Cutler out to stay on upswing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jay Cutler is on a roll.
At least that’s what Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase contends.
Gase said Cutler, who has been up-anddown this season, is very much on an upswing heading into tonight’s game at the Carolina Panthers.
“Jay, really, the last two games he has played well,” Gase said of his quarterback. “The Jets game, that was probably one of the best games that he has had. “Then this last game, I think he topped it.” The question is whether Cutler can continue this hot streak and lead the Dolphins (4-4), who are riding back-to-back losses, to a victory over the Panthers (6-3).
And a big key to that will be whether the offensive line, which has a pair of new starters in left guard Ted Larsen and right tackle Jesse Davis, can keep him upright and painfree against a Panthers defense, led by linebackers Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly, that’s No. 1 in the NFL in yards allowed per game (274.1) and second in sacks (29). “Incredible defense,” Cutler said. However, the Dolphins, with their new, two-headed backfield of running backs Kenyan Drake and Damien Williams, think they can match Carolina’s defense. Drake and Williams are dual threats. They combined
for 165 yards from scrimmage last week and had 12 receptions, a trait the offense’s previous incarnation didn’t possess.
“I think it’s something they do extremely well,” Cutler said of Drake and Williams being receivers. “They’ve got a really good feel for getting out of the backfield, finding soft spots.”
As for Cutler, he passed for 311 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in last week’s 27-24 loss to Oakland. He had a seasonbest 121.3 passer rating.
A rib injury kept Cutler out of the 40-0 loss at Baltimore two games ago.
But prior to that, in the 31-28 victory over the New York Jets, the game he sustained the rib injury, Cutler went 12 of 16 for 138 yards, two touchdowns and one interception and had a 114.1 passer rating.
For the season Cutler has 10 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 87.4 passer rating that ranks 29th in the league.
It’s important to note, however, Cutler’s recent success has meant more points. The Dolphins, the NFL’s lowest-scoring offense at 14.5 points per game, recorded their two best point totals of the season against the Jets (31) and Raiders (24), Cutler’s last two starts.
“I think we’ve gotten better and better and better,” Cutler said. “We’ve had a few hiccups here and there, but we’ve kind of been trending in the positive direction.”
In a sign the offense might truly be improving consider tight end Julius Thomas, who didn’t make much noise prior to last week, came alive with six receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown against Oakland.
Defensively, Miami gets a boost this week from safety T.J. McDonald, who will team with Reshad Jones to give the Dolphins the best pair of hard-hitting safeties they’ve had in years. Most likely they’ll be used interchangeably between the free and strong safety positions.
Miami’s defense, which ranks 10th in yards allowed per game (315.4) and seventh in rushing yards allowed per game (94), will have its hands full trying to contain Carolina quarterback Cam Newton. He’s second on the team in rushing with 341 yards (4.9 yards per carry) and has 28 rushing first downs, which ranks seventh in the league and is by far the most for any quarterback.
But the quarterback story of the game will be Cutler and whether he can continue to direct the Miami offense to better things.
Gase likes the way things are trending with his handpicked quarterback, and he has no problem saying Cutler had his best game in a Miami uniform last week even though it was a loss.
“I think it probably was, yes,” Gase said.
“He looked comfortable. He threw the ball accurately, more accurately. He protected the ball. He was extremely prudent with the ball. We all thought that he looked comfortable. I think some of it probably is that he’s getting more and more comfortable.
“If we can keep the arrow going up that way, that would be huge.”