Don't underestimate the Chicago Bears preseason contest in Seattle on Saturday night, especially in regard to the "battle" taking place at the quarterback position. Though there's no reason for Lovie and company to anounce a starter until Friday, the contest will go a long way to deciding who is under center in Indianapolis on September 7th.
If Rex starts, he'll get his fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes to win the starting job. That's it. That's all. The Bears will need to run their prospective number one offense in the third game and Grossman will assuredly need to crack that lineup in game conditions and not in the half-pad atmosphere of training camp practice.
If Kyle starts, expect things to stay that way. Kyle will play Saturday night like a golfer moving onto a Sunday back nine with a five stroke lead. He'll hit fairways. He'll lay up. He won't force putts. He'll tell himself even par to the end wins. And he'll do just that...win.
I thought about this seemingly obvious fact and realized, "Yeah. Kyle can do that. Can Rex? " Kyle can limit his errors and take what's there. Kyle also proved at the end of 2007 against the Saints that he can reach Devin on the deep ball. He also doesn't lose very often, does he?
It's with these running thoughts that DaBearsBlog officially endorses Kyle Orton as quarterback of the Chicago Bears (and reserves the right to change their mind at any time).
MONDAY MORNING MISERY ALERT: Blow on your coffee. Unwrap your bacon, egg and cheese. And spend the next nine and a half minutes...watching this.
#2 Al In WI said . . .Awwww . . . jeff gonna make some people mad. I still would prefer Good Rex emerging permanently but definitely understand the Kyle argument and think we can win with either QB. This should be a fun thread.
August 11, 2008
#3 johnny el paso said . . .It isn't April 1st today is it?
August 11, 2008
#4 bfos7215 said . . .I totally agree with you jeff. I think that kyle should be the bears starting qb. I believe that he gives the bears the best shot at winning games. Rex had his chance and fucked up. Kyle is a smarter player than rex and he's stood behind rex and learned from dumbass rex's mistakes.
August 11, 2008
#5 Shady said . . .It's simply a misconception that Kyle doesn't make the kinds of mistakes that Rex does. It's not a misconception that Kyle can't make the kind of throws Rex does.
Rex is going to start on Saturday. He very well may lose the starting job on that night. But, right now, it's his to lose.
August 11, 2008
#6 McBears Fan said . . .Wait a minute, Rex lost his starting job twice last year. First 'cause he was benched, second 'cause he got injured. Kyle has yet to show Bears fans why he shouldn't be starting over Rex. Give the man a shot, why not? Neither man has shown enough in preseason to distinguish himself form the other, so why not let the guy who has less marks against him get the start? If the Bears can run the ball without turning it over, the defense should be able to play well enough to win ballgames. If only we had "steady" Rex, then maybe this wouldn't be such a friggin problem.
Right now, Shady officially endorses Caleb Hanie as the Bears QB of the future, soon to be "The next Tom Brady."
August 11, 2008
#7 animal said . . .I could watch Hester highlights all day and never get bored.
August 11, 2008
#8 Bears Fan in Colorado Springs said . . .who cares who the QB is? They will both end up playing due to injuries and being under constant pressure unless the O line and St. Clair surprise the holy hell out of us.
August 11, 2008
#9 KidronJesse said . . .How come everyone else in Beardom could see that we needed O-line help (more than just one rookie tackle) and a real qb we could be proud of ... But JA couldn't see it, stil doesn't see it.
August 11, 2008
#10 jeff said . . .Wow... I just watched that youtube video... that Devin Hester kid is pretty good at returning kicks and stuff...
August 11, 2008
#11 jeff said . . .i think it's impossible to state that rex doesn't make significantly more mistakes then kyle. every stat imaginable bears that out.
watch those hester highlights. kyle threw a pretty damn nice deep ball and kyle looked damn poised in frozen green bay last winter.
just sayin
August 11, 2008
#12 Genza said . . .and as for this being rex's job to lose....that just isn't true. listen to his media quotes...he knows he's in trouble.
August 11, 2008
#13 JWilson said . . .I still remember that game in 2005 where Orton threw 5 interceptions.
Rated worst QB in the NFL that season.
They b0th suck, but I agree that Orton sucks less.August 11, 2008
#14 Phil from SATX said . . .Shady-
I agree with you. I realize Hanie played against a 3rd string defense. But he looked more poised behind center than the other 2 QB's. And sometimes you just see something in a player that you like. If this QB battle was for real, all 3 of them would get a chance to start with the 1st team offense. We can only hope that we have the next Tom Brady at our # 3 spot. If that is the case, pray to God that Jerry Angelo don't screw it up.August 11, 2008
#15 Prefontaine said . . .I'm not sure what prompted that endorsement, I'm not with it, but as I posted Saturday I WAS disappointed in my guy's performance in that preseason game. I agree with those who say the decision must be made after the next game (maybe the reason why the "coin flip" had Rex starting in this game?). QB derbies are all fine and dandy on paper but the team has to solidify under one QB in preseason.
I was just expecting Rex to look really seasoned and professional and instead he looked like the same guy that started the season last year - maybe a little less tentative, but not looking polished.
So I'm saying here that Rex has to show good stuff, move chains and score (and not just score by handing off) - and if he doesn't, and if Kyle has a solid 2nd string showing, I'll be okay with a decision to start the season with Kyle. As much in love as I am with Rex's arm, it still comes down to the brain. Rex has got to show me he has the brain to make the good decisions. He panicked in that scrambling play - he panicked in a preseason game, and he did so just because he had to scramble, and scrambling is still very foreign to him, and doesn't come naturally. My guess is the quarterback who has the best chance at success this year is one who can be creative under a rush. That guy is (unfortunately for us erstwhile Rex fans) probably Kyle. I hate to have one play define a guy but unfortunately we don't have a lot to go off of. It did seem like Rex had been better in camp but that wasn't definitive, and our information has been cut off.
Let em play, let's see what happens. I too am excited about the running game.
August 11, 2008
#16 Pissed Off said . . .If Kyle is the smarter QB, explain the fucking neckbeard???
August 11, 2008
#17 Pissed Off said . . .Jeff, Do you mean YOU endorse Kyle as QB, if so thats OK but plenty of us who participate on the blog DO NOT endorse Kyle as the QB. I get it, you run the site you cant speak for all of us.
And what exactly was it that you saw from Kyle in our 1ST PRESEASON game that you are so sure Kyle is the better man. Was it his lack of getting a TD on the board, or maybe his fumbling for no good reason?
Rex did redeem himself when he got back from his benching and his time was cut short due to injury. If he had been able to finish the season (I think we would have gotten to the playoffs) but also he would be our starter going into this year no open competition.
I agree Rex wasnt stellar in his one quarter or whatever worth of play he got but neither was Kyle. Rex looked fine, he ran forward when the pocket collapsed, his passes were strong as usual. I'm just not going to get too excited until after I see what happens in Seattle. Lets remember that Rex has been better in practice ALL year and he hasnt got his shot to start like he will on Sat yet either.
August 11, 2008
#18 Decatur Staleys #7 said . . .Roy has day 18 and 19 highlights and commentary up on youtube but I cant seem to be able to post them on here.
August 11, 2008
#19 Pissed Off said . . .Well look what our ex WR had to say
"That's right. It's where receivers go to die.''
--Carolina wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad on his time in Chicago. He returned to Carolina this offseason after a frustrating three-year run with the BearsSpeaking of Muhammad, he had this to say about the state of the Chicago quarterback situation: "In the time Brett Favre has started for the Packers -- what's it been, 16 years? -- I bet the Bears have had 16 different starting quarterbacks. You've got to find the right guy and stick with him.''
Sixteen is low, actually. The Bears have had an NFL-high 21 starting quarterbacks while their neighbors to the north have had one.
Well I glad Mush is in mid season form for throwing people under the bus
August 11, 2008
#20 said . . .Let me try this
Day 18 highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bibp1eHugtc
August 11, 2008
#21 Pissed Off said . . .Day 18 commentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7lj3w8HhD4
August 11, 2008
#22 said . . .Day 19 highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2CNCZNm-Ts
August 11, 2008
#23 Pissed Off said . . .Day 19 commentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opy0sRGu7jQ
August 11, 2008
#24 Jimbo said . . .After watching the vids its obvious that Rex is ahead. Unless the writing is on the wall and they already know they're going with Kyle, as Al mentioned might be the case, there is no way Rex doesnt start week one unless he has a poor showing against Seattle and Kyle looks magnificent which, the words Kyle and magnificent rarely go together. The thing is....I just know Rex can make more plays, he has more upside and Kyle probably is safer but damn, lets go for it with Rex, we went to the Super Bowl with the guy two years ago and I dont think theres any way we go with Kyle at the helm, why should it be different now, especially since Rex has been exactly what the Bears want him to be since the benching...consistent.
August 11, 2008
#25 Viva said . . .Ugh. Comon Rex haters. He got benched after 3 games last season... 3 games where berrian was dropping wide open touchdown passes, everyone on the D got hurt, and ron turner set an all time low for shitty coaching.
Our line sucked. Benson sucked worse. Nothing was clicking. The teams heart was ripped out when Mike Brown went down. Then we bring in Gresie... and sucked even worse... plus we were just boring to watch.
I'm not saying Rex is a great QB, but hes the best talent we have. We arent going to win shit without some offense... We cant always count on the defense and special teams to bail us out of every game.
We KNOW rex can lead this offense. He has already done this (2006). Kyle can hand off, and hit that nice 4 yard slant or screen pass... but he cant consistantly move the offense. Lets give rex a REAL chance to right the ship.
August 11, 2008
#26 jdawg said . . .OK...who didn't hook up deep against the Saints last year? Their secondary is a laughing stock. Has been for the past umpteen years.
Kyle Orton will face 8 men in the box on 1st and 2nd downs, a pluthra of packages on third and long, HE WILL CHECK DOWN, and on 4th and 3 we punt.
He is not the answer. Our defense will not surprise enough teams this year, as was the case in 05, and he will need to put points on the board.
August 11, 2008
#27 animal said . . .you know -- I just want a fair competition and evaluation. Unfortunately I don't really trust this coaching staff to do that. A prime example was the unwise move last season of replacing Brown with Anderson as the starting DE.
Anyway, off we go into another Rex debate.
woo hoo.
August 11, 2008
#28 Duff Diggler said . . .What if Devin Hester starts making plays like Steve Smith? Would that make Orton look like Delhomme? Because I'd be fine with that. They damn near won a great super bowl vs. the evil empire....
August 11, 2008
#29 Animal said . . ....just wanted to point something my buddy and I noticed out. I don't know if anyone has already called it out here, but....
Anybody take a super close look at the slow-mo replay of that pass, during the 1st quarter, more specifically, the first KC drive, when McGowan blasted the receiver near the sideline? HE KNOCKED THE BALL LOOSE!!! It wasn't a catch! That shit hit the ground! If you have it recorded, watch it again and tell me i'm wrong!
August 11, 2008
#30 mikebdot said . . .BTW did anyone see the highlight of the big hit Zibs had on special teams in the Ravens first game?
Classic Zibs. Damn I wish we had drafted him.August 11, 2008
#31 jeff said . . .http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=4987
I know it's from da site and all (so it's stinking of a puff piece), but at least they're high on Beekman at LG...I like his attitude as well.
August 11, 2008
#32 Pissed Off said . . .duff, joniak pointed that out on the radio. said he didn't understand why lovie didn't challenge it.
August 11, 2008
#33 mikebdot said . . .I wonder how the conversation is going to go when they do pick the QB. I assume it'll be after this second game but I think they should wait unitl after the 3rd game. Give them each one quarter, Kyle 1st, Rex 2nd or whatever and use that too as a guage for picking. You know San Fran will keep in the #1s thru the first half so competition should be equal. Gettting back to the original part of my post here right now it cant be any one guy head and shoulders. Based on the one game, training camp practices thus far whatever, there cant be one guy really sticking out (maybe leaning a hair one way or the other but nothing glaring) so it might come down to this one more game. Lets say that stats are similar to the chiefs game and they look about the same as they did VS KC. Who do they go with? Basically right now who do they go with and WHY? I hope the decision is easy based on this Seattle game but who knows.
The QB talk is of course the main topic (and I'm no exception) but thats because I'm not that concerned about other areas right now aside from the O-line. The RB situation can only get better with Kevin Jones back, the WRs are truly in a competition and will be working hard all year to keep their jobs, the whole D is seemingly healthy and when healthy, they're going to be awesome. The O-line needs to be fixed, I wonder if their going to pick up a guy when the teams make their cuts to 53, dumpster dive for the leftovers. I also want to know if Williams will be put on the PUP, if he wont be back for 6+ weeks why would we burn a roster spot on him unless they think he'll be back sooner. Also dont we just have Tait and St. Clair on the team as the only tackles without Williams? Pretty sure we need at least one backup tackle. Its getting way to far into the year to have just the 2 guys.
August 11, 2008
#34 said . . .PO'd: They also have Kirk Barton (and if you want to count Cody Balogh, great, but I doubt he makes the roster). It sounded like he played ok, but I wasn't able to see...
August 11, 2008
#35 bfos7215 said . . .Nope. The stats point that Kyle makes the same mistakes as Rex. I'll offer some clarification. He turns the ball over just as much. Kyle might not throw as many dumb INT's. But, he makes that up with lame duck throws.
I definitely agree that Rex isn't assuming the job is his. That's good. But, from the outside, Rex is better. But, I sure won't be sad if we acquire Simms.
August 12, 2008
Nope. The stats point that Kyle makes the same mistakes as Rex. I'll offer some clarification. He turns the ball over just as much. Kyle might not throw as many dumb INT's. But, he makes that up with lame duck throws.
I definitely agree that Rex isn't assuming the job is his. That's good. But, from the outside, Rex is definitely better. But, I sure won't be sad if we acquire Simms.
August 12, 2008
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