[CBFF] Chicago Offense Needs Griese

[Jason Cetina]

 From the same publication that two days ago said Rex should stay:

Mind you, there is a lot of incoherent garbage in here (for example, 
that Lovie is loyal to a fault (Terry Shea says wha?)), but the PFW guys 
need to eat, too.

Anyway, food for thought (and fuel for the fire).

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Features/Scouts+Eye/2006/nawrocki120406.htm

By Nolan Nawrocki
Dec. 4, 2006


Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman or Brian Griese — it seems the debate only grows stronger 
each time Grossman takes the field, reaching a fever pitch as the fans 
assembled at Soldier Field constantly booed Grossman’s 6-of-19, 34-yard, 
three-interception performance vs. the Vikings on Sunday — an effort 
that resulted in a pathethic 1.3 passer rating. But the cries have 
fallen on the deaf ears of the Bears’ coaching staff, as Lovie Smith 
staunchly defended his quarterback after the game.

Why? The Bears’ staff cannot see the forest through the trees. Smith, 
loyal to a fault, has entrusted the Bears’ offense into the hands of 
offensive coordinator Ron Turner. Turner has said publicly that Grossman 
is the best he has ever coached. Careers of offensive coaches are often 
made or broken based on the play of a quarterback, arguably the 
second-most important figure on a team after the head coach, and neither 
Smith nor Turner wants to undermine one of the team’s leaders or shake 
his confidence, especially a quarterback that their boss, Jerry Angelo, 
handpicked to lead the team. It would rock the boat too much and create 
the ever-feared QB controversy, perhaps pushing the shell-shocked golden 
boy even further into a shell.

Where the coaching staff is missing the boat is in understanding 
Grossman’s makeup. He responds best when his back is against the wall. 
He played his best at Florida for Steve Spurrier, who had no problem 
benching him, berating him and showing him the tough love he needed to 
thrive. So why cradle him now? Against the Vikings, Grossman clearly 
looked confused on the field, and it is more than the lack of height 
that had no bearing on his solid play early in the year. He is not 
seeing the field well, overlooking open receivers, forcing the ball into 
coverage, not handling pressure well and pressing way too much, the same 
way he did in the preseason when the crowd was calling for Griese.

It can be argued that there is no reason to make a change right now. 
Grossman has led the Bears to 10 wins, they just clinched a division 
title before any other team in the league, and the chemistry in the 
locker room is good. But they are tied for the best record in the league 
in spite of the quarterback, not because of him as the 10-2 Colts are. 
The best thing the coaches could do for Grossman at this point is let 
him rest. Let him step back from the situation, take the huge 
expectations of Chicago off his shoulders for a week and see what they 
have in their backup.

Grossman created his own mess, and he needs to deal with the 
consequences — an opportunity for Griese to show what he can do. Come 
playoff time, teams ideally want a polished veteran at the helm — 
someone who knows when to get rid of the ball quickly, check it down, 
control the ball, move the chains and let the defense dominate.

Not to make a change after Grossman’s downward spiral the past seven 
weeks (14 interceptions thrown during that span) would be ignorant. 
Coaches can turn their eyes away from it now and keep hoping Grossman 
will snap out of his funk, but when it comes time to beat good football 
teams in the playoffs, too much is being left to chance if the Bears are 
going to rely strictly on defense and special teams. It’s ironic after 
the injury problems the Bears have endured at the QB position in recent 
years, the biggest problem heading into Week 14 may be that their 
starting quarterback is still standing and not hobbled like the front 
office had prepared for.

To win a championship, it requires making tough decisions and being able 
to remove emotion from the equation and do what is best for the team. 
For experienced football minds looking at the Bears’ QB situation from 
afar, the decision is readily apparent — it’s time to dial up the closer 
out of the bullpen. But then, the Bears’ fears might come true — they 
might find out that their backup is a lot better than their future 
franchise quarterback.