Grossman Critics No Longer Have Rex to Blame...

Well Chicago, you've got your wish. For the first time since 2003, The Chicago Bears will start with a QB other than Rex Grossman at the helm going into the season.

Frankly, as a Rex supporter, I'm eager to see what Chicago will do. For too long, the ignorant fans of Chicago who must not have ever heard the term "QB development", have used Rex as an excuse, a punchline, and a scapegoat.

Many a time have I heard, "Rex is holding us back", "Rex lost the game for us", "blah blah blah..." - Well, now you have no more excuses. Number 8 will be sitting on the bench watching a team that he once guided to the Superbowl play without him.

Consider Grossman demolished 7 franchise records in his time here, and was statistically one of the best QBs Chicago has had in the past two decades, and just two years ago, lead the Bears to their first Superbowl berth in over twenty years - and now the Chicago Bears have dubbed Kyle Orton, a QB who was among the league's worst - statistically, EVER - for a QB with 10+ wins, as a better starting QB.

So why Orton? People will point to his "game management" skills. ...Are you kidding? Kyle Orton has a 22 QB rating when the Bears are AHEAD by 9-16 points. He has 15 INTs to 12 TDs, a worse TD-turnover ratio than Rex Grossman. And that's a better game manager? Really? Not last time I checked.

And if Orton doesn't have the "management skills", then he has nothing going for him. In terms of big play ability, Rex blows Orton away and everyone knows it.

Some people will then point to Orton's record. "Well he's 12-6 as a starter" they'll say. Okay... Rex Grossman has a 23-12 overall record as a starter, two division championships and an NFC championship under his belt as a starter. Rex's record is just as good and his accomplishments are outstanding considering he hasn't even played TWO FULL SEASONS in his time here.

But Chicago wants him gone? Fine. He's on the bench now. So remember that Chicago, when you struggle to understand why you see no big plays, or comeback wins. Understand that you've booed the one big play chance on offense we had to the bench and have allowed a lame duck QB to step in and take over.

Consider that Orton doesn't have the 2005, #1 overall defense to save him this time. Consider that he's not dealing with 2005's offensive line, which was one of the best in the league. In 2007, Orton was mediocre - at best - when he played. He laid an egg at Minnesota, who ranked 31st in pass D by the way, completed a whole 9 passes at Green Bay, and played very average against the Saints who were the WORST pass defense in the league last season.

But this is what you wanted Chicago. Grossman is gone, Orton is in, and you're out of excuses.

And I don't want to hear any cheers for Rex 3 weeks into the season when our offense hasn't produced a TD. You booed Rex into this situation, now you deal with it.