When the Chicago Bears traded for Jay Cutler this off-season, they were supposed to have the final piece of the puzzle in place. Instead, the Bears’ offense has been woeful this season, and there’s growing talk in Chicago that offensive coordinator Ron Turner is to blame.
Even though the Bears are coming off a 30-6 blowout win over the Browns, Turner has been the object of scorn in the Chicago media this week for the team’s lackluster performance on offense. And Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that Turner’s is the head most likely to roll after the season if the Bears miss the playoffs.
The Bears likely wouldn’t want to buy out the contract of head coach Lovie Smith, and Smith seems to have the complete support of the locker room, so his job appears to be safe. General Manager Jerry Angelo likely wouldn’t be the one to go if the Bears make changes after the season, either: Angelo has a contract that runs through 2013. But getting rid of Turner after the season wouldn’t be so difficult. And so Turner may be coaching for his job over the rest of the year.
As for Cutler, the Bears have gone all in on their quarterback, so it’s up to Turner to find the right way to use Cutler’s skills. Cutler said he talked to Turner after the win over the Browns and found him to be frustrated. And Cutler said frustration is exactly what Turner should be feeling right now.
''I talked with him Monday for a long time,’' Cutler said. ''He’s just as frustrated as a lot of us are. He’s the one calling the shots. Whenever we struggle he’s going to be frustrated, and rightly so.’'