With all due respect to WMU, Sparty’s season starts tonight

The Spartans led at one point in last year’s MSU/Oregon game in Eugene, OR. Then…Mariota. Steve Dykes — Getty

In the written world of sports, no competitor, no matter how skilled, should ever overlook an opponent, no matter how inept. To be fair to the 2015 Western Michigan University football team, they are not an incompetent one. Picked by the media (by one vote) to finish second in the MAC West behind Toledo, the Broncos completed their second regular season under head coach P.J. Fleck with an 8-4 record before losing to Air Force in the 2014 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, 38-24. With 16 starters returning, among them the MAC’s reigning passing efficiency king, Zach Terrell, it wouldn’t be wise to write them off especially when playing them in Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, MI…even if you are the fifth-ranked team in the country, coming off of 42 wins and 4 bowl wins in the last 4 seasons.

In the unwritten world of sports, Michigan State simply wanted to escape Kalamazoo with a somewhat resounding win and healthy team so they could finally, openly narrow their focus on the seventh-ranked Oregon Ducks. The same Ducks that soundly beat them 46-27 last season up in Eugene, OR, and put an early dent in the Spartans’ national title hopes. A Ducks team that would be traveling to East Lansing, MI, for this matchup, hopefully going home with their national title dreams seemingly all but lost.

MSU’s opponent on Saturday is definitely a strong one, but not quite as strong as the Ducks team that pasted them last year. The catalyst of those Ducks, QB Marcus Mariota, is set to begin his first NFL regular season with the Tennessee Titans, and Oregon lost CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, DE Arik Armstead, and SS Erick Dargan among a few others to the NFL as well. Still, Sparty knows this is a matchup between two top-10 teams based on merit so to speak, and not just name.

Oregon could have certainly dealt with the loss of Mariota by promoting from within. Junior QB Jeff Lockie backed up Mariota for two years and had a clear advantage on the other returning quarterbacks before spring practice was to begin. Sophomore walk-on Taylor Alie, the team’s holder on field goal and extra-point attempts could have snuck in to win the job. Or, Oregon could take advantage of a somewhat quirky NCAA rule and scour the transfer market for a starting QB, like Eastern Washington graduate Vernon Adams, Jr.

Adams, Jr. spent the last three seasons terrorizing the Big Sky Conference to the tune of nearly 10,500 passing yards and 110 touchdown passes. Not quite the dual-threat QB Mariota was but still plenty dangerous outside of the pocket, Adams, Jr. also managed to scamper for over 1,200 yards at a 4.1 yard per carry clip. Eastern Washington did some winning with Adams, Jr. as the signal-caller, too. As a three-year starter, Adams, Jr. finished his career at EWU with a record of 34-9 and three first-place finishes in the conference.

Alas, Adams, Jr. is no Mariota. Hell, he may not even be close considering he racked up such ridiculous numbers against the likes of Cal-Poly, Idaho St., Portland St., and, sorry Spo, UC-Davis. I don’t intend to take away from what he accomplished, but rather provide context to the situation by explaining that in terms of football, the Big Sky Conference isn’t exactly a “Power 5” group.

Michigan St. head coach Mark Dantonio knows this. He also knows that Adams, Jr. is surrounded by far superior talent than what he was surrounded by during his time at EWU. There is also the issue of the MSU secondary, and whether it can recover from a rather subpar performance against WMU. Terrell completed 33 of 50 passes for 365 yards and receivers Daniel Braverman and Corey Davis both finished with over 100 yards receiving. It’s important to note that WMU was pressed into throwing the ball so many times because their run game (23 rushes, 18 yards) was basically non-existent, but it’s still worrisome that Terrell and Co. enjoyed the success they did. If the Spartan secondary had problems against WMU, it’s frightening to think of what Oregon’s QB and speedy receivers could do.

Hopefully, the game will come down to offense, which is a weird sentiment considering MSU still trots out a starting QB in Connor Cook who is seemingly afraid to complete 60% of his passes and one who didn’t even complete 50% of them against WMU’s defense. Making up for Cook’s inaccuracy is senior WR Aaron Burbridge and the two-headed monster at running back, freshman Madre London and sophomore Gerald Holmes. The three combined for 330 yards of total offense and 3 touchdowns in the season-opening win over WMU and will be counted on even more against Oregon tonight. MSU’s offensive line is still extremely stout in pass- and run-blocking situations and while Cook isn’t a surgeon in the pocket, he tends to not cost his team too many drives and scoring opportunities.

MSU won’t throw for 438 yards against Oregon the way EWU did, but Oregon also won’t run for 485 yards against a Sparty defense that for the last several years has been one of the nation’s best against the run. After sacking Terrell 7 times last week in what looked to be a pared-down defense of sorts, it could get extremely hectic very early for Adams, Jr. if MSU’s pass rush proves to be effective. And after beginning his Ducks career at home against a cupcake, Adams, Jr.’s first road game will be a nationally televised, prime-time event in the home of the nation’s fifth-ranked team.

The result of this game will obviously mean a lot for both teams, although it’s important to remember that the closer the final score, the less damage and good a loss and win would provide, respectively. A win for Sparty would immediately place them in the conversation of teams with a legitimate (albeit very early) shot at competing for a playoff spot and the national title. A loss for Sparty would…not be good. At all. So, with all due respect to Western Michigan University, a school I spent my first year as an undergraduate at and institution I still have very fond memories of…   GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Finally recovered from the best/worst damn Cotton Bowl of my life.

Sorry, Baylor. Rod Sanford — Lansing State Journal

Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas, January 1, 2015: 5th-ranked Baylor University Bears versus 8th-ranked Michigan State Spartans. 83 points, 21 of which came in the final 12 minutes of regulation. 1,135 total yards of offense. 11 touchdowns. A “fat guy touchdown.” 18 penalties for 180 yards. 54 first downs. A blocked field goal. A “Vine”-worthy hit…by MSU WR Tony Lippett. ELATION.

Offense: Don’t be fooled by the 552 yards of total offense MSU racked up against Baylor or 258 yards amassed in the first half. After scoring touchdowns on their first two drives, Sparty’s next five possessions ended like this: Punt, turnover on downs, punt, downs, punt. To make matters worse, Baylor scored 24 points after scoring a touchdown on their first possession of the game.

Fortunately, QB Connor Cook (24-42, 314 YDS, 2 TD/2 INT) and Co. made just enough plays in the second half as the offense scored 28 points, despite Cook throwing two picks, including this beauty with MSU down 13 and in Baylor territory. With all seeming lost, the Spartans scored 21 in the final 12:09 of the game, tying the game on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Cook to WR Keith Mumphery with 17 seconds to play.

To be fair, RB Jeremy Langford (27 CAR, 162 YDS, 3 TD) was once again outstanding, notching his tenth straight 100-yard effort, running for a 1-yard score to bring his team within seven with just under five minutes in the game. Mumphery (4 REC, 87 YDS, TD) was the Spartans’ leading receiver, probably in part due to 1st-team All-Big Ten WR Tony Lippett (5 REC, 74 YDS) splitting duties as a receiver and cornerback (2 TKL, PBU). Nine different Spartans caught a pass, and TE Josiah Price caught Cook’s other touchdown pass, an 8-yarder to make the score 41-27 early in the fourth quarter. MSU finished with 238 rushing yards (131 more than Baylor allows on average) on 46 carries, and Cook was sacked only once.

Defense: While MSU ran all over what was a very good Baylor run defense (10th-best run D in nation), Baylor’s run game (29th-best in nation at 215.5 YPG) managed only 38 yards on 22 attempts against the Spartans. That’s the only area the Spartans defenders can feel good about themselves in this game, because Bears’ QB Bryce Petty (36-51, 550 YDS, 3 TD/INT) and the third-best passing offense in the country absolutely tore MSU’s secondary apart. Baylor receivers KD Cannon and Corey Coleman, a freshman and sophomore respectively, caught a combined 15 passes for 347 yards and 3 scores, and six different Bears caught a pass for 25 yards or more.

Yes, this actually happened. Brandon Wade — AP

Despite the fact that Petty was able to dissect MSU for over three-and-a-half quarters, soon-to-be University of Pittsburgh football coach (and former (?) defensive coordinator) Tom Narduzzi’s guys were up to the task over the final 21:50 of the game, holding Baylor to 86 yards and zero points on their final four possessions. Petty, sacked five times, was downed twice in a row on the Bears’ final drive to start their possession. On the next play, Petty was picked off by LB Riley Bullough to seal the victory for the Spartans.

1st-team All-Big Ten CB Trae Waynes (3 TKL, PBU) and 1st-team All-Big Ten S Kurtis Drummond (7 TKL, 2 TFL) were part of a secondary that certainly endured their share of struggles during the contest, but made plays at the end when they had to. The front seven helped make Baylor’s offense one-dimensional and was able to get pressure on Petty when it counted most. DE Shilique Calhoun, also a member of the 1st-team All-Big Ten Defense, registered 1.5 sacks, and LB Ed Davis brought Petty down once.

Special Teams: If I were into the grading thing, I would give MSU’s special teams unit an A+ just for this. And also, this.

Oh, Callahan… Sarah Glenn — Getty Images

Mainly, the first clip, but the second was some icing on the cake. Even though many will focus on Baylor K Chris Callahan and his blocked kick, Callahan’s 46-yard attempt hit the upright with 14:18 to play. A conversion would have given the Bears a 44-21 lead, and potentially put the game out of reach for Sparty. MSU K Michael Geiger was good on all six of his extra point attempts and the golden-legged god, P Mike Sadler punted only three times for an average of 39.7 yards per boot. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary in the return game for either MSU or Baylor.

What’s Next: The 2015 season, and whatever that may hold. Junior QB Connor Cook is allegedly set to return, but the team will lose 17 players to graduation, including Lippett, Langford, Drummond, Mumphery, LB Taiwan Jones, and RB Nick Hill. Calhoun could return, as he is a lock to be drafted, but could probably improve his draft status with a more impressive season than the one he had in 2014. Somewhat shockingly, fellow underclassman Trae Waynes has apparently decided to leave MSU early and declare for the NFL Draft, which will definitely leave a void in the secondary should he see that plan through. Sparty is looking to build on a top-35 recruiting class, but will likely count on returning players to carry the brunt of the workload in all three phases of the game. The Spartans’ schedule in 2015 doesn’t look particularly daunting, save for their second game of the season, a tilt against Oregon in East Lansing, and a road game on November 21 to play the Ohio St. Buckeyes in Columbus. 2014’s final 11-2 mark signals the program’s fourth season in five years in which it has won 11 games or more, and “momentum” doesn’t appear to be slowing for head coach Mark Dantonio and his squad.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Sparty On. Tom Pennington — Getty Images

Game 9 recap: #14 OSU dashes #8 MSU’s playoff hopes in E. Lansing, 49-37

J.T. Barrett does not care about your alleged elite defense, people.

OSU QB J.T. Barrett beats MSU LB Ed Davis to the end zone during the first quarter of yesterday’s OSU 49-37 win over MSU in E. Lansing. Andrew Weber — USA Today Sports

Okay, so maybe that’s somewhat of a stretch. While the Ohio St. freshman has been very impressive in place of injured QB Braxton Miller, he hasn’t been gunning down top-10, top-20, or even top-50 teams every week. However, all a player can do is execute against the competition and so far, Barrett has done that and then some.

I gave the 14th-ranked Buckeyes (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten East) a bit less than a puncher’s chance to escape East Lansing with a victory, and naturally, they went into East Lansing and pretty much trounced my 8th-ranked Michigan St. Spartans (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten East), 49-37. There were 86 points and over 1,100 yards of total offense between arguably the Big Ten’s two best teams, in a nationally televised night game, no less. There are those who will call this win an upset for Ohio St., but that’s really based on ranking, only. Clearly, the gap, if there is one, is not large at all.

Offense: You’d think that if the Spartans racked up 536 yards of total offense, in any game, that they’d come away the victor. Right? The problem is that while it appears Sparty’s offense was wildly effective, it actually wasn’t. Jeremy Langford had a great day (18 CAR, 145 YDS, 3 TD), but seemingly wasn’t utilized enough, especially considering MSU was somewhat in the game until early in the fourth quarter. QB Connor Cook (25-45, 358 YDS, 2 TD) continued to struggle with his accuracy, never really getting into a solid rhythm despite posting impressive game numbers. WR Tony Lippett was injured early, and was limited to just 5 catches for 64 yards. Fellow WR Macgarett Kings, Jr. and TE Josiah Price both hauled in 5 passes for a combined 136 yards, with Price hauling in a 16-yard TD catch after the game was pretty much well in hand. The offense did not turn the ball over, but went nearly an entire quarter in the second half without scoring a point, while the Buckeyes scored 14 in that time frame. As a result, the score jumped from 28-24 to 42-24. Cook was sacked only once, but faced good pressure at times. One of the more frustrating moments of this season came late in the second quarter, after the Buckeyes lost a fumble during a kick return. Sparty recovered and three plays later, Langford had a rushing touchdown negated because of a holding penalty. Two plays later, K Michael Geiger missed a 39-yard field goal and on the first play of the ensuing OSU possession, Barrett threw a 79-yard TD pass to WR Michael Thomas to knot the score at 21. Little did I know, the game was basically over at that point.

Defense: The defense was absolutely terrible. While I knew Barrett was no slouch, I had no clue he would have the type of game he had, against this MSU D, in what I believe can be a very raucous environment (especially when Sparty is, you know, good). All Barrett did against what was believed to be one of the nation’s top defenses was pile up 408 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns, two of them coming on the ground. Barrett completed 16 of 26 passes for 300 yards and carried the ball 14 times for 108 yards. Similar to the Oregon game, whenever MSU’s opponent needed a play to be made, it seemed they could just dial up their QB’s number and get the necessary yardage or score. Buckeyes RB Ezekiel Elliott (23 CAR, 159 YDS, 2 TD) was a problem for Sparty, too, as was one of OSU’s top receivers in school history, Devin Smith (6 REC, 129 YDS, TD). Safeties Kurtis Drummond and RJ Williamson led Sparty with 11 tackles each; it’s never a good sign when your safeties lead the team in tackling. DE Shilique Calhoun was relatively quiet, but did manage to register 1.5 TFL and half a sack. My favorite defensive series: In the beginning of the second quarter, OSU faced a daunting 3rd and 23 from its own 36. Barrett completed a 43 yard-pass to Smith. Five plays later, on fourth and goal, Barrett powered it in from one yard away for six.

Special Teams: Nothing to report here, except that maybe it’s time for a new kicker?

What’s Next: At Maryland (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten East), 8 PM ET. Big Ten newcomer Maryland is just one game behind Sparty in the divisional standings and would love to have its first signature win as a conference member this upcoming Saturday night. Senior Terps QB C.J. Brown has been mostly serviceable as a dual-threat QB of sorts and offensively, there isn’t much behind him in the way of an actual threat. Maryland’s D is not very good, but is probably gleaming after allowing only 19 points in a trip to Penn State. Then again, they did allow 52 the week before in Camp Randall, so it’s possible Maryland is prime to give up another huge offensive output to its opponent. If Sparty doesn’t show up in College Park, MD, seething mad and ready to absolutely obliterate the Terrapins, I’ll be dumbfounded. Sparty’s chances of making the playoffs are over unless something absurdly miraculous happens, but head coach Mark Dantonio will make sure his squad finishes 2014 on a strong note.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Game 8 recap: #8 Michigan St. embarrasses “big brother” again; Ohio St. Buckeyes on deck

MSU’s Jeremy Langford attempts to manuever past Michigan’s Jourdan Lewis (26) and Jeremy Clark (34) during the fourth quarter of yesterday’s 35-11 MSU win. Better luck next year, Wolverines. Al Goldis — AP Photo

On the banks of the Red Cedar…

Yesterday in East Lansing, for the sixth time in seven games, 8th-ranked Michigan State (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten East) beat Michigan (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten East), only the second time the Spartans have accomplished this feat since the series began way back in 1898. Winners of 14 straight Big Ten games, Sparty is looking like a team aiming for a playoff berth, and also one that is slowly establishing itself as a legitimate national championship contender.

Offense: MSU racked up 446 yards of total offense, 219 of them coming on the ground. RB Jeremy Langford (35 CAR, 183 YDS, 3 TD, LG 27) was an absolute workhorse, running for two touchdowns in the first half before running for a third late in the fourth quarter that cemented the final score. Of course, hurt Michigan fans claimed that MSU was running up the score, which humors me. On the previous drive, Michigan ran their offense through and through, scoring a touchdown and to cap it off, actually attempting a two-point conversion, which was successful. The final drive for MSU was the Jeremy Langford Show, as Langford was the only Spartan to touch the ball, running the ball 7 times for 48 yards and that touchdown which hurt the feelings of so many dedicated Wolverines fans. QB Connor Cook (12-22, 227 YDS, TD) was pretty good (not that he needed to be great against this Michigan team) and WR Tony Lippett caught 3 passes for 103 yards, including a 70-yard TD catch in the third quarter. Sparty picked up 22 first downs and converted half of their third down opportunities, but committed two turnovers, which led to 11 Michigan points.

Defense: For a while, a 48-yard field goal by Michigan K Matt Wile looked like it would be it for the Wolverines

Sparty Bunyan

in terms of scoring. Michigan couldn’t pass. Michigan couldn’t run. Michigan couldn’t block. I’m also pretty sure there were a few times when Michigan’s coaches couldn’t properly signal a call to their QB. Wolverines QB Devin Gardner and the rest of the offense were downright pitiful in the first half, amassing only 37 yards of total offense, all of them coming through the air. WR/TE Devin Funchess was a non-factor despite a respectable 5 catches for 64 yards and the Wolverines’ top two backs combined to run 20 times for only 74 yards. Michigan was able to score points in part because of MSU turnovers, but besides that, was no match for the Spartans’ defense. The Wolverines finished with a scant 186 yards of total offense while committing three turnovers. Michigan didn’t put together a drive of more than 25 yards until more than midway through the third quarter and never got into anything resembling a rhythm. Spartans LB Taiwan Jones (8 TKL, 2TFL, SK, INT, PBU) was in another world all game long, even managing to avoid being ejected in the third quarter for a targeting penalty that was later withdrawn. DE Shilique Calhoun (3 TKL, TFL, SK) registered his sixth sack of the season and LB Darien Harris had another strong game, finishing with 7 tackles, one for loss.

Special Teams: Spartans K Michael Geiger missed a 36-yard attempt in the first quarter, another ode to the greatness that is college kickers. P Mike Sadler punted 4 times, landing one inside the 20. There wasn’t much going on in the return game for any of the men deep for MSU. Somehow, Michigan’s Matt Wile made a 48-yard field goal. If only he would have hit another 8, our “big brothers” would have won.

What’s Next: Ohio State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten East), in East Lansing, November 8 @ 8 ET. Ohio St. beat Penn St. (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten East) 31-24 in double overtime yesterday after blowing a first-half 17-point lead. Buckeyes QB J.T. Barrett was 12-19 for just 74 yards and two interceptions. He hadn’t performed that badly as a passer since OSU’s loss to Virginia Tech, but he did manage to run for 75 yards and 2 TD, including the go-ahead TD in the second extra period. Penn St. came into yesterday’s game a top-10 team in the country in total defense, and held OSU to just 290 yards of offense, a number Sparty should certainly aim for.

The Buckeyes are a half game behind the Spartans in the division standings and a win would virtually guarantee them a berth in the conference championship game, provided they don’t falter later in the season. Trust that Spartans HC Mark Dantonio has stressed to his team that this rematch of last year’s conference championship game is important, not just for division and conference standing, but national standing as well. A prime-time win over a top-15 Buckeyes team (albeit one without injured star QB Braxton Miller and a still-improving offensive line) would really help their chances for a playoff berth, especially since they’ll finish with relative cupcakes in Maryland and Rutgers before Penn St., and then the Big Ten title game.

It appears that whatever ailed MSU in their wins over Purdue and Nebraska has been fixed, at least for the time being. This is definitely trouble for an OSU squad that will play a night home game this Saturday against an Illinois group that didn’t quit in a 10-point road loss to Wisconsin two weeks ago and just yesterday beat Minnesota, handing the Golden Gophers their first conference loss and knocking them out of first place in the West Division standings. If Miller were healthy and playing, I would give the Buckeyes a puncher’s chance to beat the Spartans, in East Lansing, at that. Without him, the offense won’t be able to overcome a Spartans defense that hasn’t had problems stopping anyone outside of Oregon and briefly, Purdue (yes, that Purdue). We’ll have the pizza ready for you, Urban.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

 

 

Game 7 recap: #8 Sparty scores 42 unanswered points to put IU away; Meechigan next

MSU WR Macgarrett Kings, Jr. (85) leaps over an IU defender to score a touchdown in yesterday’s MSU 56-17 win in Bloomington, IN. Sam Riche – AP

Last week, it took a pick-six from Michigan St. (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten East) linebacker Darien Harris with under two minutes to play to seal a 45-31 road win over Purdue (3-5, 1-3 Big Ten West). Luckily, I was able to only watch the second half of the game and came away less than encouraged, especially with the decent Hoosiers of Indiana University (3-4, 0-3 Big Ten West) on deck for a matchup in Bloomington. Praise Jeebus, for the 8th-ranked Spartans answered the proverbial bell yesterday as they dominated Indiana, 56-17.

Offense: From jump, the offense was clicking on all cylinders. RB Jeremy Langford (21 CAR, 109 YDS, 3 TD) scored the game’s first points on a 32-yard TD run. After an IU field goal, TE Josiah Price (3 REC, 83 YDS, TD) caught a 10-yard TD pass from QB Connor Cook (24-32, 332 YDS, 3 TD, INT). Not long after IU scored their second touchdown of the second quarter to take a 17-14 lead, Langford scored again, this time on an 8-yard TD run. To close out the first half, WR Macgarrett Kings, Jr. (6 REC, 59 YDS, TD) finished off a 14-yard scoring pass play by diving into the end zone over a member of Indiana’s secondary.

There was more of the same in the second half as the Spartans again scored 28 points, while racking up 321 yards of offense on 39 plays. RB R.J. Shelton (CAR, 5 YDS, 3 REC, 19 YDS, TD) caught a 4-yard TD pass from Cook to push the lead to 35-17 and Langford scored his third touchdown of the day on a 12-yard run to extend the lead to 42-17 early in the fourth quarter. A 22-yard TD run by RB Delton Williams (5 CAR, 55 YDS, TD) and late 76-yard TD run by RB Nick Hill (16 CAR, 178 YDS, TD) capped the scoring. This was as proficient as I’ve ever seen MSU’s offense, arguably speaking. Although their opponent was Indiana, they still rung up 662 yards of total offense; 330 coming on the ground (6.5 yards per carry) and 332 through the air. Sparty picked up 30 first downs and was 10-16 on third down. On top of scoring 42 unanswered points to end Indiana’s dreams of an upset, MSU also possessed the ball for close to 40 minutes.

Defense: Admittedly, I was worried right after Indiana QB Zander Diamont ran for a 9-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give IU a 17-14 lead. MSU’s offense looked like it was up to the challenge at the time, but I feared the defense wasn’t. Although Indiana started that drive with very favorable field position at MSU’s 39, the 30-yard run by stud Hoosiers RB Tevin Coleman that set up Diamont’s scoring run almost looked like an early back-breaker. After struggling at times to stop Nebraska and Purdue in their last two tilts, I didn’t want to think of what could happen if Sparty couldn’t contain Coleman and Co. Fortunately for their playoff hopes, Sparty figured out a way to get stops, especially in the second half as Sparty began to run away with the game.

Coleman ran for 132 yards on 15 carries, including a long of 65, but managed to run for only 14 yards on 5 carries in the second half. Top IU WR Shane Wynn ripped off an incredible 75-yard TD run on a reverse play, but was held without a catch for the first time all season as IU could only muster 11 passing yards for the entire game. The Hoosiers were able to run for 213 yards (6.5 yards per carry), but most of that damage came in the first half. Diamont completed only 5 of 15 passes, was sacked 4 times, and looked generally lost throughout the game. After a fairly impressive offensive display in the first half, IU ran 23 plays and picked up only 27 yards of offense in the second. IU had 6 possessions in the second half and punted 5 times, while fumbling the ball away on their last.

For the Spartans, DE Shilique Calhoun (4 TK, 2.5 TFL, SK) and LB Taiwan Jones (5 TK, 1.5 TFL, SK) led the way. CB Trae Waynes (2 TK, 2 TFL, PBU, SK) also chipped in for a MSU secondary that was stout the entire game.

Special Teams: K Michael Geiger missed a 42-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, but made all 8 of his extra-point attempts. P Mike Sadler punted 4 times for an average of 45.5 yards per punt with a long of 53. There wasn’t much action in the punt and kick return game.

What’s Next: MEECHIGAN!!! In East Lansing. Today is officially the beginning of “Beat Michigan” week and of course, I am ecstatic. Last week, Michigan (3-4, 1-2 Big Ten East) pulled out an ugly 18-13 home win over Penn St. Wolverines QB Devin Gardner was effective and TE/WR Devin Funchess was a matchup problem for the Penn St. Nittany Lions. Last year, the Spartans dominated the Wolverines in East Lansing, 29-6. With the Wolverines football program a bit of a mess and Sparty seemingly finding another gear after their early loss to Oregon, expect more of the same this year.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Game 5 recap: #10 MSU holds off #19 Nebraska, 27-22; East Lansing exhales

MSU WR Tony Lippett (14) celebrates a first-quarter touchdown catch with teammate and OL Donavon Clark (17) during yesterday’s 27-22 home win over Nebraska. Gregory Shamus — Getty

Thank goodness that’s over. I’m pretty sure I finally exhaled, as last night, Sparty football did almost everything they could to give a game away. Fortunately, the Associated Press’s 19th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 1-1 Big 10 West) fell just short, losing 27-22 despite a furious rally that saw them score 19 unanswered points to threaten 10th-ranked Michigan State’s (4-1, 1-0 Big 10 East) lead.

Offense: Sparty’s offense was better than average in the first half, and basically sputtered in the second. While the unit struggled on third down (1-7), both the run and pass game were effective. MSU amassed 257 yards of total offense in the first thirty minutes of play, 172 of which came through the air. QB Connor Cook (11-29, 234 YDS, TD, INT) missed a few open receivers and threw one of the worst interceptions I’ve seen in a while, attempting to evade pressure by dumping the ball to a back, which was promptly picked off by standout Nebraska DE Randy Gregory.  Game conditions weren’t ideal, which I’m sure contributed to some Cook misfires, but there were also times when he tried to force the issue and others when he simply didn’t make a good decision. RB Jeremy Langford was a horse, carrying the ball 29 times for 111 yards, including a great 31-yard rushing score in the second quarter that put Sparty ahead, 14-0. WR Tony Lippett had a very good outing, catching 3 passes for 104 yards and a score, and also scoring on a 32-yard reverse play in the third quarter that extended the Spartans’ lead to 27-3. Langford lost a fumble in the second quarter, one of the three turnovers Sparty committed last night, but they still managed to pile up 422 yards of total offense and win the time of possession battle.

Defense: Both defenses actually got off to strong starts, forcing eight punts and picking off two passes in just the first quarter. Lippett’s 52-yard TD catch wasn’t quite the product of broken coverage, but it was also about the only defensive hiccup in the period. In spite of Sparty turning the ball over three times in its own territory, the defense more than answered the bell and prevented the Cornhuskers from putting any points on the board. On two occasions, Nebraska took over at Michigan State’s 30-, and 24-yard line. Still, nothing. Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah wasn’t able to accomplish much of anything all game along, finishing with 24 carries for a measly 45 yards, with a long of 9. Abdullah did, however, run for two touchdowns as Nebraska began to mount a rally in the second half. Huskers QB Taylor Armstrong, Jr. was under duress all night long and finished 20-43 for 273 yards and two picks. He was also sacked five times and hit eight. MSU LB Taiwan Jones was arguably the best defensive player for either side, picking up 10 tackles, 3 for loss, and a sack. DEs Shilique Calhoun and Marcus Rush each registered a sack, tackle for loss, and quarterback hit. Rush also forced a fumble, which Calhoun recovered and returned 38 yards. CB Trae Waynes picked off two passes, including one that sealed the win for MSU with 30 seconds left to play and Nebraska driving deep in MSU territory. S Kurtis Drummond finished the game with 9 tackles, including one for loss, and a pass breakup as part of a secondary that started very strong, but faded a bit late as they gave up a few big plays through the air to Nebraska, most notably Huskers WR Jordan Westerkamp, who finished with 9 catches for 158 yards.

Special Teams: K Michael Geiger connected on 2 of 3 field goals, missing a late 36-yard attempt that would have given MSU an 8-point lead. P Mike Sadler punted 9 times for a decent average of 38.4 yards per punt, but shanked a few and was victimized by a De’Mornay Pierson-El 62-yard punt return for score that made the score 27-22, in favor of Sparty. WR Macgarrett Kings, Jr. didn’t have much success in the return game, even losing a fumble in the second quarter.

What’s Next: Purdue, in West Lafayette. Purdue (2-3, 0-1 Big 10 West) lost at home to Iowa yesterday, 24-10. Boilermakers QB Danny Etling will attempt to lead his team to victory against Michigan St., with some hopeful help from RB Raheem Mostert.  In addition, Purdue is a bad football team. A very, very, very bad football team. MSU should have absolutely no problems dispatching of Purdue and if they do, I’ll name my first-born “Michigan Wolverines.”

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Game 3 recap: #11 Michigan St. obliterates Eastern Michigan, 73-14

Michigan St. QB Connor Cook (left) and WR Tony Lippett celebrate Lippett’s first half TD catch during yesterday’s MSU 73-14 win over Eastern Michigan in East Lansing, MI.  Al Goldis — AP

Before Michigan State was set to take on Eastern Michigan yesterday afternoon in East Lansing, MI, I figured that Sparty was still sore after their 46-27 road loss to Oregon over two weeks ago. In that game, Michigan State lost a 9-point lead in the second half as Oregon QB and Heisman hopeful Marcus Mariota led his team to a comeback victory in Eugene, OR. With that loss, Sparty effectively saw their chances of participating in FBS’ inaugural playoff go down the drain. Obviously, the season didn’t end, but to lose such a pivotal game so early in the season hurt. Bad.

No worries were in my system as the Associated Press’s 11th-ranked Spartans of Michigan St. (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten East) and the Eagles of Eastern Michigan (1-3, 0-0 MAC West) squared off on the gridiron yesterday. The only thing that slightly concerned me was the potential for injury to one of Sparty’s key players. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries as MSU routed EMU, 73-14.

Offense: Well, the offense was great. Then again, they were going up against an EMU D that doesn’t exactly scare anyone, even in the Mid-American Conference. Sparty got off to a hot start in the first quarter, racing out to a 28-0 lead behind a pair of touchdown passes from Connor Cook (5-6, 83 YDS, 2 TD) to Tony Lippett (3 CAT, 45 YDS, 2 TD) that followed a 4-yard TD run by Cook to open up the scoring and 21-yard TD run by RB Jeremy Langford (9 CAR, 60 YDS, TD) that gave the Spartans a 14-0 lead with 8:03 left in the first quarter.

WR AJ Troup (2 CAT, 43 YDS, TD) made a great play to finish off a 33-yard scoring reception that opened up the scoring in the second quarter, and rushing TDs by RBs Delton Williams (10 CAR, 103 YDS, 3 TD) and R.J. Shelton (3 CAR, 9 YDS, TD) gave Sparty a 49-0 lead by halftime. By that point, MSU piled up 320 yards of total offense.

The O slowed a bit in the second half, but that was largely attributed to MSU head coach Mark Dantonio giving his backups the majority of playing time. Backup QBs Tyler O’Connor and Damion Terry saw the field–they also saw some PT in the first half, as well–and Williams added two more rushing TDs in the fourth quarter, including an 80-yard run that cemented the score at 73-14. MSU’s offense racked up 496 total yards, with 336 of them coming on the ground. Ten different Spartans carried the ball and nine different Spartans were credited with a catch, while seven different Spartans scored a touchdown. The unit also picked up 24 first downs and committed only one turnover. To cap it off, the 73 points scored were the third-most in Spartans history, behind a 76-point showing against Northwestern in 1989 and 75-point offering against Arizona in 1949.

Defense: In the first half, EMU didn’t pick up a first down. Not. A. Single. One. As if that’s not atrocious enough, the Eagles were in possession of the ball for a mere 8 1/2 minutes and managed to total just one yard of offense. Just. One. Eagles QB Rob Bolden (10-29, 115 YDS, 2 TD, INT), in his first start for EMU, didn’t inflict any serious damage until the game was well out of reach and of six Eagles who registered a carry, only one averaged more than 1.5 yards per carry, backup QB Reginald Bell, Jr. Fifty-two of EMU’s 135 yards of total offense came on two late scoring plays, including a 43-yard TD pass that was largely the result of blown coverage by MSU. I’m not even sure if the defense broke a sweat during the game, as EMU didn’t threaten until the game was basically over.

Special Teams: Kicker Matt Geiger was good on a 30-yard field goal try and converted all ten of his extra-point attempts. Punter Mike Sadler punted 5 times for an average of 43.4 yards a boot, including a 55-yard punt that did nothing but add to his golden-legged legacy. Shelton returned a kick for 39 yards and LB/FB Riley Bullough even returned two kicks for 23 yards. Macgarrett Kings, Jr. returned two punts for 54 yards, including a long of 43 that had Spartan Stadium rocking early.

What’s Next: Wyoming, in East Lansing. The Wyoming Cowboys (3-1, 0-0 MWC Mountain), of the Mountain West Conference’s Mountain Division, slipped by Florida Atlantic yesterday at home, 20-19. A Stuart Williams 18-yard field goal with 15 seconds left gave the Cowboys the final edge. The week before, they were routed 48-14 by Oregon in Eugene. Until yesterday, Wyoming starting QB Colby Kirkegaard had been solid, even looking serviceable against the Ducks. For the Cowboys to have any chance against Sparty, however, RBs Shaun Wick and D.J. May will have to not only be effective, but proficient. On defense, Wyoming has a group of four linebackers and defensive ends–DEs Sonny Puletasi and Eddie Yarbrough, and LBs Jordan Stanton and Mark Nzeocha–that will look to create havoc, especially with some key members of the Cowboys secondary who have departed due to graduation. This will be the last game for Sparty before conference play begins at home against Nebraska next Saturday. Look for Dantonio’s guys to iron out the kinks and coast to a huge victory.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Game 2 recap: #7 Oregon withstands #3 Sparty’s punches; dominates in second half.

Michigan St. QB Connor Cook throws downfield under pressure from Oregon DL Tony Washington. Oregon beat MSU in Eugene, OR, 46-27. Associated Press

Mama said there’d be days like this. Well, she really didn’t, but I’m sure if given the chance, my mother would have told me that eventually, Michigan State football would get shellacked by 19 on the road in one of the most important games in school history, 46-27.

The Spartans of Michigan State University took on the Ducks of the University of Oregon yesterday in Autzen Stadium, in Eugene, OR. Easily the most highly anticipated early matchup of the regular season, many held on to the “Something’s gotta give” belief, regarding MSU’s stout defense versus Oregon’s lightning-fast offense. Some felt that after beating Stanford–a team that has had recent success against Oregon–the Spartans would carry over some of that proficiency to a tilt against the Ducks. Others figured that while Sparty “out-physicalled” Stanford, the D lost a few key players to graduation and the NFL Draft, and that Oregon and star QB Marcus Mariota would ultimately prove to be too much for the Big Ten’s reigning champion.

For about a half, it looked as if Sparty would “upset” the Ducks and do a little more to establish themselves as a legitimate national title contender, this in the first year of the College Football Playoff. And then the second half started.

Offense: If you told me before the game that MSU would amass over 460 yards of total offense, 340 yards passing, commit only 5 penalties, and hold onto the ball seven minutes longer than the Ducks, I would have basically guaranteed a MSU win, especially noticing that very first number. QB Connor Cook (29-47, 343 YDS, 2 TD, 2 INT), outside of a pass under duress that was intercepted, was great in the first half, finishing 17-25 for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns against that lone pick. RB Jeremy Langford (24 CAR, 86 YDS, TD) ran the ball 15 times for 72 yards and a 16-yard touchdown in the first half, as well. It took Sparty’s offense a little time to get going, but when it did, it scored 24 points in 11 minutes in the second quarter to go into the half with a 24-18 lead. MSU’s O racked up 303 total yards in the first half, as well as 14 first downs, managing to run 16 more plays than Oregon, in addition. WR Tony Lippett, despite a drop or two, was great all game long, finishing with 11 catches for 133 yards and a score. TE Josiah Price (5 CAT, 51 YDS, TD) also hauled in a touchdown pass, and nine different Spartans caught a ball from Cook.

And then the second half started. A Michael Geiger 42-yard field goal put them up 27-18, and that was about it for the offense until the game was essentially out of reach. Cook was under more pressure in the second half, as he was sacked three times. Langford was certainly bottled up, running the ball 9 times for only 14 yards. Seeing Oregon stuff the run in the second half was easily the most surprising part of the game, for me. Down 39-27 early in the fourth quarter, MSU faced 4th and 2 at Oregon’s 24. Rather than kick a field goal and still find themselves in a two-possession game, MSU attempted to run for the first down and came up a little over a yard short. Ballgame.

Defense. To be honest, I didn’t think Sparty had a chance of stopping Oregon. At best, I figured they would contain Mariota and take away big plays from the Ducks that tend to blow games wide open. Unfortunately, Mariota is simply too good of a quarterback, and now I’m wondering how at all Stanford managed to limit him just enough to beat the Ducks a few times. Mariota was very good in the first half (9-15, 185 YDS, TD), but ran 5 times for negative -5 yards. Ducks sophomore RB Thomas Tyner ran 8 times for only 12 yards, and besides Devon Allen’s 70-yard touchdown catch and a 64-yard reception by fellow WR Darren Carrington, Sparty’s D didn’t really allow all that much in the first half. It was in the second half when Mariota took over, and his teammates followed suit. Time and time again, Mariota seemed to make the right play, whether keeping the ball and running for a first down, evading pass rushers to complete a pass downfield, or putting on a show, like the play in which he avoided a sack twice before offering a backhanded flip to a teammate, who then ran for a first down to do away with a third-and-long situation. I chuckled to myself as Sparty converted third-and-long several times in the first half, largely because I assumed Sparty’s D would never allow Oregon to convert in such a situation.

But, Oregon has Mariota. Period. Mariota finished 17-28 for 318 yards and 3 touchdowns, not to mention 42 rushing yards on 9 carries, which would mean that he ran 4 times for 47 yards in the second half. Mariota may have very well won the Heisman with this performance, (it’s still incredibly early to state this, I know) especially with what he produced in the second half when his team needed him most.

Special Teams. Geiger made both of his field goal attempts and punter Mike Sadler punted 6 times for an average of nearly 43 yards a punt. Sparty wasn’t wildly successful in either the kick or punt return game, but it didn’t hurt them.

What’s Next: The Spartans will play the Eastern Michigan Eagles two Saturdays from now in Spartan Stadium. The Eagles traveled to Gainesville, FL, yesterday and were soundly beaten by the Florida Gators, 65-0, and they will travel to Old Dominion this upcoming Saturday. EMU beat Morgan State at home by 3, so I think it’s safe to assume that MSU won’t have any problems putting away Eastern. A week off after this loss will be good for Sparty, but not so much for EMU, as you’d better believe that MSU head coach Mark Dantonio will have his guys more than ready for the Eagles.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

Game 1 recap: #8 Sparty embarrasses Jacksonville St, 45-7. That is all.

Michigan St. QB Connor Cook eludes Jacksonville St. DE LaMichael Fanning in the first half of yesterday’s 2014 season opener at Spartan Stadium. MSU would go on to win, 45-7. Mike Carter – USA Today

Yesterday evening was great, and not just because my 8th-ranked Michigan State Spartans began their 2014 football season against the Ohio Valley Conference’s Jacksonville State Gamecocks in East Lansing’s Spartan Stadium. It was delectable because I knew I was watching the defending Big Ten Legends Division Champions. The defending Big Ten Champions. And most importantly, the defending Rose Bowl Champions. MSU won 42 games from 2010-13 and I knew that unlike in 2011, 2012, or 2013, this team entered the season with a huge target on its back. It feels beyond awesome to be a fan of the hunted, rather than of the hunter.

Sparty came into yesterday’s game returning 13 starters–7 offensive, 4 defensive, and 1 special teams–from last year’s squad, but against a foe like JSU, they probably could have started all redshirt freshmen and seen somewhere around the same final result.

Offense: MSU (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) fans got a scare early as QB Connor Cook (12-13, 285 YDS, 3 TD) took a late hit to his left leg after making a great throw on the run to WR Tony Lippett (4 REC, 167 YDS, 2 TD), who completed the 64-yard scoring play. Cook returned to the game, completing his first 9 passes for 257 yards, before sitting out the entire second half as the Spartans had already built a 38-0 first half lead. Eleven different Spartans finished with a reception, and outside of Cook and the other two quarterbacks who played, seven different Spartans notched a carry. Lead backs Jeremy Langford and Nick Hill combined for 99 yards on 24 carries, with Hill scoring two touchdowns. Junior WR AJ Troup (3 REC, 38 YDS, TD) also hauled in a touchdown pass, the first of his college career.

Defense: Really, MSU’s defense didn’t have to do much, despite some offseason worrying about their loss of personnel to either graduation or the NFL Draft. JSU (0-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley Conference) tallied only 89 yards of total offense in the first half and finished with a scant 244. Gamecocks senior RB DaMarcus James, who ran for nearly 1,500 yards and scored 29 touchdowns last year, finished the game with 17 yards on 3 carries. JSU ran out three quarterbacks and none of them fared all that well, although Minnesota transfer Max Shortell (10-18, 117 YDS, TD) helped JSU score its only points of the contest. Safety Kurtis Drummond and cornerbacks Darian Hicks and Nick Tompkins, the latter a converted running back, each picked off a pass.

Special Teams: Sparty’s punt return unit was pretty busy, as JSU punter Hamish MacInnes punted seven times. Spartan WR Macgarrett Kings, Jr. returned two of them for only 11 yards. MSU’s Mike Sadler, the best damn punter in the land, punted four times for a gross average of 32.8 yards per punt. Sophomore kicker Michael Geiger, in his first year on the job, connected on just one of two field goal attempts.

What’s Next: 9/6. OREGON. AT Oregon. AT night. The third-ranked Oregon Ducks will begin their 2014 season tonight against the South Dakota Coyotes in Eugene, OR. Look for them to aim to get far ahead of SD early so they can rest their starters in the second half. Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich has to be aware that his team will play a Spartan unit that physically dominated a very tough Stanford Cardinal team in the 2014 Rose Bowl, and will want all hands on deck for next week’s matchup. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota is arguably the country’s best and most exciting player, and I guarantee Helfrich will do everything in his power to keep him out of harm’s way.

GO GREEN. GO WHITE.

The (seemingly) two kinds of Jay Cutler fans.

When the Chicago Bears traded quarterback Kyle Orton and multiple high draft picks to the Denver Broncos for quarterback Jay Cutler, I was pretty damn ecstatic. I anticipated touchdown throws, tight spirals, and rockets over the middle. All from Cutler, a then 26 year-old, strong-armed Vanderbilt product. Those would lead to wins, division titles, conference titles and Super Bowl titles. In addition, Cutler would finally be free of John Elway and his quarterbacking legend in Denver. It was true that he wouldn’t enjoy the benefit of playing for offensive mastermind Mike Shanahan, and also in a stadium that gives the home team about as unique of an advantage as a team could receive. That top-notch running game and flock of talented receivers and tight ends? They weren’t coming with him to Chicago. Honestly, though, Bears fans didn’t care all that much. We didn’t really care all that much that Cutler had a legit play caller and even more legitimate offensive weapons in Denver, from the offensive line to his backs and ends. We were just happy to finally have a competent quarterback wearing a Bears uni for a change.

Let the division begin.

When Cutler arrived, the offensive line was beyond terrible, running back Matt Forte was coming off of a rookie year in which he probably did more than should have been asked of him, and the wide receivers and tight ends–outside of TE Greg Olsen–were collectively less than average, and that’s being generous. Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox were Cutler’s top two wide receivers that season. Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox were the top two wide receiver options. On an actual NFL team. Don’t pin the 2009 team’s 7-9 record on Cutler.

But, some did. It was easy to see that on roughly one-quarter of his dropbacks, Cutler simply ran for his life. No time to go through your progressions; just start running, Jay. It was even easier to see that freakin’ Joe Montana himself wouldn’t have been able to do much with receivers like Bennett, Knox, Devin Hester and Rashied Davis. It still infuriates me to no end that Cutler went through much of his prime trying to target Hester, by the way. Plenty of fans ignored the pedestrian play-calling on offense. Instead, they subscribed to the NFL logic that states quarterbacks should receive the lion’s share of the blame, win or lose. So even when the Bears were completely outclassed in every facet of the game, a certain contingent of fans directed their ire towards the player the franchise had given up so much for. After all, this wasn’t a team that was “one piece away” when they traded for Cutler. There were multiple holes to fill, especially on offense. It’s almost as if the Bears front office and Chicago sports media wanted us to believe that Cutler would fix all that ailed the Bears’ sickly offensive unit.

To an extent, those incredibly critical fans of Cutler were right. It’s a little hypocritical to damn near hail a guy as a savior, and then when there is colossal failure, you don’t even begin to lay any of the blame at his feet. There were certainly times when I felt for Cutler because he simply wasn’t put in a very good position to win early in his time with the Bears, but there were also the forced throws, terrible footwork, even more terrible throwing mechanics and the “I’m getting paid to not give a fuck” facial expressions that seemed to come aplenty, especially when things weren’t going his way. I wasn’t completely on the side of the fans who wanted Cutler to lead the offense, defense, special teams and our military, but he just wasn’t very good for the Bears early on, porous offensive line and crappy receivers or not.

On the other side were the Bears fans who have been watching inept Bears quarterbacks for their entire lives, and wanted to protect and coddle the first good thing to happen to that position since Sid Luckman. No, seriously. Sid Luckman. They saw an offensive line that struggled to block wind and pointed to that unit as the main reason why Cutler has never lived up to expectations. When the coaching staff tries to force Hester, Kellen Davis and Devin Aromashodu on you, just how are you supposed to lead that team to any sort of title? Once again, the Chicago Bears tried to turn one of the greatest punt/kick returners of all-time into a receiver and not only did the experiment fail magnificently, Hester’s return production took a significant hit as well, which meant the Bears screwed themselves on both offense and special teams. It didn’t matter that up until this season, the Bears defense had been a strength, and if it weren’t for that unit doing more than their part, Cutler’s record with the Bears would be much worse than it is right now. For a few years, the only consistent threat on offense besides Cutler was Forte. No, that is not an exaggeration. And while Forte is a very good running back, he’s not exactly a game-changing horse of a back who can just up and will a team to victory whenever he feels like it.

Cutler was doomed from the start, they often said. The horrendous play-calling limited his big arm and surprisingly, above-average mobility. Then again, if you’re an offensive coordinator, what do you call when the only two weapons you have are your quarterback and running back? Would you want your quarterback to have to target Bennett 15 times in a game? Would you call a play for Kellen “Drop It, KD!” Davis? With the Bears running out such a horrendous offensive line for years, I’m surprised pass plays beyond a few yards downfield were called at all.

The Bears fans who want to blame Cutler for all of the Bears’ failures have often ferociously pointed to the other side and attempted to paint them as gullible and naïve. This is partly true. I find it amazing that some of my friends and people I follow on Twitter will stop at nothing to avoid criticizing Cutler, even when a bad play is clearly his fault. Throwing off of his back foot? Blame the line. Forced throw? Blame the receiver. Bad body language? Blame the media…or gas. Just don’t blame Cutler. To be fair, the Bears fans who act as if Cutler, or any other quarterback, are responsible for all happenings on the football field are just as ridiculous, if not a tad bit more. Cutler is not responsible for the following: Pass blocking, run blocking, blitzing, stopping the run, stopping the pass, tackling, punting, kicking field goals and extra points, and challenging or calling plays. It’s not, and never has been Cutler’s responsibility to turn crud into croissants. So while I’ve been waiting for Cutler to maximize his potential since he arrived, I do realize that he hasn’t been put in the best position to do so.

I suppose I’m in the middle. Admittedly, Cutler received a few dozen passes from me for his early troubles with the Bears. After a 2009 45-10 beating at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, I wanted Cutler to leave because I didn’t want to see such a young talent have his career ended prematurely, or at least mucked up by the ineptitude of the Bears.  At the same time, any member of the “Cutler Lover For Life” camp who argued that the guy was elite should explain then, why he didn’t really make any of the guys around him better. I simply won’t hear or read that Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees haven’t made guys around them who aren’t household names into…well…household names. Granted, all four of them have mostly enjoyed exceptional offensive line play, but those four could win more than lose with almost any team, I believe. Cutler has two stud receivers in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, but they were prepackaged bundles of talent. Cutler didn’t reach down and find their superstar within, or anything close. That’s not entirely his fault, either, but it does lend some credence to the arguments that while Cutler is good, he’s no superstar.

Then again, the Bears and I never needed Cutler to be a superstar, so I find a nice chunk of the criticisms of him to be unfair. The problem is, he was sold as one, and he has not been. I’m sure the biggest fans of his know he has not been elite since becoming a Bear and the incessantly dissenting fans make sure to indicate that. To be honest, I don’t sense much middle ground when it comes to Cutler. And, maybe there doesn’t need to be. Cutler is an impending free agent and while I want the Bears to tag him and draft a young quarterback early, I sense the front office is leaning towards extending him. I don’t have any issues with an extension, so long as it’s not Flacco-like. Perhaps with some continuity for the first time in years, Cutler will come back in 2014 and live up to expectations. After all, this was arguably the finest season of his career, despite missing five games. Perhaps, not. Either way, the warring Cutler fans will just have to put off the squabbling for another 8 months. I’m coming, Elizabeth. I’m coming.