're trying to get our game plan and figuring that out."

Cutler seemed like he'd rather be anywhere else than on the podium in the media room at Broncos headquarters.

"We just got off from the walkthrough, so my mind is on different things," he said when told he didn't seem very excited.

Cutler replaced Jake Plummer with five games left last season and would have led Denver into the playoffs were it not for an overtime loss to San Francisco in the finale. He became the first quarterback to throw for two or more touchdowns in his first four games.

He's had a full offseason of work as the starter.

"I just feel more confident in what I'm doing. I have a better command of the offense and a better understanding of what we're trying to get done on the field," he said.

"People are going to expect more out of me. Last year, I could kind of be the rookie and make mistakes. But this year they're going to expect me to go out and perform."

Cutler has a better supporting cast, too, with the free agent additions of tight end Daniel Graham, tailback Travis Henry and slot receiver Brandon Stokley. The return of Matt Lepsis from a knee injury should solidify the line, although Ben Hamilton (concussion) is sidelined.

"With Travis, we're going to run the ball," Cutler said. "We're going to play Broncos football."

With Lepsis out last year, Tatum Bell and Mike Bell never really got going out of the backfield and that negated Plummer's play-action fakes.

This year, the Broncos finally have the workhorse running back that coach Mike Shanahan employed during his most successful years in Denver.

"We're going to run the ball first," Cutler said. "That's what we've always done in the past. We're going to try to get Travis going and if it opens up, it opens up."

Cutler is glad he got his feet wet last year.

"Those five games helped me out tremendously," he said. "Just being able to go back and look at the film over the offseason and figure out what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. I feel more confident, but I'm still inexperienced. I just have to go out there and make good decisions."

fcspikeit
09-06-2007, 09:25 PM
In control, AND nervous. Which one wins?

I say both,

IMO at the first of the game he will be more nervous then in control. :eek:
Then at the end he will settle in and be in control :cool:

I really hope our running game is on track. If we are moving the ball it will give us a chance to work Cutler into the offence slowly at a controlled pace. Then when the butterfly's have faded turn him lose :salute:

broncosinindy
09-06-2007, 09:41 PM
I think cutler should be alright. i really hope him and nalen keep on working on the center exchange i hope it doesnt cost us this year.

TXBRONC
09-06-2007, 09:43 PM
I think cutler should be alright. i really hope him and nalen keep on working on the center exchange i hope it doesnt cost us this year.


It hasn't been a problem from OTAs through preseason.

BroncoWave
09-06-2007, 09:53 PM
It hasn't been a problem from OTAs through preseason.

he did fumble snap or 2 in the preseason if i remember correctly.

TXBRONC
09-06-2007, 10:23 PM
he did fumble snap or 2 in the preseason if i remember correctly.

I remember only one.

BroncoWave
09-06-2007, 10:25 PM
I remember only one.

Still one too many. I have confidence though that they can fix this in the regular season.

broncosinindy
09-06-2007, 10:32 PM
It hasn't been a problem from OTAs through preseason.

There was a miscue if i remember right in the Dallas game if i remember right.

TXBRONC
09-06-2007, 10:54 PM
There was a miscue if i remember right in the Dallas game if i remember right.


That's the only one I can think of. One in my opinion doesn't necessarily constitute a problem.