NFL GridIron Gab Daily Digest

The AP breaks down the playoff weekend.

Jay Cutler drives me crazy. Watching him engineer (and/or screw up) drives causes me to have an inner dialogue that goes something like this…

Jay Cutler sucks.

No wait, I didn't mean that. He's the best passer of balls the quarterback-starved Bears have had in 20+ years and we're lucky to have him.

But damnit, the guy makes too many idiotic throws.

Who cares, dawg – he has an absolute canon for an arm that no other QB in the league possesses.

Yeah, well he's an arrogant, pompous ass who doesn't even look media members in the eye when he answers their questions at press conferences.

So what, he's a little cocky. I want the QB of my team – that happens to reside in the 2^nd largest media market in the league – to be on the confident side. And who gives a shit what the media says about him. As long as he has the respect of his teammates and coaches, I wouldn't care if he scratched his balls in the middle of a presser.

Like it or not, the Bears 2010 playoff run depends on two factors – Cutler's right arm and Cutler's right brain.

Jay's a little more than a week away from starting his first-ever playoff game. The guy with the up-and-down career hasn't thrown a pass in a pressure-packed playoff game since he was a high-schooler in Santa Claus, Indiana. But something tells me Cutler is about to gain legendary status with Bears fans this postseason.

How do I know? I'll admit, most of it is probably just wishful thinking…but I think it also has a lot to do with these 3 things:

1) His physical ability.

Cutler has more talent in his right arm than past Bear signal callers Steve Fuller, Mike Tomzack, Rick Mirer, Shane Mathews, Cade McNown, Henry Burris, Kordell Stewart, Steve Stenstrom, Moses Moreno, Craig Krenzel and Chad Hutchinson have in their bodies combined.

He can also get first downs with his feet (geez, stop drooling Rex). And despite playing behind an often porous line that's led to him being the most sacked QB in the league, Cutler's proved his durability, missing only one game vs. the Panthers.

2)     His mental toughness.

We probably have Cutler's former coach in Denver, Mike Shanahan, to thank for this, but #6 has the mental fortitude to overcome unfortunate events during the course of a game. He won't be fazed if a play or two (or twelve) doesn't go his way.

I'd much rather have him possess a short memory that keeps him on the attack rather than question himself, worrying over whether his next pass will end up in the hands of a receiver or an opposing cornerback.

His aggressive approach will always lead to picks. But how he responds to adversity is what I'm banking on. Remember his first ever game as a Bear? Cutler threw 4 interceptions before leading the Bears down the field to take the lead with a few minutes to go in the game.

Sure, Rodgers led the Packers back for the go-ahead score, but Cutler proved his resiliency.

3) He's played his best football as of late.

Rumor has it you want your quarterback playing his best ball entering the playoffs. I know he had a bad game in Green Bay (6 sacks didn't help), but his last 9 games have arguably been the best long stretch of his short career.

Here's a look at his stats before and after the bye in week 8:

While these numbers won't blow you away, they do show he's had a higher rating and thrown less INTs (on average) over the longer, 2^nd half haul…which has included a 2-2 split of games against playoff teams in the Patriots, Eagles, Jets and Packers.

Sometimes being average is good.

I read an article on Yahoo! Sports that ranked Cutler the 8^th best QB in the playoffs, ahead of only Matt Cassel, Joe Flacco, Mark Sanchez and Charlie Whitehurst. That's probably accurate considering the guys ahead of him include names like Brady, Manning, Brees and Vick.

But Cutler doesn't have to be an All-Pro during the playoffs. He can be an Average Joe and the Bears will have a good chance of advancing to the Super Bowl. He just has to avoid those costly, game-changing plays that take certain points off the board for the Bears or lead directly to points for the opponent.

I recognize Cutler will never be Peyton Manning. Maybe he can settle for being the next Trent Dilfer…who just so happens to have as many Super Bowl rings as Manning.

What do you think – can we trust Jay Cutler yet?

The Browns have pulled the trigger, naming Rams OC Pat Shurmur as their 13th full-time head coach in franchise history. Shurmur's résumé includes 23 years of coaching experience, including 12 in the NFL. In those 12 seasons, he has been a part of teams that have qualified for the playoffs seven times, won five division crowns and posted one Super Bowl appearance.

"It's an honor and a privilege to join an organization with such a rich history and tradition as the Cleveland Browns," Shurmur said. "I have the utmost respect for Coach Holmgren and Tom Heckert, and I am impressed with the direction in which they have this franchise going. I have known Tom for most of my pro coaching career, and while we were in Philadelphia, he and I developed an outstanding relationship. I want to thank Mike and Tom, as well as Randy Lerner, for this tremendous opportunity. I also want to thank the St. Louis Rams and Steve Spagnuolo for two terrific seasons and for giving me a chance to be a coordinator at this level. I am looking forward to this challenge and can't wait to get started in helping to build the Browns back to one of the elite teams in the NFL."

"I am extremely excited about having Pat Shurmur as the next head coach of the Cleveland Browns," said Browns President Mike Holmgren. "Pat is a bright, young man who grew up in football and around the coaching profession. I came away from our interview very impressed with him as a person, his extensive knowledge of the game and his track record of success as an assistant coach in this league. Most importantly, I feel as though he possesses the necessary qualities which make him the right man to lead our football team."

Shurmur spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Rams, helping them move to a 7-9 record following a 1-15 season in 2009, the second-biggest turnaround in the league this past season. In 2010, he guided St. Louis' offense to improvements in nearly every category including total yards, time of possession and third-down percentage, while they also scored 114 more points than the previous year. In addition, the Rams committed just 21 turnovers in 2010, tied for the ninth-lowest total in the NFL.

He helped shape quarterback Sam Bradford, the top pick in the 2010 draft, as Bradford set NFL rookie records for completions (354) and attempts (590), while his 3,512 passing yards were the second-most by a rookie in league history, trailing only Peyton Manning’s 3,739 in 1998. Bradford’s 18 touchdown passes tied for fifth-most among rookies in NFL history. During a midseason stretch, he set an NFL rookie record with 174 consecutive attempts without an interception.

President Mike Holmgren is only known to have met with Shurmur, Atlanta offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey and New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. Interviews with potential candidates Jon Gruden and John Fox never got past an exploratory phone call.

"Pat is a bright, young man who grew up in football and around the coaching profession," Holmgren said. "I came away from our interview very impressed with him as a person, his extensive knowledge of the game and his track record of success as an assistant coach in this league.

"Most importantly, I feel as though he possesses the necessary qualities which make him the right man to lead our football team."

Drake Nevis, DT, LSU, 6′2 285

Position Ranking: #3

Strengths: A disruptive interior pass rusher; Nevis has the athleticism to release quickly off the snap of the ball and penetrate the line of scrimmage. Extends arms and closes quickly once he gets inside the backfield. Uses his hands and arms well to fight for position, showing a quick swim/arm & over move to work into the backfield and fight off attempts to sustain blocking.

Will work to create trash at the line of scrimmage by dropping down and slightly tugging defender to close the inside running lane. Very aggressive in his play and gives maximum effort consistently; pursuing hard to the opposite side of the field. Keeps his legs churning and arms moving when walled off on initial release. Moves well laterally and shows effectiveness on inside stunts. Good tackler at the line of scrimmage; wraps and falls down. Emotional player and encourages teammates.

Needs Improvement: Strength and size will need to improve in order to be consistently effective on inside runs. Technique is off/on and he’ll be driven off the line or neutralized in his pass rush when he releases high off the snap. Has a hard time against double teams; doesn’t apply much technique to fight through. Strictly a one gap player. Wasn’t asked to drop into coverage in games I observed.

Bottom Line: Drake Nevis flashes the ability to be a good pass rusher at the NFL level. He has the prototypical skill and mind set to be let loose as 1 and 3 technique pass rusher from a 4-3 alignment. Just give him his one gap responsibility and let him fly off the snap off the ball. When Nevis’ technique was on (feet under hips, low pad level) and he was able to anticipate the snap count, he showed that he was a consistent threat in his pass rush, while forcing double teams.

His playing demeanor and non-stop motor is evident in his play, allowing him to regularly get around the football. Nevis’ size is a drawback to his overall value as he does have a hard time consistently anchoring one gap against the run, and it looks like his frame is maxed out in size if he hopes to maintain his overall quickness and athleticism. It will be important for Nevis to be in the right system to be effective, and he won’t be equally valued by all teams. Overall, his athleticism and playing demeanor isn’t matched by many tackles in this class and his size and skills indicate that he may be able to work in as a 4-3 end on some occasions.

Draft Projection: 2nd round.

I was approached and agreed to do an on-line interview with the blog – Baltimore Sports and Life, of course about the Steelers and the upcoming divisional playoff game Saturday. Here’s the interview, with a look at not only the game, but about some of the positions on the Steelers and the clubs future.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Before the season started Pittsburgh lost Willie Colon. During the year, the Steelers lost Max Starks. How has Jonathan Scott progressed at LT? How has the 13 year veteran Flozell Adams held up at RT?”

Matt Loede: Scott has been average, to the point where he has given up plays at times and then comes back and makes a nice block to either open up a hole or save Ben Roethlisberger from a sack. Adams has probably not been worth the money, his age is showing, and he also has been hindered with too many holds through out the year on plays where he's been beaten. Both will have to be above average Saturday vs the Ravens.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “The interior of the Steelers line features 2010 1st Round pick Maurkice Pouncey who was voted to the Pro Bowl. Tell me about the Guards (LG) Kemoeatu, and Foster?”

Matt Loede: The club was carried by the run game before Roethlisberger got back from his suspension, and some of that credit has to go to both Kemoeatu and Foster, who were able to open some inside holes for lead running back Rashard Mendenhall. There's been moments of inconsistency this season all over the line, and while at times it falls on Roethlisberger holding on the ball too long, there's times on the inside when both Kemoeatu and Foster can be beat. It's easy to understand Foster having issues in just his 2nd season, but seeing Kemoeatu having tough days is hard to watch considering it's his 6th season and he's making near $6 mil.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Mendenhall set career highs in carries (324), yards (1,273), and TD’s (13). Coming off the buy, and with just 68 carries in his previous 4 games he should have fresh legs. In 5 career games against Baltimore he has had 94 carries for 285 yards (an average of 19 carries, 57 yards per game, 3 yards per carry). Any chance he gets extended carries Saturday, or do you anticipate only enough to keep the Ravens honest?”

Matt Loede: Can't see it. The Steelers have a tendency, more so when things get tight, to simply use the run as a backdrop to the pass, and unless the weather plays a huge factor Saturday, that will be the case again. Mendy will be valuable in picking up blitzers, as well as being an outlet for Roethlisberger when things get hairy and he can't find anyone downfield. But, with all that said, Mendenhall cannot be completely ignored by the Ravens, as he's got the ability to break off a good sized run at any point.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “In the Ravens playoff victory over Kansas City, Baltimore received a signature performance from veteran TE Todd Heap. The Steelers have their own talented veteran TE in Heath Miller. I know Miller dealt with a concussion earlier in the year, but finished strong the last two weeks with 9 catches for 128 yards against Carolina, and Cleveland. Does he get a chance to be a weapon in this game, or will the Steelers need him to stay at the line and block?”

Matt Loede: Miller has been an unsung hero in this offense the past few seasons, and this season he's again a weapon that Roethlisberger will not be afraid to look for. He's averaging just three catches a game (42 in 14 games), but his 3 grabs in the 2008 AFC Title game made a big impact vs the Ravens considering he put up 20.7 yards per catch. I would suspect the Steelers to use Miller in both areas on Saturday, but at the end of the day, more so near the goal line, Miller will be more of a target than a blocker.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Mike Wallace had 1,257 reception yards with 10 TD’s. Averaging 21 yards per reception on his 60 grabs, Wallace is clearly a home-run threat. He had 7 games with over 100 yards, including the last 3 games of the season. Has he become a more complete receiver (blocking, underneath routes) during the year?”

Matt Loede: He really showed how good he could be in the final 5-6 games of the season when he took a couple short passes and broke them into long TD runs like he did vs the Raiders and Panthers. The Ravens have done a nice job in the four games they have played against him, but Wallace is a game-breaker, and like Santonio Holmes did two seasons ago against Baltimore, I would suspect to see Roethlisberger try to get Wallace going early with the hopes of seeing the chances or two of a big play to get the offense going.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Ward’s receptions dropped from 95 last-year to 59 this season, leading some to wonder if Father Time is catching-up with the 34 year-old receiver. It bears noting though that he played 4 games without Roethlisberger, and had an 8 catch 115 yard game in December. Ward still the go-to receiver when Pittsburgh needs a tough 1st down?”

Matt Loede: Ward may not be the #1 target anymore, but there's still no one better when the going gets tough, and that fact won't change this Saturday. Ward is still the most reliable receiver on the roster, and while he's not the game-breaker like Wallace, he still can catch 10-15 yard passes, break 1-2 tackles, and find the end zone as good as any pass catcher in the game. Look for Ward to have a big impact Saturday.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “The Steelers finished 2nd in Total Defense, and had the best Rushing Defense by a wide margin. (Pittsburgh allowed just 62.8 yards per game on the ground, Chicago was 2nd in the NFL at 93.9 ypg) Pittsburgh also led the league with 48 sacks, and most importantly allowed just 14.5 points per game. The Steelers always have a quality defense, but does it feel like this group was a bit under-appreciated for how good they were over 16 games?”

Matt Loede: 100 percent. Everyone still seems to feel that this defense wasn't as good as the Super Bowl winning 2008 defense, but to me, they are better. LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison on the outside are as good as any tandem in the league, while Lawrence Timmons on the inside has really come into his own. Another guy that has started to assert himself in the absence of Aaron Smith is former first-round pick Ziggy Hood. The Ravens won't run, so it will be on the shoulders of Flacco to win the game.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “2009 1st round pick Ziggy Hood has started 10 games in place of the injured Aaron Smith. All 3 of his sacks have come in the the last 4 games. Is the LDE coming on as a real force?”

Matt Loede: As stated in the last answer, Hood clearly has taken some big steps forward in 2010. He is showing the reasons why he was a first-round pick, and in seasons past when the team has lost Smith, the defense usually has gone downhill quickly. This season it's been as good, if not even better with Hood being a force on the line to complement the linebackers.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Casey Hampton controls the opposition running game from his Nose Tackle position. Can the Ravens go 1×1 with Hampton, or is he a mis-match with Birk?”

Matt Loede: Hampton has had pretty good success with Birk, so if the Ravens are going to try to pound Rice and McGahee even if it's to keep the Steelers defense honest, they are going to have to do more than trust Birk to go 1-on-1 with Hampton, who continues to be a force despite being on the wrong side of 30.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “When I think about the Steelers, the first thing that comes to mind are the Linebackers. At the Outside LB positions, Woodley and Harrison both registered double-digit sacks for the 3rd consecutive season. (Though the Ravens were able to prevent Woodley or Harrison from gaining a sack in the previous games this year) In the interior Farrior had 109 tackles with 6 sacks, and Timmons had 135 tackles.
Your thoughts on this group as a whole?”

Matt Loede: Best in the NFL. The major issue for an opposing offense is that you can't focus on one guy, as the moment you think one is stopped, the other comes up and makes a play. The guy that really has stepped his game up is Timmons, who is a huge force stopping the run, but can still do a good job in pass coverage or rushing the QB. Woodley and Harrison are as disruptive as any duo in the league, and while the Ravens have done a good job on them in games 1 and 2, they will have to do the same if not more the third time around.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “2010 2nd round pick Jason Worilds is a backup at OLB. Is he getting on the field more in pass-rushing situations? Where do the Steelers feel he needs to improve?”

Matt Loede: He's learning from the best, so for him it's a matter of staying humble and listening to the players around him. He was known in college as a pass rush specialist, but at 254 pounds he lacks some of the bulk right now to stop runners on a consistent basis. The team is high on him though, and his special teams play has also earned him playing time on the leagues best defense as well. He can surprise and make a play when you least expect it.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Boldin had a quiet 2nd half, aside from his 5 catch, 118 yards, 1 TD game vs. Pittsburgh in Baltimore. Who draws the assignment against Boldin, McFadden or Taylor?”

Matt Loede: I would say it's McFadden, as more than likely Taylor will end up on Mason. Boldin has the size advantage over Bryant, which means it wouldn't be a shock to see the Steelers roll some coverage over to help McFadden, and make sure that if Boldin does make a catch, he feels it every time and doesn't break it for a bigger gain.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “When you look at the respective Head Coaches (Harbaugh, Tomlin), Offensive Coordinator (Cameron, Arians), Defensive Coordinator (Mattison, LeBeau), do you look at that as even or do you give Pittsburgh the advantage?”

Matt Loede: The one guy that will get the credit if the Steelers D holds the Ravens in check is LeBeau, and rightfully so. It will be his job to confuse Flacco, show him even more different looks than he's seen this season, last season, and in the 3-games back in 2008, and make sure the WR's and TE's don't have time to roam around and get open. Tomlin has done a nice job in his first four seasons of keeping this team grounded, making sure they are ready to play each week, and not allowing emotions to get too high or too low. I expect that Saturday as well, as most of the trash talking it seems has come from the Ravens locker room this week already.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Pittsburgh earned the 1st round bye and got to rest-up. The Ravens have to travel to the Steel City on a short-week. Despite that, it is hard for me to imagine anything but another physical match-up worthy of rivals that goes down to the end. Amazingly, Baltimore and the Steelers are playing for an 8th time in 3 seasons. My thought is that there is not a lot to analyze, you know what you are going to get. Your thoughts and prediction on the game?”

Matt Loede: What you stated is very accurate, as it seems that these games come down to simply who makes a big play or two late, and who plays just a little more physical than the other. With that, there's no way you can convince me that the week off didn't help the Steelers a great deal. This is a veteran team that needed the break, not only to get some guys healthy, but also to work on things for the Ravens the moment they realized that was who they would be playing. The Steelers are very good in the divisional round, and have won 11 of their last 14 wild card and divisional playoff games. On a divisional front, they have won 7 of their last 9, and are 6 and 1 in their last 7 divisional games after a bye since 1992. They will be prepared, healthy, and I think will have more spring in their step and may have a surprise or two for Baltimore Saturday in front of a crazy crowd that will help as well. Steelers win 24-13.

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Whenever the season ends for the Pittsburgh Steelers, what will be the biggest questions facing the organization in the off-season?”

Matt Loede: Tough to say with all the issues involving the CBA. If things there get settled, the team still needs some help on the O-line, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them draft some help for the secondary as well. They also need to get something settled with LaMarr Woodley, who is set for free agency and they probably will franchise tag if that is still around after the CBA thing gets settled. This team is still set to be good for the next couple years to come.