DENVER — Using one arm to wave a navy Broncos No. 6 “CUTLER” jersey like a flag, Bears center Olin Kreutz wrapped his other arm around quarterback Jay Cutler as they walked together triumphantly off Invesco Field.
“This might make me popular in Chicago,” Kreutz cracked about the souvenir a fan threw down at him.
It will be hard to forget that image from Sunday night’s impressive 27-17 Bears’ exhibition victory over the Broncos. Just as it will be difficult to downplay the sharp Cutlery on display the first half for a national television audience.
So, by all means, gush over the way Cutler made himself at home in the place he used to play. Gasp at the audacity of the guy who spent the night jawing at Broncos defensive linemen when he wasn’t picking apart their defensive backs with throws people in Denver might be used to seeing from a quarterback, but we in Chicago sure aren’t.
But the most encouraging development for the Bears in the third exhibition game considered the truest barometer for regular-season success had little to do with the joy of No. 6.
Consider we already knew Cutler could throw accurately on the run and in the pocket, and going 15 of 21 for 144 yards and a touchdown for a passer rating of 106.1only confirmed that. We already knew Cutler tends to wear his emotions on his jersey sleeve, as he did in motioning demonstrably for offensive coordinator Ron Turner to repeat a play call he couldn’t hear due to crowd noise.
But to this point of the preseason, we hadn’t yet learned if the Bears were capable of playing defense and executing on special teams well enough to complement what could be the NFC’s most improved offense. Now we know, or at least have a much better idea.
Devin Hester’s 54-yard punt return to the Denver 4 in the second quarter offset the dumb decision Hester made earlier to signal for a fair catch at the Bears’ 5. The Hester the Bears saw Sunday night was the Hester the league saw in his first two seasons, the threat the team needs now that they have a QB who can take advantage of great field position.
“We’ve seen that before,” coach Lovie Smith said.
The Bears’ defense looked familiar too, at least in the first half. Yes, that was defensive end Mark Anderson making a sack and batting down a pass. That was defensive tackle Tommie Harris moving laterally to make plays as fluidly as he has all preseason. That was free safety Kevin Payne knocking down a Kyle Orton pass on a blitz. All are good signs.
Sure, a touchdown drive by the Broncos’ second-team offense to open the second half stole some of the momentum from the defense, which seemed to relax with rookie Tom Brandstater replacing the injured Orton. But that series was played without Harris and the key completion was a 16-yarder to Brandon Lloyd in front of cornerback Trumaine McBride, who had a rough night and won’t be in the starting lineup when it matters.
Here’s what matters most to Bears coaches and opponents: A No. 1 defensive front needed almost as much as Cutler this season was as active as it had been all preseason against a competent Broncos offensive line. The starting defense didn’t allow the Broncos to convert any of their third-down conversion attempts in the first half.
For Smith’s formula to work, even with Cutler, defense and special teams must make impact plays like they did Sunday.
“It makes life easy, especially with stuff like that,” Cutler said of Hester’s return.
Nothing came easily for Cutler early in a stadium where he was booed.
In the first quarter, it would have been nice for the Bears if their offensive line made Cutler feel a little safer in the pocket. Elvis Dumervil made left tackle Orlando Pace look every bit like a guy who will turn 34 in November. Blitzes were difficult to pick up. Cutler appeared rattled, looking visibly perturbed in the first series.
But a 25-yard completion to tight end Desmond Clark on third-and-1 at the end of the first quarter proved to be a sedative for Cutler. From that point on, the dominance shown against the Giants was obvious again in a familiar, if not friendly, venue.
“It meant something to me, it meant something to this entire offense,” Cutler said. “We wanted to come out here and set a tempo and we did a good job.”
More significantly, they weren’t the only ones.
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