WADDLE'S WORLD: Trade has worked for Bears and Denver
By TOM WADDLE
The sky is falling, the sky is falling, the sky is falling!
Collectively, grab some bench all you “Chicken Littles.”
Yes, I know the Bears dropped to 3-2 Sunday night. Yeah, I watched the Denver Broncos get past the
San Diego Chargers on Monday night to make it six in a row. I’m fully aware that Kyle Orton has thrown nine touchdowns and just one interception and has a QB rating of 100.
And, yes, my research shows Jay Cutler with 10 TD passes, seven picks and a QB rating below 90.
And I’ve never been happier or more optimistic about my favorite team’s quarterback situation. When the trade was made in April, I openly wept. OK, maybe that’s a stretch, but I did give an uncharacteristic fist pump followed by a “you gotta be kiddin’ me.”
Soon after, I was asked to do several radio and TV interviews to talk about the blockbuster trade. After gushing about the QB manna from heaven that had been delivered to Halas Hall, I was quick to point out that Orton was a slightly above average quarterback who would do just fine in Denver.
I was wrong. He’s been much more than fine. He’s been more than a game manager. He’s the fourth-rated QB in the AFC, just ahead of New England’s Tom Brady.
I had a pretty good feeling that Orton would excel in Josh McDaniels’ system, but I didn’t expect this. I also didn’t expect Denver’s defense to be dominant, not after finishing in the bottom five in most statistical categories last year.
At 6-0, the Broncos are the best story of the season so far. I couldn’t be happier for Orton and the Broncos, but I’m not jealous.
You see, that’s what makes this a great trade. Both teams made out. Denver got a perfect fit for their system and the Bears got the franchise QB they haven’t had since Sid Luckman.
Without question, the Bears are much improved with Cutler under center. Through six weeks, the Broncos might be the better team, but the Bears have the more talented player at the most important position in the sport.
I’ll stop there because this isn’t a trade that can be fully evaluated today. You cannot determine a clear-cut winner and loser in six weeks.
Cutler is here through 2013, and probably the next decade. For now, rejoice. Oh, and by the way, that little fifth-round pick thrown in with the deal that turned into wide receiver Johnny Knox, that isn’t so bad either.
But I digress. Let’s focus on the task at hand this weekend in Cincinnati.
This is a solid Bengals team that got a bit of a wake-up call last week by the Houston Texans. Here’s hoping Lovie Smith’s guys reflect on their Georgia Dome experience in the same way.
Good teams learn from their mistakes. I’m not sure yet how good these Bears are, but I believe they’re better than the Bengals.
Prediction: Bears 24. Bengals 20.
• Tom Waddle appears from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday on the “Waddle & Silvy Show” on WMVP AM-1000. He writes a weekly column on the Bears for The Chronicle.
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