On Sunday, at 4:15 ET, I’ll be rooting for Rex Grossman about as hard as I’ve ever rooted for a professional athlete. Ask me why and I’m not sure I could even dream up a response.
I’ve run the same gamut everyone’s run on Rex Grossman. September 17th 2006 I wrote that Grossman “played today like I always dreamed a Bears quarterback would play." A week later I coined the ill-fated nickname eREXion. By November I was fending off Jay Mariotti calls to fire him and by New Year's I wanted Brian Griese to start the first playoff game. After the Super Bowl, I was ready to move on.
Now we're back to the ranch and Grossman's back in the saddle. The Bears can say everything they want about Griese's bum shoulder but this move doesn't have anything to do with injury. The Chicago Bears love Rex Grossman and they want him to be their starting quarterback. If he succeeds, Griese's time on the field is all but over this season, no matter how his shoulder feels.
And I hope he succeeds. As bad as Rex Grossman has been, he's also been brilliant. Not good. Not great. Brilliant. If second-half 2007 Rex can re-kindle the magic of first-half 2006 Rex then the Bears can seriously take a run at the NFC. To paraphrase Waterworld, "Rex Grossman's ceiling is not a myth. I have seen it." We need to see it again if the Bears are going to play January football. We'll know Sunday.
#2 topherized said . . .First.
November 14, 2007
#3 Pissed Off said . . .Jeff. I'm with ya. I've always HOPED rex would be the next brett farve, but i had accepted he wasn't. Hopefully he'll make the best of this second chance, and i wont have to watch anymore boring ass bears games (which have basically been every game since BG took over, except the second half of the green bay game).
November 14, 2007
#4 jdawg said . . .Man I am so with you Jeff. I cant wait. I just want him to perform well, I'm not going to put numbers on him that I would like to see. I can't expect him to be different but by God do I want him to be. I want that time on the bench to make him realize that he needs to perform. Every QB has bad games or stretches, throws INTs etc. I want him to get the job done. PERIOD. I dont care how. I think this team is going to be pumped up too. Man if we strike early on a Rex TD pass just imagine the confidence and momentum and unity this team is going to have, imagine the effort they will bring the rest of the game. ITS ON.
November 14, 2007
#5 sweetness said . . .the waterworld reference has stunned me to the point that I can't reach the cap lock key and can only type
sex cannon
November 14, 2007
#6 Megan said . . .as long as they dont resign him..
November 14, 2007
#7 Shady McBears Fan said . . .I will be hoping and praying that he has a good game.
He reminds me of a poem my Dad used to say to me
"There once was a girl with a pretty little curl right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good, she was very very good,
But when she was bad she was HORRID!"Well, aside from the fact that Rex is not a girl (think what you want). When he is good, my toes tingle (again, think what you want).
BEAR DOWN!
November 14, 2007
#8 AK said . . .Waterworld, what an underrated movie.
I also had good look back at the roller-coaster that is Rex Grossman and the comments we've made over the past 12 months. It's almost unbelievable how much impact he's had on Chicago Bear fans. We've been able to witness both Rex's spectacular high ceiling and his terribly low basement, and man is it dark down there. As I have done with increasing frequency this month, I will hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.
Clearly Lovie was won over with The Bomb in Oakland last Sunday. He thinks Rex's opportunity to step back and watch will help him be a better quarterback. Bottom line: He thinks Grossman gives the Bears the best chance to win Sunday, and I concur. Rex thinks he'll benefit from watching games on the sideline, and he feels he was getting 'mental reps' from that perspective. "I've been benched, what can I say, I don't want to go back there" "I'm just gonna go have fun." And fun was exactly what he was having last Sunday in Oakland.
This game will weigh heavily on the shoulders of the Chicago offensive line and the Bears secondary. I have to say, I'm finding it difficult for the kool-aid to do the trick this week. It's obvious what conditions Rex Grossman struggles under and I'm sure Seattle players, coaches and fans will do their best to create them. I just hope the coaches prepare Rex appropriately and give him the proper protection he needs to make something positive happen.
As I've said before, if the Bears cannot establish some semblance of a running game, it won't matter who is at QB. The receivers cannot make the plays to make up for the lack of running game. I've also noticed, as have many of you, that Turner makes the obvious call with little variation for the predictable. I've been on record as saying that for a team to ultimately succeed in the running game, they need to be able to run the ball even when the opposing defense knows it's coming. The Bears have shown at this point they cannot impose their will by running the ball down the opponents throat, to me it's clear they need to begin adding the element of surprise and stop TELEGRAPHING their play-calls.
Good news for Max and Kyle Orton fans: The bearded one is receiving more snaps in practice this week.November 14, 2007
#9 23=rsandberg=mjordan=dhester said . . .I have faith in the SEX CANNON!
November 14, 2007
#10 Max said . . .I will speak the truth & rt needs 2 hear dis,let grossman play the game 2his strenghts...Id rather see him attempt long shots down the field than those checkdowns,PLAY 2 WIN NOT 2 LOSE,dats the formula dat got us all those points early last year.berrian+hester=speed should only help,look@ the sucess they had with berrian burning every1 last yr,now throw in hester,need I say more?remember he wasnt in rex's arsenal early in the year?groosmans favorite target last year clark,now he has 2 w/olsen{aswell wasnt in his arsenal, The beginning of last year they had no pressure,no1 xpected much from them,they played & had fun,lately seems like their just fighting 4 their lives{as they should}Qoute me as saying if rt just lets rex go out & make plays w/the talent on the team were playoff bound,if he keeps rex on a conservative playcalling we are done 4 the year & u can take that 2 tthe bank.......P.S.dis might sound crazy 2 rt,but maybe just maybe let the pass set up the run
November 14, 2007
#11 Al in WI said . . .I am just worried. Lets say Rex comes in and plays so-so football. What if he plays well enough to keep the job, but not well enough to take us to ther Super Bowl . . . what do we do then??
I am afraid that if he plays 3 decent games over the next 5-6 weeks and has a couple bad games, then we might resign him next year and I dont know if he would have warranted an extension if he hadnt improved his consistency. I am afraid of having to keep going on this Rexy Rollercoaster for another year.
Again, dont get me wrong, I hope he does awesome. I am going to be cheering him on with all my heart on sunday. I am going to be defending him all week up to and including game day. I pray that Rex does amazing because i think he deserves it and i think the Bears deserve it. I am just more nervous about these next couple weeks than i have been all year.
November 14, 2007
#12 Bill said . . .The excitement builds! Anyone catch Grossman's press conference today. They are just words, but I'm hopeful about what I heard. "I just want to go out there play like it's recess. And have some fun. Really have some fun. You never know if I'll get another chance to play with these guys again."
To me that sounds like a guy who learned a lesson on the bench. That lesson can be described best by Walter Payton, "Tomarrow is promised to no one." He needs to play with that attitude and be agressive, that's his game. I feel he tried to be cautious and hesitated too much early. Hopefully he will back up his words, with his play. I think he will.November 14, 2007
#13 To Megan said . . .I hope Rex has fun out there, but I hope he's not careless either. We wouldnt' want Megan's toe tingling to be for nothing.
November 14, 2007
#14 Viva said . . .What about when Rex is bad?
You feel anything then?
November 15, 2007
#15 Shady McBears Fan said . . .I say we march into Seattle and shit down their throats.
November 15, 2007
#16 Viva said . . .Viva, what's the line on the Bears game in Vegas and which way are you betting?
November 15, 2007
#17 Windy City Packer Fan said . . .The line is Bears +5.5 with the over set @ 37.5.
I will be running my numbers (formula) later this evening to determine where I'll place my wager, but my gut is telling me that RT has had an eppifany, and that Da Bears will beat the shit out of these bastards...
November 15, 2007
#18 Shady McBears Fan said . . .For those of you (most of you) that can't stand Brett Favre, take some time to read this article, and ask yourselves if you really think Grossman can do the things that Favre talks about in this article.
ESPN 1000 was talking about the lack of good QBs in the NFL, and wondering why there is not better QB play in the NFL. How many guys have the COACH to teach this kind of stuff, and the guy who is willing to put the time in to learn it.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=656085
I know that Bill will read this with an objective point of view. I hope that others will as well.
You need an OC and QB coach that know what the hell they are doing. Rex has the physical tools...does he have the ability to take it on mentally is the question.
November 15, 2007
#19 Viva said . . .Viva, I've got a formula for you. Da Bears + Da Under = Money in the bank.
StartO did you see the Ced-napper (Ricky Williams) was in the news today? He's been reinstated into the NFL again.
If Miami releases him to the waiver wire (like they claimed they would) would you want to see the Bears pick him up this year? I don't know where they rank on the waiver list, but I wouldn't mind giving the guy a shot this year.
Phil, I was watching the replay of the Raiders game and I really believe the fake reverse to Hester would have worked had they actually handed him the ball. You also mentioned that Garrett Wolfe could be solid gold if given the right opportunity. In reviewing the one and only play to Wolfe last week, I noticed Fred Miller whiffed on a block he should have made on the Raider OLB. I think he can absolutely be effective in this offense if he's given enough right opportunities. And why not give him more opportunities, could it be worse than what Cedric is showing us?
November 15, 2007
#20 Viva said . . .Shady-
OK. I have run the numbers, and lets just say that I will be beting against a system that has been wrong 36% of the time this season.
As a matter of fact, I am as convinced that the Bears will win this weekend as Morpheaus was that Neo was The One...and with that said, the moneyline is set at +220 (which means for every $100 bet you win $220) but you do not get any points. I will take the Bears on the moneyline this weekend.
November 15, 2007
#21 CAK said . . .Windy,
Thanks for sharing the knowledge - that was a great article. (I am not surprised to hear he has a keen memory)
In answer to your question, I don't know if Rex has the accumen that Favre does, but I do want to find out. I think the sports media coverage in Chicago is built to tear people down - and were successful. I think if Brett were playing in Chicago and he posted the same numbers he did the first 3 years of his Pack days, he too would have been carrying a clipboard. And that is what is so fucking frustrating about this whole QB situation.With that said, I am very much looking forward to the return of Great Rex.
November 15, 2007
#22 Northside Superfan said . . .Rex has everyone excited. He has the coaches, the players, the fans, everyone excited for this game. I find it amazing how one guy, who went through so much here in Chicago, can get me this excited for him and for him to play well. If he doesn't do well or he does average this Sunday, I won't say he sucks or anything. If that happened I would be disappointed and feel bad for him because I belive he brings a lot to the team, he gets them excited. Let's get two stright wins and some confedence for Rex.
BEAR DOWN!November 15, 2007
#23 Max said . . .What the hell...
I said earlier I didn't think Rex earned the start, and maybe he didn't but who cares. I'm with everyone else--I am excited for this game.
Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead. BEAR DOWN!!
November 15, 2007
#24 Megan said . . .As long as we are all throwing out movie lines, Rahula Strohl of the Tribune has one of my favorite (and most accurate) quotes in reference to Sexy Rexy
"As for Rex starting, at least it's going to be exciting. You know, in that Bull Durham, "I don't know where he's gonna throw it next, honest," kind of way."
November 15, 2007
#25 RandomName said . . .To, "To Megan"
Anti-orgasmic
November 15, 2007
#26 Pissed Off said . . .Go Rex, or Griese, or Rex, or Orton.
Whatever, somebody win one!
November 15, 2007
#27 Bill said . . .WCPF, not today pal, dont give a shit about Favre today, this is the BEARS BLOG TODAY, we can worry about your petty Favre and Packer squad some other time but not today. This is the most important week of the year.
Your not serious about picking up Pothead williams are you? this team has zero interest like they should. Halas Hall might look like a cheech and chong van if we pair him and Ced on the same team.
Viva thanks for the confidence boost, I hope your right about the Bears, I want a win this weekend worse than at any other time this year.
November 15, 2007
#28 jeff said . . .WCPF - haven't had time to read the article but I will. However, from your comments I can see that I'll likely agree. I've kind of said similar things - there are nowhere near 32 good QBs in the league and that's a huge problem for Goodell in my opinion - especially if he wants to further expand.
Poor coaching is as likely a reason as any.Someone said fan / medi pressure contributes - here in Chicago anyway - and I have ot agree there as well. I'm convinced Chicago fans woudl have called for Favre to be benched in his first years if he were a Bear.
So why haven't our QBs done well elsewhere? Because their psyche (confidence) was crushed beyond repair. Two examples of modest success - Harbaugh and Tomczak. Tomczak was one of the first players I ever heard of seeing a sports psychologist. I think Rex needed one as well. The biggest hint was him always saying after bad games "I don't know why I do the things I do." I really think he meant it - he knew not to do it, but he did anyway. Why? That's what we ALL wondered.
Will he stop it now that he has this unexpected last chance? As I've said, I'm curious to find out. Not excited - just curious.
November 15, 2007
#29 23=rsandberg=mjordan=dhester said . . .i hate the favre/grossman conversation but i will say this about favre: he regressed significantly from his first to his second year as a starter to the point where mike holmgren had a coaches' meeting to vote whether to start him or brunell the following week. they started favre and he kept his job. what may have cost grossman the most was the talent around him: this team did not think they could afford to suffer through the development of a quarterback with super bowl quality everywhere else. ultimately, they may have simply overvalued themselves as a football team - as we've seen in recent weeks. the team is not as good as once believed and thus it might have been smarter to allow rex to play this season out and make a decision in january about his future.
November 15, 2007
#30 jeff said . . .?question.......what happens if rex gets hurt in sundays game?does orton come in or griese{considering the fact he did say he would be ready 2play}the obvious one would be griese,now consider the miscommunication that happened yesterday w/the qb announcement{griese looked like sum1 just stabed him in the back & definitely thinks his healthy enough & should be starting,does he play smart & 2 his potential or does he play uninterested like 4 xample,uhm i dntno....cedric..............slim chance of it coming down 2 this,but just as slim as rex coming back in cause griese went out w/a shoulder injury
November 15, 2007
#31 Bill said . . .there was nothing secret about the bears giving rex about half the snaps in practice this week. they were preparing this move and they've made it now. barring a disaster, i don't think brian griese will start another game this season. i think he'll remain the bears backup quarterback for the next few years.
November 15, 2007
#32 Midway Monster said . . .Jeff - read the Trib articles; though it was obvious Rex was going to start, and in fact both QBs were told that in the morning, and the press figured it out given the practice reps; Lovie made no statement until late in the day and left Griese looking foolish as he tried to sidestep the questions that were naturally being asked of him. He tried to protect Lovie by not tsaying Rex was starting until Lovie was ready to say it - all the while he lost his job ot an injury that wouldn't have benched him had he been a really good QB.
Anyway - I really don't care what Griese thinks. He threw 10 INTS and therefore had to know he'd be benched if there was a clear cut alternative. Had he not gotten hurt, he'd still be starting (assuming they somehow beat Oakland anyway); but this is no time for worrying about anyone's feelings. Griese did little to earn accolades given the anemic offense to that point (YES - it's more RT's fault, but still, Griese was the leader of the offense and it was up to him just like it was up to Rex when he was QB.)
Anyway - I agree Griese won't start anymore. If Rex loses a couple games and we're out of it, I can only assume they'd give ORton those last games to see if he's improved.
November 15, 2007
#33 Midway Monster said . . .Megan: I never did understand that poem. Is the curl symbolism for drugs? Are you saying that Rex is a druggie?
-- Midway --
November 15, 2007
#34 23=rsandberg=mjordan=dhester said . . .... no wait... the curl is an allegory for Benson's blocking skills (Griese's shoulder injury occurred when blitzing Morrison- Oakland middle linebacker- came through unblocked).
-- Midway --
November 15, 2007
#35 Bill said . . .cedric+ricky williams=cheech & chung
November 15, 2007
#36 Pissed Off said . . .Amore modern take on that poem ends:
When she was good, she was very, very good;
And when she was bad, she was better.November 15, 2007
#37 mikebdot said . . .Griese is a backup, thats all. He will continue to be the backup for this team for the next few years but only under a rare circumstance will he start. If Rex is gone after this year, my guess is Orton starts the year at QB unless they pick up a good free agent who then would compete and probably beat out Orton for the starting job. Griese would remain number two while a QB that we draft sits and develops and is listed as #3 or is kept on the practice squad.
I'm a little upset with Lovie this year for not sticking with Rex but more so for not going back to him sooner. He had to have realized that after about three weeks with Griese, or four, or five or six that it wasnt all the QB, this team as a whole has struggled and Rex has always given us the best chance to win. Yeah yeah Griese was suppossed to bring consistnecy but it didnt happen. Lovie always says he evaluates on a week to week basis and that he'll start whoever gives them the best chance to win. Bullshit Lovie! Just plain Bullshit! Your a liar or if you're not and you honestly thought that for that long, Griese was the better option, you are a horrible evaluator of talent. I can understand the move after week three but it was obvious by week three, four, five etc that it was the team, not just Rex, that sucked and he should have put him back in a lot sooner.
BTW did you all watch the press conference, I know Al did, but that "play like its recess" comment was great but even greater was when he said he had already "missed the boat on the big one" when talking about this being his contract year and that the likelihood of him getting a big one was slim next year. CMON REX, if you turn it around starting this week and lead this team to you know where and play lights out the next 7 + games you can still get that deal, if not here (but preferrably here), somewhere else.
I Believe! (If only for a week.)
#8TTAT
November 15, 2007
#38 RandomName said . . .Midway: My recollection says, "Cedric blocked another blitzing person on that play. He put a body on a body. Olin and Metcalf (probably more of the latter's fault) left a gaping hole for the blitzing linebacker to walk through."
I deleted the game from my DVR, but I'm pretty sure that's what happened there. Maybe not though. They sent about 8 people on that play. Griese should have thrown it quick. He had enough time to chuck it into single coverage somewhere on the field.
November 15, 2007
#39 Viva said . . .stupid question:
but what determines a wildcard team in the nfl?
November 15, 2007
One euphomism the Bears must change from here on out:
"We get off the bus running the football," needs to be replaced with, "we get off the bus, walk into the locker room, and let the other fucking team worry about what we are going to do."
We have challenged every team out there to stop our running game and they have. We have been our own worst enemy. The warfighting principle that applies most is Surprise. Nobody likes surprises. Nobody likes to be kicked in the balls when they are defending their jaw.
Ron Turner it is now time for you to BEAR DOWN.
November 15, 2007
Here at DaBearsBlog, you are free to kill us or the Bears as you so wish. You are not free, however, to be an asshole. So if you spew racism or ill-meaning foul language (cursing about football is just fine) or anything of that ilk, your comments ain't gonna last long, jerk.