[CBFF] Rex Grossman, Thank You!! No, Seriously...

[Steve Behrens]

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*If it ain't broke, don't fix it*
 Joe Lanane<http://www.westerncourier.com/user/index.cfm?event=displayAuthorProfile&authorid=1063511>
*Issue date:* 12/6/06 *Section:*
Sports<http://www.westerncourier.com/news/2006/12/06/Sports/>


Rex Grossman, here's something you haven't heard recently: Thank you.

No joke. Thanks for making the Chicago Bears a playoff lock this past
weekend by winning the NFC North Division. Thanks for taking tons of heat
from fans who expect nothing less than a 16-0 season every year.

After starting off undefeated, Grossman was considered the Most Valuable
Player of the Chicago Bears - and arguably of the league. But since that
Nov. 5 loss to Miami, Grossman has been about as popular as Michael
Richards, Kevin Federline and the GOP combined.

Despite shelving wins in three of his last four contests since - losing only
to the dynasty that is New England - fans continue to dismiss Grossman as a
worthy starter in Chicago.

Expectations have been set so high, it's as if Grossman is succeeding the
likes of Aikman, Montana or Elway when, in fact, he's only replacing Kyle
Orton. That's right, I'm referring to our good ol' boy from last season who
finished with only nine touchdowns before being benched.

Grossman has already doubled Orton's total with 18 scores, ranking him Top
10 among NFL quarterbacks. When did Bears fans expect more than that?

Aside from the recent Minnesota contest and the miracle in Arizona earlier
this season, Grossman has done enough behind center to make the Bears not
only a playoff caliber team, but also a worthy Super Bowl contender. Even
though Grossman should be 8-4 as a starter this year, that mark is still
strong enough in the NFC to make it to the big show.

Still, he continues to be labeled alongside other mediocre Bears
quarterbacks from past years, but Grossman is potentially the best
quarterback ever seen by fans of our generation.

And like it or not, it is he, not Brian Griese, who gives Chicago its best
option at quarterback.

Tampa Bay made the decision to stick with Chris Simms at quarterback for a
reason, and that was because he won games. His stats weren't all that better
than Griese before his season-ending injury last year, but Simms did what
was needed to get the job done.

Face it, Griese holds onto the ball far too long and isn't mobile enough to
escape defenders when in trouble. Having him at quarterback will not only
equal more sacks, but more turnovers after the tumultuous hits he endures.
Even the most uptight officials in the league won't be able to protect him.

The only way Griese has and ever will be part of a Super Bowl-winning team
is if he's on the sideline. It happened in 1998 as a rookie in Denver, and
it will happen again this year as long as he's not on the field.

Instead, Bears fans should take inspiration from quarterbacks this decade to
have won the Super Bowl without shouldering the load single-handedly. Trent
Dilfer, Brad Johnson and Ben Roethlisburger are all sporting Championship
rings because of the players that surrounded them, not as a result of their
individual efforts.

Having said this, Grossman can rise above that class of second-rate Super
Bowl quarterbacks.

Rest assured, defense and special teams will still continue to be the
backbone of Chicago come playoff time, but so too can Grossman if fans
simply give him a chance