Bears Cutler vs. Broncos Marshall/Royal: Who Will Have a Better Season?

The question continues in Chicago, did Jay Cutler make Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal that much better of receivers, or did Marshall and Royal’s abilities make Cutler look more like a Pro Bowler than he really was?

The answer to the question is that they both  benefited from each other’s skills, but taking the middle ground is not really a football fan’s way of doing things. It is considered the easy way out.

So thankfully, the question should be answered once the seasons hits the midway point. How, you might ask?

Well, you can argue that both Cutler and the Broncos receivers are now dealing with less effective counterparts so everyone will be checking both Kyle Orton’s numbers as well as the Bears receiving corps stats and using that as a basis.

Orton, while a capable QB, does not have the rocket arm that Cutler possesses and none of the Bears receivers are even close to the level that Brandon Marshall is at, and arguably Eddie Royal for that matter.

With Orton, who the Broncos named starter a few days ago, you have a quarterback who can manage games and make smart throws, but also benefited from having a great running game to take the pressure off. He had problems connecting on deep passes but his short tosses and out-routes have been on target. His numbers should be bolstered by having a receiver like Marshall who is big, physical, and can out jump most cornerbacks.

What might hurt Orton is the fact that the Broncos have nothing even resembling a legitimate rushing attack. After being able to turn around and hand the ball off to the likes of Matt Forte, and Thomas Jones at one point, expect Orton to be surprised when he turns and hands the ball off to five different backs on five straight plays.

In Chicago, Jay Cutler will be working with a very raw group of receivers. Devin Hester and Rashied Davis are the only two who have any real NFL game experience. Earl Bennett is coming off a rookie season where he did not record a single reception. Add in there practice squad extraordinaire Brandon Rideau and rookies Juaquin Iglesias and Johnny Knox, and there are more than a few question marks to say the least.

Hester will no doubt be an improved weapon considering Cutler’s cannon of an arm. And Bennett and Cutler were teammates back when both attend Vanderbilt, so they already have developed a rapport. Davis, coming off a miserable season last year, is looking to bounce back and prove that he is a reliable option in the slot. Both Iglesias and Knox have drawn the praises of draft guru’s everywhere.

But none of them, not even Hester really, have shown the ability to be that star receiver that Cutler needs.

Where Cutler will be surprised is with Forte and the running game, he will not only be throwing less passes, he had 600+ attempts last year, but the play-action pass could become deadly. Add to that a solid, reliable tight end in Desmond Clark and an up-and-comer in Greg Olsen, and Cutler’s passing percentage could be on the rise, of course his overall yards and TD’s might take a dip.

So all in all, it will be an interesting season to watch for both Bears and Bronco fans and expect the comparisons to be endless. I personally hope that it turns out Cutler made Marshall and Royal better, as opposed to the other way around, but hey, I am a Bears fan; what do you expect?

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