BlueBrewer
09-24-2007, 11:06 AM
Patience lost: Bench Grossman, Benson
Bears can spread the blame after Cowboys loss, but Chicago is out of patience with Grossman, who absolutely must not start again
September 24, 2007
BY JAY MARIOTTI Sun-Times Columnist
They should have put Rex Grossman out of his misery and benched him, not just to help the Bears win and soothe the pain of their fans but as a favor to a nation. If ``Football Night in America'' is supposed to be a celebration, the Rex-terminator was a party pooper again, just as he was in the Super Bowl and the Arizona game and so many other times that we've lost count.
I speak for a city in demanding that he not start another game. And while Lovie Smith volunteered his standard refrain after the 34-10 stinker -- ``Rex is our quarterback,'' he droned on -- he also added curiously that ``a change could come at any position'' after he watches the horror films.
Watch closely, coach. The quarterback stinks. I mean, still stinks.
Not that it will matter much if Tommie Harris has a serious knee injury and the once-great defense looks as beat-up and ravaged as it did in a revealing loss to the Dallas Cowboys. If Smith is stubborn enough to stick with Rex, after watching a real quarterback named Tony Romo, the Bears might be in for a wicked year. As it is, their championship window seemed to dead-bolt quicker than you saw Dallas cornerback Anthony Henry scoot 28 yards to paydirt with another Rexually dysfunctional pass. The offense will have to earn its keep with so many injuries on defense, including the sight of Harris limping away and Lance Briggs and Nathan Vasher leaving with groin issues. Grossman, as even his kindest supporters now must admit, isn't up to the task.
``GRIESE! GRIESE!'' the fans chanted after Rex's ugliest throw of another dismal evening, which only validated recent insults that referred to him as ``a mental midget'' and so much worse. It's obvious this kid can't deal with the pressure of playing quarterback in the City of Weak Shoulders, and if Jerry Angelo was so compelled to sign Brian Griese to a five-year deal as a backup, then it's time to prepare him before the season disintegrates.
Man up? Bear down? No, this was a boom-or-ballcap test that found Rexy Bad flopping in the big moment, this while Cedric Benson was confirming the harsh reality that he is soft and fumble-prone. They weren't the only ones to blame -- Bernard Berrian dropped passes, Devin Hester proved human -- but your starting quarterback and running back are vital in injecting confidence and energy. While Grossman was throwing three more bad interceptions and nearly several more, Benson again was fumbling at a critical juncture -- late in the third quarter, at the Bears 45 -- as he did in the San Diego loss.
The only thing worse than the performance was Grossman's state of denial afterward. ``We're almost there. Were right there. It's frustrating,'' he said. ``We know we're good, we know we're a good team and a good offense, but we're not playing like it. It's so close. We're not making enough plays.''
Rex, you're not close. You're not almost there. You look like you're back in Bourbonnais. ``Turnovers were the issue,'' he said, again. ``You just can't have that. We have to fix that. We have to be able to make plays and still hold onto the football. We're just gonna come to practice, have a team meeting, work out, realize we're a good football team and fix our problems.''
Oh, it's that easy, huh? ``It's on my shoulders to take care of the football,'' he said. ``I have to start making plays, do what I do best. You have to get back to basics, make sure you see where you're throwing it. Football is mental. We're all talented players.''
Cut through the drivel. Are you prepared to be benched?
``I'm going to go about my business and not worry about things I don't control,'' Grossman said.
All of which underscores the two blunders of the Angelo era. He staked his reputation on drafting Grossman four years ago, then waited him out through injuries while teams like the Cowboys were unearthing Romo. This is only made worse by the fact Romo went to school on their radar screen, at Eastern Illinois, and grew up not terribly far from Halas Hall just across the Wisconsin border. As for Benson, Thomas Jones must be laughing after rushing for 110 yards in a New York Jets' win. Angelo insisted on keeping Benson and trading Jones because of financial considerations ($16 million signing bonus) and ego (the Bears took him No. 4 in the 2005 draft). Just as Romo was outclassing Rex, Marion Barber III was outclassing Benson. Despite terrific contributions in building the defense, Angelo may have sabotaged the same Super Bowl run he helped create.
``Football Night in America'' was a Dark Night in Chicago. Not only have the Cowboys replaced the Bears as conference favorites, the Packers are 3-0 and two games up in the NFC North. Grossman's inconsistency is more maddening when juxtaposed aganst the verve of Brett Favre, who is 37 going on 17 and back as the league's biggest feel-good story. Earlier, Favre whipped a game-winning pass that would have cut through a concrete barrier. It was a howitzer throw, leading wideout Greg Jennings perfectly on an inside slant and sprint for a 57-yard touchdown. You know what this means, I know what this means.
The Pack is back. And Favre is looking like a god compared to Rexy Bad.
As if the Bears don't have enough worries, now they have to deal with visions of a born-again No. 4, his arm strength as good as ever, his mind and soul re-energized by a young team with a physical defense. Did you see him jump into the pile of humanity after the winning touchdown, hoisting Donald Driver and leap-frogging anyone who would catch him? His hair is silver, but his heart is gold and the Packers own seven straight regular-season victories.
Which sets up a critical game between the rivals in two weeks, in Lambeau Field, on the same day the Cubs likely will be playing Game 4 of their first-round playoff series at Wrigley Field. And to think only a few months ago, Favre was spilling tears on New Year's Eve, claiming to be pondering retirement. That thought lasted about two days. He has too many games to win and too many NFL records to break, with his last scoring heave against the disappointing San Diego Chargers tying Dan Marino's all-time mark for touchdown passes.
The rebirth of Favre is great news for football, sports and, when you think about it, life. But it's bad news for the Bears. As for Donovan McNabb, you can forget about airlifting him out of Philadelphia and delivering him back to his native Chicago if he keeps playing as well as he did Sunday. This was a day when 15 QBs had passer ratings over 100, including Joey Harrington.
Rex's passer rating? Um, 27.5.
A ballcap awaits him.
I usually hate Jay Marriotti, but today I like him.
Bears can spread the blame after Cowboys loss, but Chicago is out of patience with Grossman, who absolutely must not start again
September 24, 2007
BY JAY MARIOTTI Sun-Times Columnist
They should have put Rex Grossman out of his misery and benched him, not just to help the Bears win and soothe the pain of their fans but as a favor to a nation. If ``Football Night in America'' is supposed to be a celebration, the Rex-terminator was a party pooper again, just as he was in the Super Bowl and the Arizona game and so many other times that we've lost count.
I speak for a city in demanding that he not start another game. And while Lovie Smith volunteered his standard refrain after the 34-10 stinker -- ``Rex is our quarterback,'' he droned on -- he also added curiously that ``a change could come at any position'' after he watches the horror films.
Watch closely, coach. The quarterback stinks. I mean, still stinks.
Not that it will matter much if Tommie Harris has a serious knee injury and the once-great defense looks as beat-up and ravaged as it did in a revealing loss to the Dallas Cowboys. If Smith is stubborn enough to stick with Rex, after watching a real quarterback named Tony Romo, the Bears might be in for a wicked year. As it is, their championship window seemed to dead-bolt quicker than you saw Dallas cornerback Anthony Henry scoot 28 yards to paydirt with another Rexually dysfunctional pass. The offense will have to earn its keep with so many injuries on defense, including the sight of Harris limping away and Lance Briggs and Nathan Vasher leaving with groin issues. Grossman, as even his kindest supporters now must admit, isn't up to the task.
``GRIESE! GRIESE!'' the fans chanted after Rex's ugliest throw of another dismal evening, which only validated recent insults that referred to him as ``a mental midget'' and so much worse. It's obvious this kid can't deal with the pressure of playing quarterback in the City of Weak Shoulders, and if Jerry Angelo was so compelled to sign Brian Griese to a five-year deal as a backup, then it's time to prepare him before the season disintegrates.
Man up? Bear down? No, this was a boom-or-ballcap test that found Rexy Bad flopping in the big moment, this while Cedric Benson was confirming the harsh reality that he is soft and fumble-prone. They weren't the only ones to blame -- Bernard Berrian dropped passes, Devin Hester proved human -- but your starting quarterback and running back are vital in injecting confidence and energy. While Grossman was throwing three more bad interceptions and nearly several more, Benson again was fumbling at a critical juncture -- late in the third quarter, at the Bears 45 -- as he did in the San Diego loss.
The only thing worse than the performance was Grossman's state of denial afterward. ``We're almost there. Were right there. It's frustrating,'' he said. ``We know we're good, we know we're a good team and a good offense, but we're not playing like it. It's so close. We're not making enough plays.''
Rex, you're not close. You're not almost there. You look like you're back in Bourbonnais. ``Turnovers were the issue,'' he said, again. ``You just can't have that. We have to fix that. We have to be able to make plays and still hold onto the football. We're just gonna come to practice, have a team meeting, work out, realize we're a good football team and fix our problems.''
Oh, it's that easy, huh? ``It's on my shoulders to take care of the football,'' he said. ``I have to start making plays, do what I do best. You have to get back to basics, make sure you see where you're throwing it. Football is mental. We're all talented players.''
Cut through the drivel. Are you prepared to be benched?
``I'm going to go about my business and not worry about things I don't control,'' Grossman said.
All of which underscores the two blunders of the Angelo era. He staked his reputation on drafting Grossman four years ago, then waited him out through injuries while teams like the Cowboys were unearthing Romo. This is only made worse by the fact Romo went to school on their radar screen, at Eastern Illinois, and grew up not terribly far from Halas Hall just across the Wisconsin border. As for Benson, Thomas Jones must be laughing after rushing for 110 yards in a New York Jets' win. Angelo insisted on keeping Benson and trading Jones because of financial considerations ($16 million signing bonus) and ego (the Bears took him No. 4 in the 2005 draft). Just as Romo was outclassing Rex, Marion Barber III was outclassing Benson. Despite terrific contributions in building the defense, Angelo may have sabotaged the same Super Bowl run he helped create.
``Football Night in America'' was a Dark Night in Chicago. Not only have the Cowboys replaced the Bears as conference favorites, the Packers are 3-0 and two games up in the NFC North. Grossman's inconsistency is more maddening when juxtaposed aganst the verve of Brett Favre, who is 37 going on 17 and back as the league's biggest feel-good story. Earlier, Favre whipped a game-winning pass that would have cut through a concrete barrier. It was a howitzer throw, leading wideout Greg Jennings perfectly on an inside slant and sprint for a 57-yard touchdown. You know what this means, I know what this means.
The Pack is back. And Favre is looking like a god compared to Rexy Bad.
As if the Bears don't have enough worries, now they have to deal with visions of a born-again No. 4, his arm strength as good as ever, his mind and soul re-energized by a young team with a physical defense. Did you see him jump into the pile of humanity after the winning touchdown, hoisting Donald Driver and leap-frogging anyone who would catch him? His hair is silver, but his heart is gold and the Packers own seven straight regular-season victories.
Which sets up a critical game between the rivals in two weeks, in Lambeau Field, on the same day the Cubs likely will be playing Game 4 of their first-round playoff series at Wrigley Field. And to think only a few months ago, Favre was spilling tears on New Year's Eve, claiming to be pondering retirement. That thought lasted about two days. He has too many games to win and too many NFL records to break, with his last scoring heave against the disappointing San Diego Chargers tying Dan Marino's all-time mark for touchdown passes.
The rebirth of Favre is great news for football, sports and, when you think about it, life. But it's bad news for the Bears. As for Donovan McNabb, you can forget about airlifting him out of Philadelphia and delivering him back to his native Chicago if he keeps playing as well as he did Sunday. This was a day when 15 QBs had passer ratings over 100, including Joey Harrington.
Rex's passer rating? Um, 27.5.
A ballcap awaits him.
I usually hate Jay Marriotti, but today I like him.