Trent Dilfer Knows Average Quarterbacks, Calls Out Cutler

When it comes to low standards, ESPN just might take the cake.  And while that wasn't a Brooke Hundley fat joke, it could have been.

Maybe it should have been, seeing that this blog is already headed down a slippery slope.  For years, baseball fans had to deal with Steve Phillips' "analysis" of front office moves.  But it was truly hard to put stock in the analysis of the guy who traded Scott Kazmir for Carlos Victor Zambrano.  And that brings us to this week's mediocre ballplayer turned expert.

So, who does Trent Dilfer think he is to call Jay Cutler an average quarterback?

The guy whose career record as a starting quarterback is a pedestrian 58-55?  The player that never threw for more than 3,000-yards?  The QB that never threw more than 21 touchdowns in a season.

Yep, I want to get my football analysis from him like I want parenting advice from Shawn Kemp and Travis Henry.

In the NY Times story (linked above), Dilfer had this to say about the Chicago signal caller:

“He was never as good as everybody said he was. ... He has great talent and remarkable upside, but he’s a very average player.”

My issue with the statement isn't the statement itself, it is from where the statement is coming from.  If it was Troy Aikman or Steve Young criticizing Cutler, I would tip my hat and acknowledge it without much hesitation.  But when it comes from a guy like Dilfer, I roll my eyes, head to my computer and start pounding away at my keyboard.

I mean, he does have a point, especially since the Bears are coming off consecutive losses to San Francisco and Philadelphia in which had Cutler would have single-handedly won had he lived up to the preseason hype.  Instead, JC played like a POS as he threw drive-killing, game-ending picks in each.

But for Dilfer to call out Cutler would be like Bobby and Whitney called out Amy Winehouse for having a substance abuse problem.  Granted, if anyone knows average quarterback play, it would be the former journeyman quarterback.  You know, the guy who threw more touchdowns than interceptions in only three of his 13 seasons in the NFL.  The guy with 113 career touchdown throws and 129 interceptions.

Seriously, if you're taking what Dilfer says to heart without analyzing it on your own, then you might as well take weight loss advice from Charlie Weis.

And before you get started on the "Trent Dilfer has a Super Bowl ring" argument, stop yourself.  Stop yourself right now.  Dilfer was as important to the Ravens Super Bowl run as Adam Morrison was to the Lakers' NBA title run.

Come on, Rex Grossman led a team to a Super Bowl.  Enough said.

Apparently, Dilfer didn't he read the following preseason memo that said without even having to put on a uniform Cutler was the most talented, therefor, greatest quarterback in Chicago Bears history.  Better than Steve Walsh, Erik Kramer and Jim Miller rolled into one.

Unfortunately, Cutler missed the same memo as well.