Bleacher Report - Articles by Jimmy Mac

Larry Johnson To the Chicago Bears?

Jimmy Mac — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:29:10 -0400

Larry Johnson is done in Kansas City. End of story, period, lights out. He's done.

And while Kansas City may choose to deactivate him or keep him on the bench just in case, I don't see how he's not released within the next week or so if not the next few days. It's clear that he's not in Kansas City's future plans, and that they want nothing to do with him.

So if Larry Johnson is released, and that's obviously a big "if" right now, where could he end up?

Sweet Home Chicago, anyone?

The Bears running game needs some help, and Larry Johnson, while not a permanent fix, could be a major band-aid for an offense that needs a change now.

I know, I know. Johnson is a shell of his former self and hasn't put up the numbers he did in back to back campaigns two years ago where he rushed for a combined 752 attempts.

Or maybe it was his fat new contract that humbled him. Who knows?

But that's not the point. Johnson may not be the runner he once was, but he's still got some years left on him (he's only 30).

And ask yourself this: would you rather see a two back formation with Matt Forte and Larry Johnson in the backfield? Or do you want to keep watching Matt Forte splitting time with Garret Wolfe, and witness Ron Turner try to run a four-foot-nothing running back up the gut of 300 pound defensive linemen.

It's a move that the Bears, if they're smart, will make.

Matt Forte has rushed for 318 yards in six games and is averaging 3.5 yards per carry. And that's with the Bears forcing the run game down our throats and trying to get Forte going in any and every way possible. That's not, by any stretch of the imagination, a potent running attack.

And while Johnson's numbers are worse than Forte's at this point, that doesn't change the fact that history shows he's a better running back than that—and a better back than anyone else we have on the roster to back up Matt Forte.

Cutler is better than his numbers show right now, and I think Johnson can be better as well.

The Bears just traded a second round pick to Tampa Bay for Gaines Adams, a first round pick who sorely underperformed for the Buccanneers, yet Chicago took a shot on him. Johnson would cost little, if he's released, and wouldn't cost any draft picks.

And I have to keep going back to my point that regardless of how you feel about Johnson, don't try to tell me you feel better about Garret Wolfe in the backfield than you would about L.J.

If nothing else, he'd be a great backup to Forte, and might turn over a new leaf in Chicago; the same way Benson turned over a new leaf in Cincinnati and ran the ball down the Bears' throats last Sunday.

And the plain fact is, the Bears' run game is non-existent right now, and if something were to happen to Forte, Chicago would be screaming for a back of Johnson's caliber, or anyone for that matter.

If he becomes available, the Bears would be wise to take him. He'll be cheap, humbled, and hungry for a chance to prove he can still be a premiere back in the league.

And these days, the NFL's all about second chances.

Admit it: The Denver Broncos Are For Real

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:35:50 -0400

This is a formal apology to Kyle Orton and the Denver Broncos.

Not more than a few days ago, I wrote that the Broncos were nothing more than a lucky, fluke team with an offense that thrives off a few fluke plays here and there. That was me who wrote that Denver sported a defense that hasn't played anybody worth noting.

Shame on me.

When I'm wrong, I admit it—but I still feel that the Broncos have lady luck on their side this season.

Look at the Kyle Orton pass that should have been intercepted by at least four different New England defenders that fell into the arms of a Bronco receiver. The uncharacteristic Tom Brady throws that sailed off the mark for three easy TD passes to Moss and Welker. The horrible personal foul called against New England for taunting which basically lost them the game.

The list goes on and on, and that's just from Week Five.

But winning with luck is still winning and the Denver Broncos are certainly winning.

I still stand by what I said—the team's winning has little to do with Kyle Orton and a lot to do with a little something called "yards after the catch" and the Broncos defense.

Orton has benefited from every tipped, deflected, and batted pass that's been thrown. But he's still making quick, smart throws that keep the defense off balance, and with the running game picking up every week, the Broncos offense is starting to look legit.

However, I still believe the Broncos' offense would falter if asked to win the game on its own. This is an offense clearly built to play with the lead or at least be within one TD at the end of the game.

The Broncos defense on the other hand continues to impress. They rattled Tom Brady, who has looked off most of the season, and didn't let Randy Moss get much of anything going today.

Overall, the Broncos looked very impressive, and if Kyle Orton read my article last week, I'm sure he's stroking his neckbeard and laughing tonight while sitting at 5-0.

The Broncos have a bit tougher of a test next week on Monday night against San Diego, who has a much more potent offense than anything Denver has faced this season.

Philip Rivers and Darren Sproles have played incredibly well all season and will test the Broncos defense. But their defense has been lacking lately, and after what Orton and the Broncos offense did today, it wouldn't surprise me to see Orton have a career day against them.

Overall, the Broncos are good—damn good.

I can't believe I just said that.

But believe it or not folks, the Denver Broncos are for real.

The head coach who threw away the franchise and the neckbearded noodle-armed QB are 5-0, and look seemingly more unstoppable with every week.

Foot in mouth—enough said for Jimmy Mac.

Kyle Orton, Broncos' Luck Will Run Out Against Pats

Jimmy Mac — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:19:40 -0400

QUARTERLY REPORT: DENVER BRONCOS

After firing Mike Shanahan, trading Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler, and nearly losing their grip on star wide receiver Brandon Marshall, the Broncos had disaster written all over this season.

But wait—the Broncos are...undefeated? 4-0?

Yes, you read that correctly—the Denver Broncos are undefeated after a total offseason meltdown.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves here and look at things for what they really are. A fluke, tipped pass that miraculously fell into Brandon Stokley's arms for the game-winning TD with only seconds left in the fourth quarter saved the Broncos from starting 0-1 against the Bengals, which they should have.

Then the Browns and Raiders? Two teams that couldn't win if they both took the field at the same time against an average NFL team? Then yet another last minute, fluke TD pass against an underachieving Cowboys team that has a bottom 10 defense and an offense that looks lost without Terrell Owens.

But we'll still give credit where credit is due: It is all thanks to the Broncos defense. Only 26 points given up through four weeks? That's the third best since the merger. While these defensive efforts haven't come against anyone notable, save the frazzled Dallas Cowboys, it is still an impressive feat for a defense that has ranked at the bottom of the league the last two seasons.

The Broncos offense, on the other hand, hasn't been awful, but it hasn't been spectacular either. It's been...Orton-ish. It looks much like the offense that Chicago left behind when they traded Kyle Orton away for the Pro Bowl QB Cutler—an offense that won't singlehandedly lose the game for you, but does close to nothing to help you win.

Take Sunday's Broncos-Cowboys game. The Broncos defense destroyed Dallas' offense all game. The Broncos had great field position most of the day and were given several opportunities to put the game away while Tony Romo was constantly being shut down.

Yet Orton and the offense failed to capitalize on several drives and once again got lucky with a last second touchdown pass. Orton underthrew an ill-advised pass to Brandon Marshall, who made an amazing play and snatched an interception from the claws of the Cowboys' defense.

He had also thrown an ill-advised pass earlier that went right through a defender's hands in the red zone and luckily turned into a Broncos touchdown. Even Orton later admitted that he "got lucky on that one, thought it was going to be picked off."

Orton's NFL career seems to have lady luck on its side. In 2005, when Orton stepped in for an injured Rex Grossman in Chicago, he was the worst-ranked passer in the league that year, yet went 11-5 thanks to a No. 1 defense, a solid run game, and special teams play.

In 2008, he was yet again a bottom-ranked passer and managed to stay afloat thanks to rookie RB Matt Forte, who burst onto the scene, and once again the No. 1 special teams in football.

Now he finds himself on a Broncos team that has seemingly pulled a No. 1 defense out of a hat, and it has saved him on more than one occasion.

Let's put Orton on the Broncos last season with the same defense—do they still go 8-8? Not a chance. The 2008 Broncos defense gave up 33 points per game, and Orton averages one TD per game. The Broncos' 2009 offense overall averages 18 points a game, which currently ranks 19th in the league (as opposed to the Bears, who rank sixth in the league with Cutler at QB, scoring nearly 30 points per game).

Orton's game management skills have been amplified and overrated, and he has become the quarterback that is commonly defended with the absurd statement, "All he does is win."

Broncos fans have quickly become the mirror image of Bear fans in 2008 when Orton was about the best we could do at the quarterback position. We overlooked his flaws, his inability to make the big play and win the game for you, and we pulled the truth over our eyes.

Denver is about to get a big eye opener on what they really have, not only in Kyle Orton, but in their defense as well.

These are the defenses that Orton and the Broncos offense have faced in their first four weeks of the season:

* Week One: Bengals—Ranked 17th overall in defense

* Week Two: Browns—Ranked 32nd overall (last) in defense

* Week Three: Raiders—Ranked 19th overall in defense

* Week Four: Cowboys—Ranked 26th overall in defense

Not a top 10 or even a top 15 defense in sight.

Likewise, the Broncos defense, which has seemingly stepped up out of nowhere, hasn't exactly faced top-tier competition. These are the offenses that the Broncos have faced thus far:

* Week One: Bengals—Ranked 21st overall in offense

* Week Two: Browns—Ranked 29th overall in offense

* Week Three: Raiders—Ranked 32nd (last) overall in offense

* Week Four: Cowboys—Ranked fourth overall in offense

So in four weeks of play, the Denver Broncos have faced one top 10 offense and have pretty much had the bottom of the barrel otherwise. Is it really that hard to see why they're a top 10 defense?

The Bengals seemingly have turned it around but are in no way a major competitor in the league (not yet anyway), the Browns are in ruins and just scored their first offensive TD since last November last week, the Raiders are giving Al Davis his money's worth, and the Cowboys have fallen apart after a seemingly strong start with Romo looking to be on the hot seat.

Not taking anything away from a victory—a win is still a win—but let's take a look at who the Broncos face in the coming weeks:

* Week Five: New England—Ranked eighth on offense / seventh on defense

* Week Six (and 10): San Diego—Ranked 12th on offense / 24th on defense

* Week Seven: Baltimore—Ranked third on offense / eighth on defense

* Week Eight: Pittsburgh—Ranked sixth on offense / fifth on defense

* Week 11: New York Giants—Ranked fourth on offense / first on defense

Need I go on? Are we getting the picture? This isn't even mentioning all their opponents. The Broncos will go from facing bottom feeders to some of the absolute best in the league.

Now while I can see the Broncos defense still faring decently against some of these teams, the Broncos offense is in for a big wake-up call.

Kyle Orton will need more than a dumb luck TD pass at the last second (weeks one and four) in order to beat the heavyweights in the AFC. Don't be surprised in the coming weeks if you see the Broncos suddenly bottom up and fall into .500 territory. Then we'll see if the fan support for Orton and Josh McDaniels stays afloat.

2009 Broncos Prediction: 7-9 (miss playoffs)

Dungy Questions Cutler... Endorses Vick?

Jimmy Mac — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:02:57 -0400

Tony Dungy, after being introduced as a new future analyst on NBC's Football Night in America program, began to discuss some current issues in the NFL via a telephone conference call.

During the interview, Dungy was asked about the blockbuster trade that the Chicago Bears made to acquire pro bowl quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos.

In all honesty, and this is not just because I'm a huge Chicago Bears fan, but I lost of a lot of respect for Tony Dungy during this interview. I once viewed Dungy as an equal minded, honest individual who took the road less traveled to help his team win instead of indulging himself in media-attractive behavior and comments.

Dungy called out the Bears' decision to trade for Cutler saying that while they think Cutler is "the final piece of the puzzle, the jury's still out." He stated he thought the Bears gave up a lot to acquire a guy who has possible maturity issues, saying it was a risky move.

He also stated that he felt the trade was done more-so to beat the Green Bay Packers then anything else, which makes zero sense since the Bears have dominated the Packers in the Lovie Smith era, losing only two games to them since 2004.

"We'll see about the maturity level, that's what I would question," said Dungy. "And some of the things that happened leading to him leaving Denver. That would concern me as a coach. That's my question. I think he can make all the throws. But quarterbacking is much more than making throws."

Really Tony? I thought you were a more intelligent and fair-minded individual when it came to issues like this?

What really irks me about Dungy's statements about Cutler is that he's calling out the maturity, leadership, and responsibility of a man who simply loves to play the game of football and wants to be on a team that wants him to do that.

Could Cutler have acted a bit more mature? Sure. But so could have Josh McDaniels.

Instead of shopping his 25 (now 26) year old, pro bowl QB who had just smashed quite a few of John Elway's single-season records and helped lead the league's second-ranked offense in the league, McDaniels should have fixated on what was really holding his team back—the league's 29th ranked defense.

The Denver Broncos defense gave up 30 points or more in eight games last season. That's more than half the season. In sharp contrast, Cutler, with no consistent running attack mind you, still managed to post outstanding numbers and in two short years as the starting QB for the Broncos has managed to throw for 9,024 yards and 54 TDs—you don't just find guys lying around who have the numbers and ability of a Jay Cutler.

But back to Dungy. So now, Dungy has called out the kind of man Cutler is. Yet, this is the same Tony Dungy who spends his days now endorsing Michael Vick and giving the public reasons that the man deserves another chance?

Wait. Hold the phone.

Dungy questions the maturity, responsibility, and leadership of Jay Cutler, who has done nothing wrong but want to play on a team that wants him. Keep in mind, players forcing trades happen all the time. Chad Johnson has been trying it for the past two seasons.

Anquan Boldin is currently in the middle of such a process. Eli Manning whined his way out of San Diego before ever even taking a snap, as did Denver's previous golden boy, John Elway, who managed to hold out and whine his way out of playing for the Baltimore Colts.

I don't hear anyone questioning their abilities or leadership. As far as I've heard, anyone who gets Boldin, if he is traded, instantly gets one of the best receivers in the game.

There's no talk of maturity or leadership—which is ludicrous when you look at the fact that Boldin wants out simply because he's jealous of Larry Fitzgerald getting too much Kurt Warner time, and Cutler wants out because he was legitimately stabbed in the back by a rookie head coach.

But let's look at this further. Dungy questions Cutler, but endorses Michael Vick. A convicted dog killer who ran a huge underground, illegal operation behind the NFL's back and killed innocent animals for sport and money.

Well, that's in the past you'll say, and that was just the one incident. It's common that most people only really know of this one blockbuster incident involving Michael Vick, but Vick has a spotted past, which makes it all the more mind boggling that Dungy chooses to endorse him. Let's take a look at Vick's legally spotted past:

In early 2004, two men were arrested in Virginia for distributing marijuana. The truck they were driving was registered to Michael Vick. Falcons coach Dan Reeves recalled that he lectured Vick at that time on the importance of reputation, on choosing the right friends, on staying out of trouble for the good of his team. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Reeves as having told Vick: "You are an Atlanta Falcon...Whatever you do is going to be a reflection on all of us, not just you."
In March 2005, Sonya Elliott filed a civil lawsuit against Vick alleging she contracted genital herpes from him in the autumn of 2002, and that he failed to inform her that he had the disease. Elliot further alleged that Vick had visited clinics under the alias "Ron Mexico" to get treatments and thus he knew of his condition. On Apr. 24, 2006 Vick's attorney, Lawrence Woodward, revealed that the lawsuit had been settled out of court under undisclosed terms. Many fans bought custom jerseys from NFL.com with Vick's No. 7 and the name "MEXICO" on the back, as a reference to his lawsuit. The NFL has since banned customizing jerseys with the name Mexico.
Nov. 26, 2006 – After a Falcons loss to the New Orleans Saints in the Georgia Dome, in apparent reaction to fans booing, Vick made an obscene gesture at fans, holding up two middle fingers. He was fined $10,000 by the NFL and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity.
Jan. 17, 2007 – Vick surrendered a water bottle which had a hidden compartment to security personnel at Miami International Airport. "The compartment was hidden by the bottle's label so that it appeared to be a full bottle of water when held upright," police said. Test results indicated there were no illegal substances in the water bottle and Vick was cleared of any wrongdoing. Vick announced that the water bottle was a jewelry stash box, and that the substance in question had been jewelry. Really? Jewelry? While Vick was cleared of any charges, really sit there and ask yourself - who hides jewelry in a water bottle? I think we all know what that stash compartment was used for.
On Tuesday, Apr. 24, 2007, Michael Vick was scheduled to lobby on Capitol Hill, hoping to persuade lawmakers to increase funding for after-school programs. However, Vick missed a connecting flight in Atlanta on Monday to Regan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. He later failed to show-up for another seat booked for him later that evening. On Tuesday morning, he did not attend his scheduled appearance at the congressional breakfast where he also was to be honored for his foundation's work with after-school projects in Georgia and Virginia. Vick's mother, Brenda Vick Boddie, accepted an award from the Afterschool Alliance on her son's behalf. While this was not a legal incident, it does give you insight to the kind of person that Vick was to his fans and the national media and apparently saw fit to neglect them and blow them off for whatever reason, even though the meeting revolved around him and the "work" he had done.
Later in 2007, Vick was accused of dog fighting, which I will not recount since we all know the story, and was later convicted. He is now serving the remainder of his sentence in home confinement and will be released shortly.

Yeah, that's a guy to stand behind, right? Dungy cements his support for Vick in the fact that he grew up without a father, as did Vick, and that he knows what that can do to you. I hate to tell you Tony, but there are a lot of players in this league that grow up without mothers, fathers, good home life, and even more: That's still no excuse.

And it's absolutely laughable that Dungy calls out anyone, not just Cutler at this point, after endorsing Michael Vick.

In my opinion, Dungy wanted to make his first splash as an analyst. So he makes a negative comment on the league's biggest offseason story. Keep in mind also, that while Cutler made some negative comments about Josh McDaniels, they never went anything beyond, "We have trust issues...".

Cutler never bashed the coaching or management staff and continually expressed love for the fans and organization. Now here's the funny part: Dungy's old QB, Peyton Mannning, has recently made headlines for calling out the Colts coaching and management staff on a television interview.

Manning seemed flustered and upset and called the organization unprofessional and talked about how it's really hurting the team. What does Dungy do when Rodney Harrison confronts him about it? He backs up Peyton Manning and doesn't really question him for doing so.

So what do we make of Dungy's opinion on Jay Cutler? Well if Dungy seeks to condone the actions of a dog killing, law breaking individual and backs up the organization bashing comments of another, I'd say his position on Cutler holds no real merit with myself, and it shouldn't with you either.

Tony Dungy was a great coach for the Colts and has his place in history, but I winced when he fell from one of the all time great leaders in football, to a media schmuck for NBC.

Media Trying To Downplay Jay Cutler's Value in Trade to Bears

Jimmy Mac — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:37:12 -0400

In the word's of Heath Ledger, "Let's turn the clocks back..."

Not more than a day or two ago, media outlets of the Jets, Redskins, Vikings, and a handful of other teams were pushing, and that's putting it lightly, for their respective GMs to do everything in their power to land Jay Cutler.

Childress was called an "idiot" by the Associated Press for not publicly divulging his interest in the 25-year-old Pro Bowl QB, the Detroit Free Press was begging the Lions to give up their first and 20th overall picks for the gun slinger, and the case was the same for teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and many, many, many more.

All the while, Jerry Angelo sat in his office, patiently waiting to strike. Not making much of a ripple in the media or elsewhere, and thus catching everyone off guard for making what is easily the boldest move of his career in acquiring Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos, and then about a half hour later, singing Orlando Pace, a seven-time pro bowler, to a three-year $15 million deal.

I nearly had a heart attack when I'd heard that the Bears had made the most logical, gustiest move in the franchise's Super Bowl era history. And when I'd found out what they'd given up, two first rounders, a third rounder and...Kyle Orton?? Are you kidding me? Kyle Orton?

I was sitting here thinking that for sure the Broncos would snag Urlacher, Harris, Vasher or some huge defensive player if a deal for Cutler was made, and all we had to give up was the league's bottom ranked deep passer who has yet to discover the wonders of an electric razor?

It's an incredibly logical and amazing move by the Bears and I'm proud to say that for once, Jerry Angelo came out with his gloves up and did everything possible to land what is easily the best move of the offseason by any team.

And now that Cutler's off the market, and not with any of the teams many experts projected, suddenly, he's a mediocre, crybaby of a QB. Well Denver fans and sour experts alike, I can assure you that 10 teams didn't spring at a moment's notice to acquire a mediocre, whiny QB.

And how does Josh McDaniels come out looking like the victim here? Wasn't he the rookie head coach who came into a team with the 29th ranked defense in the league and decided to start rebuilding by trading his franchise, pro bowl QB for a possible one-hit wonder in Matt Cassel?

Not only did he do this, but he did it behind Cutler's back, and then tried to act like he never did, continually lying to Cutler and the media! I don't see anyone personally attacking Josh McDaniels.

Where was this treatment for Chad Johnson who wanted to be traded simply because he was tired of losing while wearing a tiger-striped helmet? Where was this treatment for Brett Favre who abandoned a team and fanbase that had given him everything just so he could continue to play football?

And can somebody tell me where oh were did this "crybaby" attitude of Jay Cutler's come from? Up until a few weeks ago, Cutler had been, in the past, viewed as a strong leader with a strong arm that was the future of a franchise.

But now that Broncos fans have lost their future QB, they've turned bitter and are trying to soften the blow by pretending that they've rid themselves of a troublemaking, self-centered, mediocre QB.

Let me explain this as only logic can define: Jay Cutler is a damn good QB. He is easily one of the league's top five QBs and is most assuredly the NFL's most promising young talent. Does he have an attitude? Yes! Is it negative? No! Jay Cutler wants to win, and he wants to have his coach behind him while doing so!

What's wrong with that? It's all so easy for us to sit here and say, "Man up and go back to work," but let's look at this logically:

Imagine you hold a high position at your job, and you do your job very, very well. You make mistakes at times, but not often, and you were just named employee of the month.

Then, a new supervisor or manager comes in to take over and without even having the good grace to give you a friendly heads up, tries to send you packing for someone they feel can do the job better.

How many of you wouldn't go: "The hell with this, I'll go work where somebody appreciates me"? I'm sure there are a million of you! And you're a liar if you say you wouldn't think about it!

Everyone's telling Jay Cutler to suck it up because it's a business! But what they fail to see is that even individuals in business still have feelings and pride and expect some type of loyalty from their employers!

Why is Jay Cutler the crybaby, when McDaniels was the real baby who was a whiny baby about the fact that he couldn't have the QB he wanted, even if it meant giving up the future of his franchise?!

And for those who say the Bears paid too much for Cutler, I say this to you: Kyle Orton? Are you kidding? And two first round draft picks? Consider how many first-round draft picks actually pan out in the NFL, and take that into consideration even more when you're talking about the Bears: Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson—need I go on?

And how many times do you walk into a draft KNOWING you're getting a franchise QB. A draft pick represents nothing but the mere hope of a college player's transition to the pro game—with Jay Cutler you're talking about a known commodity!

There is no downside to this! I think the Bears should have given up ten first round draft picks if necessary, considering the last time we had anything close to a franchise QB was in 1942 when Sid Luckman was still breathing!

Idiot analysts like EPSN's Trent Dilfer and Mark Schlereth have already tried to downplay Cutler's trade to the Bears, Schlereth going so far as to say that the Bears are a worse team with the draft picks that they lost. What? We pay these guys to bring us sports?

Bear fans, REJOICE—WE HAVE A QB. Do your best to tone out the whines of bitter Bronco fans and the Denver media, and do your best to appreciate what your GM did for you today.

He took a shot, a very controlled and calculated shot and an almost win-win situation for the Bears, but it was a shot none the less—and he did it because a fan base cried out for more.

Jay Cutler will the Bears QB for a long time to come, and personally, I can't wait to see him throwing deep to Devin Hester and lining up in front of Matt Forte this coming season.

And don't forget about that revamped line he'll be playing behind. Orlando Pace anyone? The Bears went from free agency hibernation, to making the biggest splash of the offseason today, and I couldn't be happier.

Welcome Jay Cutler, we've been waiting a long time for a QB like you here in Chicago.

Cardinals Knock Mcnabb Out of Playoffs, and Maybe Philly

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:38:38 -0500

COME VISIT THE BEARSPEN FOR EVERYTHING CHICAGO BEARS!

For Eagles QB Donovan McNabb, he was hoping that it was fifth time's a charm in the 2009 NFC Championship against the Arizona Cardinals. But on a night where McNabb and the Eagles' offense couldn't get going until it was too late, McNabb found himself on the losing end for the fourth time in five NFC Championship appearances.

McNabb and the offense stuttered early, and faltered late, with McNabb throwing four consecutive incompletions on the Eagles' final drive of the night. A drive in which they failed to match the previous drive of the seemingly invincible Kurt Warner and the Cardinals offense.

For the Eagles, the season was technically a tremendous victory. For a team that was once 5-5-1 lead by a QB who didn't know a NFL regular season game could end in a tie and was benched the following week, the Eagles came out just one victory short of their second Superbowl berth of the Donovan McNabb era.

Speaking of which, what is to become of Donovan McNabb? His face said it all in the first half. After being completely obliterated by the Cardinals in the first and second quarter, McNabb stood on the sideline. He wasn't laughing, dancing, or picking up a phone after a big play. He was stern and frustrated.

He knew that at the end of the day, a loss during his second attempt to reach the Superbowl could signal the end of his time in Philadelphia. He knew he would have the media and fans to answer to should the Eagles come away with anything but a Superbowl victory this season—and indeed, he has to now.

Sure, you'll hear the Eagles and McNabb saying all the normal things you expect to hear at the end of the season. Reid will tout his respect for McNabb and talk about him coming back, and Donovan will talk about wanting to come back.

But in a month or so, behind closed doors, when McNabb lets his true feelings leak out about the fans, the benching, and his contract—it will slowly start to surface that Donovan Mcnabb, come 2009, may no longer be a Philadelphia Eagle. I'd be shocked, honestly, if he did stay in Philadelphia for another season.

He's been hated since he first walked up on stage on draft day in 1999 and held up an Eagles jersey. Though the fans have shown him support at times, more often than not, the fickle fans of Philly have demanded McNabb's head on a platter instead of embracing how lucky they are to have a QB of his caliber.

My opinion? McNabb will be gone from Philly in a month or two, maybe even a few short weeks. But where will he go?

The most obvious place is McNabb's hometown of Chicago, where he grew up...

TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS, AND EVERYTHING CHICAGO BEARS, COME AND VISIT THE BEARSPEN AT http://mynfl.mysportspen.com/bears/ - LEND ME A HAND IN GETTING THE NEW SITE ROLLING.

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THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT GUYS! YOU'VE HELPED ME COME A LONG WAY HERE ON BLEACHER REPORT - HELP ME DO THE SAME AT THE BEARSPEN!

-Jim-

Donovan McNabb Could Be the Chicago Bears' Answer

Jimmy Mac — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:52:15 -0500

Last Sunday, after the Eagles dominantly assured the masses that there would be a new Super Bowl champion this year, McNabb took part in a postgame interview with the cast of NFL Network, including the always entertaining McNabb supporter, Deion Sanders.

The interview was short, sweet and light-hearted for the most part, but a few comments here and there along with McNabb’s overall attitude were very telling...

[Read the rest of this article at the BearsPEN! Jimmy Mac's new All Bears site courtesy of mysportspen.com!]

***Hey guys, it's Jimmy Mac - I secured a writing position for a new sports site, mysportsPEN.com! While I'll still be posting articles here at Bleacher Report, please support me at my new site - you can help my fanbase grow! Please read the rest of this article, and many more of my own at the following web address:

http://mynfl.mysportspen.com/bears/

IT'S THE ONLY PLACE TO GET ALL THE INSIDE SCOOP ON THE BEARS! NEWS, RUMORS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE! COME TO THE BEARSPEN FOR EVERYTHING CHICAGO BEARS!

-Thanks for the support everyone, you helped to get me where I am here on Bleacher Report and at BearsPEN!

-Jimmy Mac-

Rex Grossman Could End Up a Minnesota Viking

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:42:22 -0500

The much maligned Bears QB Rex Grossman is set to take on the free agent market this off season, and could very well find himself a home with the division rival Minnesota Vikings.

This could happen for a number of reasons.

One, the free agent market, in terms of QBs this season isn't exactly bulging with talent. Besides Matt Cassel, and aside from what many Bears fans think, Grossman will be one of the top free agents on the market. The Detroit press already has the Lions making a move for him, and there are a number of other teams that need a QB and could do a lot worse than Rex Grossman. The Detroit Free Press wrote this about Grossman:

"...While inconsistent at times, Grossman is too talented to stay on the bench. And with a revamped line and star wide-outs like Calvin Johnson, Grossman could help bring the Lions offense back to life..."

Grossman has a winning record, is a viable deep threat, and has playoff and Superbowl experience. You'd be hard pressed to find a QB at his young age with all that on his resume. And while I doubt Grossman would allow himself to fall into the pit of a team that has become the Detroit Lions, the Vikings may make a run at him as well.

This is because of ex-Bear Bernard Berrian. Berrian is no doubt a deep-threat today, and he can thank Grossman for that. Before Rex's '06 campaign, Berrian spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons on the backburner of the Bears' offense. He had only 28 receptions and 2 TD's. When Grossman stepped under center in the Superbowl season of 2006, Berrian's numbers sky rocketed. He more than doubled his receptions and tripled his TDs. In 2006 alone, he had 51 receptions and 6 TD's.

After the Viking's loss Sunday to the Eagles, Berrian was interviewed and stated that he would've chosen to stay in Chicago had they tried to match the offer the Vikings had put on the table. Not only that, but Rex Grossman would have had to have been named the starter.

Berrian: "I wanted to stay there. Chicago had the opportunity to do it and they didn't do it. And Rex was my guy, but that didn't work out. But that's business. And that's how it goes."

While many may disagree on how good or bad Grossman was, no one can deny the chemistry he had with Bernard Berrian. And Childress has stated before that he thinks Rex Grossman is a good QB, and a dangerous one at that.

With not many options in free agency, and Tarvaris Jackson proving once again today that he still needs work, don't be surprised if you hear rumors that Rex Grossman could end up a purple people eater, especially if Berrian, easily one of the biggest pieces of the Vikings' offense convinces Childress to give him a shot.

And don't think Rex wouldn't take the offer either. The chance to burn the team that tossed you aside twice a year would be a mouth-watering offer indeed. And with a running back like Peterson, a receiver he knows all too well in Berrian, and the offensive line the Vikings had, you better believe Rex Grossman would be a nightmare for any defense.

Give Kyle Orton Credit, But Chicago Bears Need Donovan McNabb, Matt Cassel

Jimmy Mac — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:33:15 -0500

Look at the picture above, and then close your eyes...

Close your eyes and imagine... Jeff Joniak's on the play-by-play breaking down the Bears in 2009. It's the first game of the season, and Joniak begins:

"McNabb in shotgun, takes the snap... fakes the draw to Forte and drops back... McNabb with time, unloads the deep ball DOWNFIELD... FOR HESTER... OVER THE SHOULDER, TOUCHDOWN! TOUCHDOWN, BEARS!"

Okay, you can open your eyes. You can come back to reality now. Did you feel it? The adrenaline? The excitement? Now, with that feeling on your mind, sit there and tell me that you still think Kyle Orton is the answer.

Do you? No...I didn't think so.

Kyle Orton deserves all the credit in the world for giving it everything he had in the tank this season, but as we go into yet another off-season of failure, it's clear to even the most avid neckbeard supporters that Orton isn't the answer.

The same way it became clear to me this past season that despite how good I think Grossman may be, and how good he will most likely end up being on another team, he isn't the answer here in Chicago.

Kyle Orton's biggest problems? His predictability for one, and his incredible inability to throw an accurate deep ball.

If an NFL regulation game only lasted for, say...five minutes, Orton would be the No. 1 rated passer in the league. On his first 10 attempts, Orton averages a 115 QB rating, 0 INTs and 7+ yards per attempt.

He strikes quick and hard, and is effective for the most part. The biggest problem in this equation is that after the first drive, Orton drops from the best, to the absolute worst, averaging a 61 QB rating.

He's also a Bottom Five QB in the league in terms of fourth-quarter passer efficiency, and he's even worse when the Bears are behind by 9-16 points, averaging a 58 QB rating and having nine INTs to only two TDs when the chips are down and it really counts.

Conclusion: When the Bears need him, Orton just can't get it done.

Consider that Rex Grossman has more than triple the amount of fourth quarter comebacks when compared to Orton, and yet Orton has started more games.

Consider Grossman outranks Orton in terms of second half passer efficiency, and has a better rating when the Bears are down...AND AHEAD by 9-16 points.

I bring up Rex, because some less than intelligent Chicago fans have deluded their limited minds into thinking that Rex was one of the worst QBs we've had of all time in Chicago, when in fact, statistically, he is one of the best.

So if you think Rex is bad, how can you sit there and say Orton is good? Think about that one...

Anyway, this is beyond Rex and Kyle seeing as how Grossman is a guaranteed free agent departure this season, likely signing with division rival Detroit or Minnesota (as stated in the Detroit press) or finding his way to Kansas City or Cleveland.

My point is, I jumped for joy when Jerry Angelo stated he wasn't sold on Kyle Orton and that the Bears would pursue another QB this offseason, and you should too. Orton has proven this season that he would be an excellent backup, but just doesn't have the skills to be a franchise QB when it matters and when the team needs him, particularly evident in the second Minnesota game this season when Orton threw a franchise record 3 INTs in only 7 pass attempts and gave away first place to the Minnesota Vikings who are currently the reigning NFC North Champs.

If the Bears are serious, and I believe Angelo is seeing as how a 2009 campaign without an offense and without a playoff berth at the least would likely send him packing, it's time they take out the checkbook and do what it takes to get a QB that will give Orton some serious competition in training camp, or one that would come in and instantly get the starting spot like Donovan McNabb.

The two QBs that the Bears need to AT THE VERY LEAST contact this offseason are Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb who may be on his way out after a roller coaster season with the Eagles, and New England's Matt Cassel, a free agent to be who ended the season as the 5th ranked passer in the AFC - higher than Brett Favre, Jay Cutler, David Garrard and Kerry Collins.

Needless to say, both QBs absolutely spank Orton in terms of stats and big plays. But I'll break it down in depth why I think either of these QBs would be a perfect fit with the Bears.

DONOVAN MCNABB:

No wide receiver? No problem? Despite what most fans think, a WR does not make a QB, it is the QB who makes the WR. Bringing in superstars at the WR position wouldn't make Orton's deep ball any better. It wouldn't make his decision making any better. Even an all-pro wideout can't catch a deep ball that's thrown 10 yards too short. The best place to start is bringing in an all-pro QB like McNabb, and let him take control. McNabb has gone almost his entire career in Phillly without an all-pro wideout, aside from T.O. and we all know how well they got along, right?

Yet time after time, McNabb has been able to post eye-popping numbers. Imagine what Devin Hester could do with McNabb throwing the ball. No more having to rely on flags because Orton can't get the pass deep enough, no more worrying about inaccurate throws. McNabb would make viable weapons out of just about any receiver, including the Bears corps.

And of course, McNabb is from Chicago. He could go from a city that can't wait to lop his head off at the first sign of a mistake in Philly, to a city that would more than likely worship the ground he walks upon and make him the undisupted king of the sports world in Chicago.

If McNabb does leave Philly, it's a good bet he could win up in Chicago if Jerry Angelo is wise enough to take some of the cap space from the defense and invest it in an all-pro like McNabb.

And I don't want to hear McNabb is too old. Go tell Kerry Collins, 36, Kurt Warner, 37, Brett Favre, 38, and Jeff Garcia (nearly all playoff QBs) that McNabb's age of 32 is too old to play. You're kidding yourself if you think McNabb wouldn't instantly make Chicago a Superbowl contender yet again.

MATT CASSEL:

Imagine a Kyle Orton that's more accurate, efficient, mobile, and has a better deep ball, and you've got... well just about every QB in the league (ha, joking...), but seriously, that's what you have in Matt Cassel. Cassel can do the dink and dunk passing game that Orton obssesses over with ease, but also makes better decisions, has a better feel for the pocket, is definitely more mobile and has a far more accurate and powerful deep ball.

For those of you who think Cassel is a "system" QB, I don't want to hear it. If you believe that just ANY QB can walk under center for ANY team and do good, whether they're good or not, just because of the system then you're an idiot. It still takes precision to make throws, good judgement on where to throw the ball, and all the basic skills it takes to win a game: leadership, confidence and ability. Cassel posseses all these.

And I don't want to hear that it was only because he was throwing to Moss and Welker all year. I got news for you guys: Cassel only threw to Moss and Welker for a combined 40% of the time. The other 60% of the time, he was completing passes to guys I'd never even heard of! Running in and out of the pocket, making great throws, showing brilliance! His 89 passer rating (greatly superior to Orton's 70), 21 TDs and over 3500 yards passing in a tough division, in a tough conference, and doing so in his first season as a starter since high school is a testament to the kind of player that Cassel is. It takes more than a "system" for a QB to perform like that.

I don't want Orton out the door, but I want him on the bench, waiting to backup an NFL caliber starter instead of playing "safe" football, which to be honest, he wasn't all to good at half the time! 5 consecutive games with multiple turnovers doesn't exactly scream "game management" to me the way Orton's named used to. In all honesty, his numbers match right up with Grossman's '06 campaign, and that was largely in part thanks to some sub par ratings that Grossman had. Had Grossman had an entire season the way he started out in 2006, there may have been a pro bowl Grossman jersey hanging in my closet right now. His highs were incredible, as were his lows. Orton never reached those highs, but certainly came close to the lows, and even surpassed a few.

Jerry Angelo, if you want to save the offense and your job while you're at it, do what it takes to get one of these QBs. WHATEVER it takes.

Kyle Orton Continues To Fail Bears

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 07:13:54 -0500

I think Sunday night it finally started to sink in with Bears fans that Kyle Orton isn't the second coming of the messiah in Chicago.

On an international stage, with first place on the line, Orton single-handedly gave first place in the NFC North away... literally... three separate times on three consecutive drives.

Yes, you read that correctly. Kyle Orton actually managed to create a series of turnovers that not even Rex Grossman has had in his career. In fact, Orton is the only Chicago Bears quarterback in franchise history, and only one of 3 others in the entire history of the league to throw three interceptions in only seven pass attempts.

A span of seven passes, and three of them were picked off - and only 2 completions just to salt the wound.

And this is not the stingy Green Bay Packers secondary we're talking about here - this the bottom 10, 26th ranked secondary of the Minnesota Vikings—statistically one of the worst pass defense teams in the league—EVER. Coming accross good pass defense in Viking country is like coming across good quarterbacks in Chicago—it just doesn't happen. And Kyle Orton went out of his way to prove that Sunday night.

Somehow, though Forte had over 120+ all-purpose yards, some of the best numbers for a RB this season against the Vikes, Orton managed to fall all over himself the entire night. He started 1 of 5, and then 3 of 12... and it just got worse. Orton was throwing behind receivers, into double coverage, and just making poor throws period.

Yet somehow, the Bears were still there in the third quarter, only down by three.

And that is when all hell broke loose.

On the next three drives, in only seven pass attempts, Orton threw three interceptions. And not the kind where the corner or DB makes a hell of a move to get it, Orton literally threw it right into the arms of the defenders and set the Vikings up inside the Bears 40 three straight times and gave Minnesota 17 unanswered points out of it.

The Bears defense didn't help, but then again, when is the last time they really did against a quality opponent? This is no different than the last time the Bears faced the Vikes, in which it was an offensive shoot out and Orton and the Bears simply got lucky enough to have the ball last and score.

But the Bears defense is far from the scapegoat. Keep in mind, the Bears had their hands full with the best RB in the league, and except for a few numbingly idiotic plays, managed to shut Peterson down for most of the night. There's no excuse for the 99 yard pass from Frerotte to Berrian, especially when Tillman spent the last couple years lining up against him in practice.

But nope, sorry Orton fans, your neckbearded savior lost this one, and lost it bad. And while your eyes may have only opened tonight, the reality is, Orton hasn't performed all that well this season.

Kyle Orton currently sits with just over 2,000 passing yards, 13 TDs, 7 INTS and an 83.8 rating.

Well, first off, I have to say, those stats in themselves don't get me all that excited or thinking that Orton is the answer for the Bears, but let's dissect this so you can see where I'm coming from.

Orton's best games have come against Detroit, Minnesota (from the first game), and St. Louis. Those teams combined together have the worst, and I mean worst of the worst, pass defense in football, giving up nearly 300 yds passing and 3 TDs per game.

My point? It's not hard to pass on them.

Here are Orton's numbers against those teams:

PASSING YARDS - 725 TOUCHDOWNS - 5 RATING - 105.9

Those numbers don't look to shabby, eh? But consider that every QB in the league has put up similar if not better numbers against Detroit. For comparison's sake, let's take a look at Rex Grossman's numbers against those same teams (DET, STL, MIN) from what are considered his best games against them in 2006:

Rex Grossman:

PASSING YARDS - 1,164 TOUCHDOWNS - 8 RATING - 102.8

I compared Orton's numbers with Rex since he is considered, by some, the worst QB we've ever had (you don't know an ounce of Bears history if you really think that) simply to show you that even a "bad" QB can pass on those teams.

But let's take those performances against those teams away from Orton and what are his numbers?

Kyle Orton (Excluding DET, MIN, STL)

PASSING YDS - 1,338 TOUCHDOWNS - 8 RATING - 72.2

WOW—should Orton be writing the Lions, Rams and Vikes (the first time around) a thankyou note or WHAT!? That would rank Orton (who is currently 19th in the league) below JT O'Sullivan who is ranked 28th in the league.

My point? Take away the games where it's a cakewalk and Orton has failed. Without those victories he has a losing record of 2-4 (and that's excluding last night's loss which would make him 2-5!) I mean, please, somebody show me the knockout punches that Orton's been throwing at teams?

And even against St. Louis, possibly the worst of the worst, the offense scored quick and then faltered, scoring only three points against a bottom five defense in the second half.

This is the same QB we were arguing about how many millions we should lock him up for and for how many years to extend his contract. Are you kidding me!?!?

Kyle Orton doesn't deserve to wear that damn captain patch on his jersey when he single-handedly gives away first place, and on top of it, has never done a damn thing to earn it in the first place!

Orton has been given everything all season. He didn't win the starting job, he was given the starting job, and we all know it. He "won" the job in not even a half's worth of play and without completing a pass longer than 17 yards let alone a TD. He was given the benefits of the doubt Rex never got (poor defensive play, poor protection, poor receiving corps.), the title of captain, an amazing rookie running back and has STILL manged to foul it all up!

And the media is telling us that we're better off with Orton than McNabb!?

That's rich, it really is.

Orton was praised for not making mistakes. That was his strength. Well, now he's making them, and it doesn't look to good, does it Chicago?

In his last three games, Orton has averaged a 62 QB rating and has three TDs and three INTs. If he continues to spiral downward, I wonder how fast everyone will be shoving that money in his face then...?

My, how quickly things change.

Kyle Orton Should Have Stayed On the Bench This Week

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:28:12 -0500

For all the complaining and moaning Chicago fans had for Rex Grossman, who put up decent numbers against the No. 1 defense in the league last week, I had better hear an earful of complaints for Kyle Orton this week, who put up absolutely nothing against the Green Bay Packers this past Sunday.

It was obvious in the first two passing plays of the game that the Bears and Kyle Orton had fed us a mouthful of lies in the days leading up the important contest against the Packers.

We were told Orton was making incredible progress and would be ready to go. After two near interceptions, one that Desmond Clark ripped from the hands of a Green Bay corner, and the other that popped out of Al Harris' chest into Greg Olsen's hands, the Bears should have said, "Okay maybe not," and pulled Orton out of the contest.

Though I believe it's more of Kyle Orton's selfishness and stubbornness that kept him in the game as opposed to the fact that maybe the Bears are just that stupid, Orton will and should shoulder most of the blame. He's been dubbed a captain on this team, one that is supposed to make the right decision for the offense at all times.

Orton's play was so poor that even the commentators were urging the Bears to put Grossman in halfway through the game. And yet he pressed on, and played hurt, and greatly handicapped an offense that, deep down, we all know would have gotten more done with Grossman behind the helm today.

Orton was playing hurt, and it was obvious. He was limping here and there, not stepping into his throws and put out a performance that I dare say even Rex Grossman wouldn't have displayed.

For the first time this year, Grossman actually had a higher passer rating than Orton—and he did it with not even two full series' of plays—that's how long it took Kyle Orton and the Bears to realize how they had doomed the offense, not until there were five minutes left in the fourth quarter.

That "C" patch on his jersey means Orton should have pulled the neckbeard away from his eyes and seen that his inaccurate and weak throws were making the Bears one-dimensional and greatly limiting what they could do when they had the ball.

When he limped to the huddle and looked his teammates in the face, he should have realized that they as a group were more important than Orton proving to himself he could play through the pain at any cost or whatever he was trying to prove out there today.

The move back to Orton made no sense at that point. When he has to wear a "special shoe" to play, that was more than a shoe and some tape, which is what Orton called it a postgame conference, then he shouldn't be playing at all.

But what was even worse was that at halftime, when the Bears are down by 21—the offense having done nothing and Orton still limping and wincing with pain—the third quarter opened up and sure enough, there was Kyle Orton, walking back onto the field.

I work for a professional sports network and we all screamed in frustration when we saw Orton limping back out to the huddle and Grossman sitting on the bench. Grossman who was 3-0 at Lambeau field; Grossman who had put up one of the better performances of any QB against the Tennessee Titans the week before; Grossman, who, more importantly,was HEALTHY.

Why would you send Orton back out on the field? He had done NOTHING. And I mean NOTHING.

If for no other reason than to preserve his health, Grossman should have been out there after halftime. Why risk hurting Orton more? The offense had been inept and horrible, so there was no momentum to preserve and no risk of doing worse—what good did it do to keep Orton on the field?

So now, we know that Orton is still hurt and not doing better—he's hurt bad enough to the point where it affects his play—so the coaches and Orton decide, "Let's keep him out there a little more so the pass rush can beat up on that ankle some more."

That was easily, in terms of depth management, one of the worst managed situations I've ever seen in a professional football game.

Orton's passes were floating, had no zip, and you can't have a QB throwing those types of passes against NFL caliber cornerbacks and DBs. They will adjust and pick you off all day.

And let's not forget the cardinal sin Orton committed at the end of the day—you know, the sin that ONLY Rex Grossman and NO OTHER QB in the history of the game every commits...He fumbled a clean, shotgun snap that was recovered by Green Bay and returned for a TD that put the icing on the cake for the Packers.

So there you have it Bears fans. Are you happy to see Orton again? Happy he proved you "right?" That an inept Orton is better than a healthy Rex Grossman?

Did you feel good watching your team struggle this Sunday? Watching receivers get overthrown and balls float through the air? Watching Orton throw an INT on one snap, getting lucky and having it called back, and then fumbling the very next snap to give the ball up again anyway? Did you feel vindicated in your assumption that Orton can do no wrong, no matter what?

Your savior put himself before the team today. Whether it was for fear of losing his job should Grossman get on a roll in an important divisional game or simply wanting to prove to himself he could play through the pain, Orton screwed this offense today because he was too selfish to take himself out of the game and let Grossman, who may have had an impact with some decent time, come in.

And if nothing else, Grossman would have kept Orton from taking unnecessary blows from a pass rush that was seemingly unstoppable.

But once again, now that it's Orton out there, here's what fans will say: "It's the defense! They're horrible! That's why we lost!"

But wait a second... they were bad last week, and it was Rex Grossman's fault wasn't it...? Why is it different now?

If Rex Grossman can put 173 yds, one TD, and one rush TD and be called the problem when he's facing the No. 1 defense in the league, I'd like to hear the explanation as to why Orton, who completed less than half his passes and put up no TDs, with a fumble today, isn't to blame for this game.

I'm waiting for you to tell me...

Wake up Bears fans. Wake up.

To the Idiots Who Blame Rex Grossman

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:19:54 -0500

The idiocy of NFL fans will never cease to amaze me. The same fans who only two years ago couldn't wait to pile the blame on the young Kyle Orton and hail the cannon arm of Rex Grossman, have become complete hypocrites of their own philosophies.

I'm going to tell you something that you probably already know, so try not to laugh: Chicago fans are actually blaming Rex Grossman for the loss to Tennessee.

Let me say that one more time—Chicago fans are blaming Rex, and ONLY Rex, for the loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Some of you are probably sitting there, reading and saying to yourself "You're damn right I am! Grossman is awful! He was overthrowing, under-throwing, blah blah blah!"

Now, before I get into how moronic you are for expecting Grossman to come off the bench with barely a weeks worth of 1st team snaps and shine against the league's number one defense, let's get into how hypocritical you're being in terms of just general QB comparisons.

Rex, while not playing amazing, did put up solid numbers and didn't have a horrible day by any means. He was 20-37 for 173 yards, one touchdown, one rushing touchdown, and an interception. Yet, Rex has been described by fans as awful, horrible, and about every other negative adjective you can think of.

Yet, the same fans praised Orton and praised him on high against the Colts in week one where he threw for only 150 yards and no TDs. They also praised him when the Bears lost, like in week two against the Panthers when he again threw for no TDs and only 149 yards.

He was praised as (quoted from the Tribune), "Coming on strong and making strides in the passing game."

Why is it that fans look past the fact that the defense, yesterday, gave Kerry Collins, a 35 year old QB who was once on life support in the NFL, his best game of the year?

Collins was 30-41 for 289 yards and two touchdowns. Are you kidding me?

Collins had yet to break 200 yards passing in a game and still had yet to have multiple TDs in one game—he did so easily against the Bears. And yet, all the polls give you the following options to blame:

-Rex Grossman

-Pass rush

-Titans are just a better team

-No special teams

Is this supposed to be a joke? Just because Grossman is in the driver's seat, suddenly everything is his fault again right?

When Orton was in, it was the defense and last minute squib kicks that lost us games. Now that Grossman's in, it doesn't matter that a 35 year old QB looked like the second coming of Joe Namath against the Bears defense because everything is Rex's fault.

Let me tell you how dumb you are if you really think that.

Ask yourself this: Did you go into yesterday's game expecting Grossman to dominate and win the game for you? Most of you will say no. Did you go into the game thinking that Collins would have his best game of the year and end up single handedly destroying what is supposed to be one of the best secondaries in the league?

If you say yes, you're a liar. Nobody expected it. So then why are we all upset and complaining about the Grossman aspect of the game, when we all knew he was going to struggle?

Don't you think it would be more appropriate to question the defense's caliber of play against the pass?

Before you argue, let's look at how bad Grossman really did against the Titans.

Again, here are Grossman's numbers:

20-37 for 173 yards, one TD, one Rush TD, and one INT

Let's take a look at how previous QBs have fared against Tennessee.

Week 1: David Garrard—Jacksonville

23 of 35, 215 yards, one TD, two INT (the same, if not worse than Rex).

Week 2: Carson Palmer— Cincinnati

16-27, 134 yards, 0 TD, two INT (worse than Rex).

Week 3: Matt Schaub—Houston

17-37, 188 yards, 0 TD, three INT (worse than Rex once again).

Week 4: Gus Frerotte—Minnesota

25-43, 266 yards, 0 TD, one INT (more yards, but no scores—Rex had two TDs).

Week 5: Joe Flacco—Baltimore

18-27, 153 yards, 0 TD, two INT (worse than Rex once again).

Week 6: Tyler Thigpen—Kansas City

5-11, 76 yards (not much to compare).

Week 7: Peyton Manning—Indianapolis

26-41, 223 yards, two TD, two INT (Rex had less yards, but equal scores and less turnovers).

Week 8: Aaron Rodgers—Green Bay

22-41, 314 yards, one TD, one INT (more yards, but about the same level of play).

Do you see my point?

And when you factor in that Tennesse's defense averages giving up 13 points per game, the Bears offense managed to score 14 points, both thanks to Grossman. The offense did no worse than everyone else managed to do, and the same goes for Grossman.

You're upset at a guy for playing average just like everyone else has against a very good defense.

He could have had multiple INTs like Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, and David Garrard—some of whom are considered to be the better QBs in the league right now.

He's also one of only two QBs in the league to score on their first drive against Tennessee—Manning was the other.

Grossman made some awful throws yesterday, no question about that. But he was very smart with the ball as well. He threw the ball away and didn't force it when there was nothing there. He led a great drive at the beginning of the game, and a two great drives at the end of the game.

Does this sound reminiscent of the Atlanta Falcons game where Orton was dismal all day except for one final drive? Why does he get praised and Grossman get pinned as the problem?

How can any idiot look at how well Tennessee has contained QBs that are much better than Rex Grossman, and then look at how well he really did considering his potential for turnovers and mishaps, and then blame him while looking past a defense that gave a washed up QB his best game of the year?

I will never understand the fans. This makes no sense to me. Rex, I'm sorry for you.

All everyone asked you to do going into the game was to play average and let the defense win the game. You did exactly as asked, and because the defense failed, you get the blame once again.

You can bet, had Orton been behind center, we wouldn't hear the end of how the defense lost the game and how Orton's two scoring drives should have been enough to win the game. But you're Rex Grossman, and everything's your fault.

Get out as soon as you can Rex. There's nothing left for you here but fumbling idiots that love to blame you for each and every problem the team has when you're out on the field.

Kyle Orton Getting Hype, But Is It Deserved?

Jimmy Mac — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:46:38 -0400

Unless you have been living somewhere other than the planet Earth these past few weeks, chances are, the hype about Kyle Orton hasn't escaped your ears.

Orton is now the savior of Chicago. He's getting hyped for a Pro Bowl appearance. He's getting chants for a new contract. He's the eighth-ranked passer in the league. He's orchestrating the league's highest scoring offense! And on and on and on...

While I'm certainly not in line to vote Orton into the Pro Bowl, with plenty of QBs in the NFC North alone that physically and mentally outplay him every week, I can't deny that I think he's done well these past few weeks.

But, before I think of Orton even coming close to the Pro Bowl, I think of players like Drew Brees, who is on pace to decimate some long-standing records with his current play. Tony Romo, who even when he's on the bench somehow still is the top ranking QB in the league. And Kurt Warner, who has been playing lights out and has 14 TDs to just six INTs and averages a 102 QB rating.

Please, Orton supporters. Come back to reality. Orton's play of late has been very good, but he's in no place right now to command a Pro Bowl spot.

And while Orton ranks higher than anyone expected him to on the QB charts, please realize the circumstances under which he's doing so. He currently ranks 12th on a chart that has no Tom Brady, Tony Romo out, Peyton Manning coming off a huge injury and playing shaky, Ben Roethlisberger playing hurt, Matt Hasselbeck out with an injury, and a multitude of other shortcomings that just seemed to happen out of the blue.

When you take those guys out of the mix, hell, even I could rank high on that QB list.

So let's actually sit down and take a look at how well Orton's done this year:

He played average and conservative against Indy, which turned out to be what we needed with the defense playing like they were. Orton nearly had two picks, threw no TDs, and came away with a very average 83 passer rating, but we still came away with the win.

The next week against the Panthers, he once again threw no INTs but also once again threw no TDs and nearly had two picks again, one in particular at the end of the game that killed a potential comeback drive. He and the offense's inability to capitalize on four defensive turnovers was the downfall of the game.

The week after, against Tampa, he finally put up two TDs, but he put up two INTs as well and played another very average game posting an 83 rating.

The following week in Philly, he showed up for one half and played dismal in the other, putting up three TDs and two INTs and posted his second-lowest rating of the season at 75.5.

Have we all forgotten it was Orton and the offenses' inept inability to score in the second half, and turnovers, that almost cost us the game, if not for a goal-line stand by the Bears' defense?

The next week, he played nearly flawless against Detroit. But need I stress that he was playing Detroit? Six of the seven QBs Detroit has faced this year have put up career numbers. My grandmother could post good numbers against Detroit, so it's hard to put that up on a pedestal.

The week after, he played mediocre nearly all game against Atlanta before pulling it together for the final drive. However, it didn't matter, thanks to Matt Ryan's 11-second comeback. Most people will blame that loss on the defense and a squib kick and somehow overlook the fact that Orton and the offense only managed three points after three quarters of play against a bottom-five defense...strange.

The following week, he came out swinging against Minnesota and played great, answering each of Minnesota's TDs with a drive of his own. But need I stress, again, that he was playing another bottom-five defense? Minnesota has ranked in the bottom-five along with the Detroit Lions for the past four years—they're not hard to pass against, people, and certainly nothing to pin a Pro Bowl or franchise QB lock on.

The plain fact is, except for the Falcons and the Eagles, we haven't exactly played the cream of the crop in the league. And Orton's best games have come against Detroit and Minnesota.

I'll say that again. Orton's best games have come against Detroit and Minnesota. Do you want to know how easy it is to throw against those teams?

Let's put it in a fashion that the Orton lovers/Rex haters can understand: Orton is hailed as being far better than Grossman after his 90 percent average/10 percent great type of play this year.

Grossman's 2006 campaign against the Lions (he did not play them in 2007):

5 TDs, 0 INTs, 486 yards, and a 114 QB rating

These numbers are on par basically with Orton's one game against the Lions this year, where he's put up two TDs, zero INTs, 199 yards, and a 121 rating. If you want to get technical, in Grossman's first game against the Lions in 2006, he put up four TDs, zero INTs, 289 yards, and a near perfect 148 rating—So game by game, Grossman has the advantage.

My point: It's not hard to pass on Detroit, and Minnesota, who ranked dead last in pass defense last season, doesn't make it too hard, either.

Orton has had more inept games than outstanding this year, and for some reason, we've chosen to ignore that. Maybe it's because the majority of Chicago is so ready to get past Rex Grossman that they're willing to celebrate Orton's stats, even if they do come against the worst of the worst in the league.

I need to see more from Orton before I hail him as the next coming of the messiah in Chicago and feel comfortable about committing to him long term.

And this isn't because I'm a Rex fan, which I am—but because simply logic and research shows you Orton hasn't put up numbers that blow me away this year. And when he has, it's been against teams that pretty much every QB in the league has put up great numbers against.

His only two games with a rating of 100 or higher have come against—you guessed it—Detroit and Minnesota.

And Chicagoans need not worry about Rex Grossman taking the reigns again. Chances are Rex will be gone next year, with many teams expressing an interest in him even right now.

The Chiefs are drooling over Grossman, with their current QB roster right now that reads like the obituaries, and don't be surprised if you see Grossman end up in Detroit or Minnesota, whose depth chart reads: Jackson, Frerotte, Kitna, and Orlovsky, right now—not exactly starting material. And as stand up of a guy as Grossman is, you better believe he would love to stick it to the team and fans that put him on the bench.

My point is, if you're simply cheering for Orton because he's not Grossman—it's time to stop. And it's time to really look at Orton for what he's done. He's put up very average stats against very average teams and has Chicago at a very average record right now at 4-3.

I'm not willing to praise Orton just because he's not Grossman, and frankly, I'm tired of hearing others do so. Seven games is not 16, half a season is not a full season—and I need to see more than seven games from Orton, which consist of five mediocre games and two great games.

Orton's true tests will come against teams like the undefeated Titans, the Packers, Saints, and Jaguars. To judge him against teams like the Lions and Vikings is simply searching for scraps, and I'm tired of searching. Orton needs to show me something. And playing well against two bottom feeder teams is not showing me anything.

Bears-Falcons: Orton Falters Early, Defense Collapses Late

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:11:23 -0400

Last week, after Orton's dominance against the league's bottom ranked defense of the Detroit Lions, I was prompted to write: "Orton did good, but so what? It's the Detroit Lions who are 0-5, who are the worst of the worst, and who get scored on easier than Jenna Jameson".

Instead I wrote how about how Orton was growing up, making good plays, and taking advantage of a bad defense like he should as an NFL caliber QB.

Shame on me.

It was back to the same old Kyle "I'm good for about 1-10 yard passes and no scores" Orton in the Bears' last-second loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday. The Atlanta Falcons who rank 25th in total defense and 24th in passing defense somehow managed to hold Orton and the offense to three measly points going into halftime and didn't give up a TD until late in the third quarter.

Some will blame the Bears' defeat on a poor kickoff that gave the Falcon's good field position at the end of the game. Others will blame the defense for giving up a huge pass from Ryan that put the Falcons in field goal range. But they're forgetting a major element in that loss: the abysmal offense that was on the field for 90 percent of the game.

Yes, praise Orton! Hail the king! Hoist him on high for his Elway-like last minute TD drive! Please... are you joking? This is the Falcon's people. Get real. Orton should have been making mince meat out of these guys all afternoon.

There should have been no last minute TD drive by the Bears' offense because that offense should have been killing the Falcons from the first minute of their first possession.

And you want to blame the defense? The defense who managed to hold the hot-handed rookie and the league leading rusher Michael Turner to only 12 points on FOUR TD scoring drives? The same defense who didn't even give up a TD to Atlanta until late in the third quarter? The same defense who kept holding the Falcon's for the majority of the game and giving the offense the ball repeatedly in good field position?

Orton looked like the rookie from 2005 until that last minute drive, overthrowing Hester and Booker on deep passes that should have been easy TD's. Throwing fade passes to Olsen and Booker in the endzone that looked more like sloppy free throws that were nearly picked off and easily batted away on a few red zone drives that would have been key.

Blame the defense all you want. They faced the league's top rated rookie passer and the league's leading rusher and managed to hold them almost all game, while Orton and the offense faced one of the league's worst defenses and managed to do nothing for most of the game.

I want Orton to do good, but I'm tired of waiting around! One game against the Detroit Lions and all of the sudden he's the messiah of Chicago; and then the next week, he falters against an equally pitiful defense whose best player is a ROOKIE!

It's nice to see the 1-10 yard quick slants and crossing routes, but I'm tired of Orton throwing sloppy lobs with no touch and missing easy TD's. I'm tired of seeing Hester sprint his ass off down the field only to have Orton heave an ugly deep pass that's 10 yards overthrown.

Most of all, I'm tired of the conservative play. The Bears' offense was abysmal for most of the day. Lovie needs to learn, and he needs to learn quick that the Bears defense can't hold offenses all day long. Not in today's NFL. He needs to stop pretending that you can win it all with defense and has to start demanding more from Orton.

I'm tired of the tale of two Kyles every game—looking solid for a drive and then invisible on the next. And I'm certainly tired of everyone who used to blame one person, the QB Rex Grossman, for all the offensive failures and now refuse to admit they were wrong in not seeing it was more than him, and now try to hoist Orton on high even when he's playing poorly.

The Bears bottom ranked offense in the NFC needs a boost, and frankly, I'm tired of waiting for it to come from Orton.

Bears-Lions: Kyle Orton Turns It Up a Notch

Jimmy Mac — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:39:20 -0400

24 of 34 for 344 yards and two TD's—or once, I have no complaints about Kyle Orton.

Kyle, for a moment, came out of his shell and looked like the QB I never thought I'd see out of him. He threw the deep ball well, he made good decisions and didn't make the mistakes that he'd made in his previous two games.

This week, Kyle Orton shut me up.

His 344 passing yards are the most since Grossman's game in 2006 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the score of last Sunday's game was welcomingly familiar, 34 - 7: the exact same score that the Bears had put up against the Lions in week 2 of the magical 2006 season under Grossman.

Sunday was a waiting game for me, a game that I'm glad I never ended up winning. I kept waiting for Orton's solid play to turn sour, I kept waiting for that one INT that sparked his bad play to come - but it never did. Orton kept his head up, and his play along with it.

I don't need to sit here and recap the game, because it would be repeitive to do so. It would go something like this:

First quarter—Orton and the offense: awesome. Defense: awesome...

Repeat that for four quarters and that's about how the entire game went.

And though, for this week, I have no complaints about a truly solid game from Orton, a word of caution:

Orton didn't do anything that amazing when you really sit back and look at the circumstances he had to play under. He was playing the league's worst pass defense that averages 230 yards per game though the air alone—that's more than most defenses give up period.

He was playing against the league's worst pass rushing attack, as well, and was sacked only once all night in 34 attempts. To put it lightly, he had all day to throw the ball.

I don't want to take away from the day Orton had, because it was a great one. But if he can do this week in and out, which I highly doubt, I'll change my tune very quickly. I have a bias against Orton because he came into the franchise and stunted what could have been a good rookie year for him in 2005 because he was a boozer, brining in a DUI and basically blowing the job off.

So when he did come in in 2005, he wasn't prepared and played poorly because of that. I have a hard time rallying behind a guy who only plays hard when he feels like its worth it.

But Orton appears, for the most part, to have changed. I still feel he shouldn't be a captain under the previous circumstances I listed, and the fact that he hasn't taken the Bears anywhere yet. You don't just name a captain, hoping he'll be good—you name one that has proven himself worthy of such a title—Orton has done nothing of the sort in my eyes yet—but Sunday, he took a major step forward and made even myself think twice about my views of him.

Orton will face defenses the rest of the way that would laugh at Detroit, starting Sunday against an Atlanta Falcons' defense that managed to shut Tony Romo, yes Tony Romo, down for most of the game and nearly took Dallas out. Romo has his way of coming back though and always seems to spoil a defenses efforts in a few minutes time. Kyle Orton on the other hand is not Tony Romo, not yet anyway, and will have much more to deal with then the league's worst pass defense.

If Orton can keep it rolling, I might change my tune. And that's a big if...

Bears-Eagles: Kyle Orton Becomes Infected with the Good/Bad Disease

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:56:14 -0400

Sunday night was a case of Good Kyle/Bad Kyle...Wait, where have I heard that before?

I know I've heard it somewhere...Wasn't that the reason we put Rex Grossman on the bench? And now we're hailing Orton for it...?

Anyway, for the first time, Kyle Orton surprised me. The Bears in general surprised me. The most stubborn, blockheaded, run-dedicated football team on Earth actually came off the bus...passing.

The first play from scrimmage was a nice completion over the middle from Orton, and the third play was a nice TD pass to Olsen that, as pointed out by the commentators, would have been called back if challenged.

Orton threw it just a bit too far and Olsen only managed to get one foot down while extending for the ball, but the Eagles didn't catch it, so put it on the board!

And the Bears' defense? What can I say? The entire game, they practically destroyed the Eagles, sacking McNabb four times and stopping the run quite well.

For the first time since the early Grossman days of 2006, the Bears' offense was actually complementing the defense. The D would come up with a big stop and put the offense in business inside Eagles' territory, and three different times, Orton capitalized with a TD pass.

So what's to complain about? Three TD passes from Orton and big plays from the defense. What's not to like?

Sadly enough for Orton and the offense, the game consists of four quarters. If only pro football played just two quarters in it, Orton would be king of castle right now—instead, he's about right on the same level as the QB the Bears put him out there to replace.

I've already seen the headlines two weeks in a row: "Orton gets it half right", "A Tale of two Ortons"... it's like seeing the media with Rex all over again.

Although, a good majority of the media tends to favor Orton right now—which I don't get. A performance like last night from Grossman would have found the media focusing on the two poor INTs and the fumble that kept putting the Eagles in business and the defense in a bad spot and ignoring a nice first half.

Instead, it appears as most are simply ignoring Orton's blunders and hoisting his three TD passes on high, one headline even says that the Bears "can thank Orton" after last night.

You're joking, right?

I'm not trying to put a downer on a great win, but the offense nearly cost us the game AGAIN for a third week in a row, and I'm not going to give Orton a pat on the back for a job only HALF-well done.

Orton posted his second-lowest rating of the season, condemning his solid first-half play with a dismal second half, in which he and the offense had only accumulated two yards going into the fourth quarter.

After throwing three TD passes in the first half, Orton went into halftime with an INT, came out and threw another INT after the Bears' defense had just picked off McNabb and put the Bears in business at Philadelphia's 25-yard line.

He then fumbled on the next drive, and after the Bears' defense stopped Philly again, Orton fumbled a bad handoff to Jones. It was later reported that Orton had handed off to the wrong guy on a reverse that went bad.

So although Orton is only credited with three turnovers, the fumble that sits on Jones' shoulders should be a mark against Orton.

And that's how most of the second half went. Orton and the offense making stupid mistakes and putting the defense in a bad spot.

We can rejoice and cheer all we want, and we should. A win is a win. But don't kid yourself into thinking all of our problems are over. Had Orton come out and played like he did in the first half for the remainder of the game, I'd be writing an apology instead of a complaint. But Orton's inconsistent play has cost us twice, and nearly a third time last night.

His three turnovers put Philly in business deep in Bears territory, and had McNabb had Westbrook in the backfield, you can bet there would have been no goal-line stand. Westbrook is one of the best, if not the best, running backs in the game right now.

There would have been no stop by the defense, and the Eagles would have taken the lead with 30 seconds left from a botched handoff by Orton and Jones.

If ANYBODY should be thanking ANYBODY, Orton certainly should not be getting thanks from the defense. If anything, Orton should be taking his defense out to dinner every night this week for covering up his dismal second half and pulling the blinds over everyone's eyes from seeing a QB completely fall apart.

And the three TD's are great...But all three came from inside or on the 20-yard line and all off of defensive takeaways. The Bears' offense at no time orchestrated a scoring drive under their own power.

I'm happy with the win, and I did see better play in Kyle Orton—for a half. But the Bears have twice now met with two powerhouse offenses that have luckily been depleted by injuries.

First the Colts, and now the Eagles, who put earlier put up five TDs on Monday Night Football against the Cowboys—don't think for one second we didn't get lucky.

The Bears face the Lions next, whom we haven't beaten since Rex Grossman took a seat on the bench. The Falcons come after that. The Bears desperately need two wins before facing the Vikings, who tore them apart twice last season, and then the high-powered offenses of the Titans, Packers, Jaguars, and Saints.

I still am uncertain about Orton. Three TD passes inside the 20 is great, but it is nothing impressive. His long game is still a question, and he continues to put the defense in bad spots. Defense and luck saved him once more last night, but how long will his luck hold out?

Kyle Orton's Game Management Not Enough

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:33:00 -0400

I wrote an article about Orton's inability to show his "improved" play last weekend and got burned for it by a few readers here on BR. They defended lackluster play by one of the most important positions on the field with the "hey, we won" speech.

So, I'd like to know...What are you going to defend him with now?

Last weekend, Kyle Orton was on top of the world. He was the hero in Chicago, the QB we'd been waiting for, the consistent weapon in the backfield (although he really wasn't). This weekend, not two hours after the Bears dropped a 14-point lead in a 20-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the headlines read: "Orton doesn't have the magic", "Where did it go wrong?", "Orton: I want my three hours back."

Judging by the previous reactions, you'd think Orton was stellar in Week One and then laid an egg in Week Two, right? Actually, that's the funny part. Take a look at Orton's Week One and Two stats comparisons.

Week One

13 of 21 for 150 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INT, 1 FUM - 83.4 rating

Week Two

19 of 32 for 149 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INT, 0 FUM - 71 rating

The stats are almost exactly the same. The one difference? This week, the Bears lost. This week, a running game that Carolina was bent on stopping wasn't enough to carry Orton's inept passing game, though Forte still did well, rushing for 92 yards.

This week, the defense, who played excellent, ran out of miracles, giving the offense the chance to break away.

Now, some of you may point to Greg Olsen's two fumbles and say that cost us the game. It didn't help Chicago's case, of course, but the fact remains that even after those two turnovers, the Bears still had the lead, and Carolina was gaining on the Bears even before Olsen's fumbles.

Also take into account that Orton, who need I remind you again swore up and down that he's a "new man" now, had two series to respond once the Bears defense gave up the lead, and a total of five series after the Bears had racked up 17 points to improve upon it.

He got defensive breaks, good field position, good protection, and a solid running game to keep the defense honest all the while. And just like last week, what did Orton do with it? Well, in the two series after the Bears fell behind, Orton went one of five with an intentional grounding penalty and two near INTs.

Now, Orton wasn't all bad—he executed well on plays of one to five yards, but failed to show Chicago that he had improved in his "big play" ability, missing on all of his passes over 20 yards—one in particular that could've gone for a TD to a wide open Marty Booker—that a certain QB sitting on the bench now would've almost certainly completed.

For some reason, the fans want to believe that the Bears' offense is better with Kyle Orton than it was with Rex Grossman. Less likely to throw an INT? Yes, at times as Kyle Orton has shown by not throwing an INT yet this season (though he should, thank God that he's encountered some butterfinger corners on defense or he would have four by now).

But better? Certainly not, as Kyle Orton has also proven by being one of only two QBs in the NFL to go into Week Two without a TD pass.

The funny thing is, the media is already starting to turn on Orton, and it's almost certain that if he performs similarly again next week in the Bears' home opener, the fans will as well. It's humorous to hear Bears fans talk about their QB situation from time to time.

When Rex Grossman was QB, they would say: "If only Rex would just manage the game and not turn the ball over, we'd be fine..."

Well, now they have "the game manager" who isn't turning the ball over...And suddenly they're complaining and asking for the big plays!

See, while Rex Grossman may have turned the ball over from time to time, he gave you the chance, the shot, the possibility to hit that one huge play downfield to win the game. He had that ability to get hot and absolutely destroy a defense.

I think we can all concur that when Kyle Orton ran out onto the field with two-and-a-half minutes left to play and the Bears down by three, that no one had that feeling.

And while I'm not one to say, "I told you so," some of the fans have been so blatantly ignorant in their support of Orton, that this time I don't mind. I told you when the game was on the line, Orton's game-management skills wouldn't be enough.

You wanted consistency, and now you have it. You will consistently see this team lose if the Bears fall behind and have to rely on Kyle Orton to stage a comeback.

I have nothing personal against Kyle Orton, except for the fact that he spat in this franchise's face when he first came here: not committing to the role, registering a DUI, and gracing the Internet with a wave of drunken photos—but if you're sitting there hoping Kyle Orton will suddenly pull a page from the playbook of Rex Grossman and hit a defense deep downfield, you're dreaming.

The one big play Orton had, on a sideline pass to Lloyd, was ALL receiver. Orton's badly underthrown pass was compensated for by a heads-up play by Lloyd, who came back at the last minute and grabbed the ball out of the air.

Orton's antics and stage show at the line of scrimmage was sniffed out by the defense in about five minutes, who picked up on the fact that all Orton was going to do was throw screens and slants and nearly picked him off twice in the process.

So I'd love to hear it this week. I'd love to hear how well Orton did and how solid he was. The feel-good sensation is gone, and we're 1-1, looking a lot like the inept offense of 2005.

Keep in mind, our offense did not once execute a long scoring drive. The one TD drive we had came off a defensive turnover that put the Bears in business at the Panthers' 25-yard line. No INTs and no mistakes is great, but what we needed most today, at the end of the day, was a playmaker behind center, and Orton failed to show us that he was that guy.

And apparently now, I've read that Chicago's "savior," Kyle Orton, practically single-handedly gave the game away on a 3rd-and-1 call that Ron Turner initially made the decision on.

He called a running play to Forte. However, this play had been designed so that if Orton thought he could do something with it, he could change the call at the line. And he did.

Forte had just run for a nine-yard gain not more than a minute ago, and Orton, the "game manager", the "mistake-free" QB, elected to put the ball in the air on a side pass to Booker that he'd run four times before—four time too many—and it was sniffed out and nearly picked off by the Panthers' corner Gamble.

Ladies and gentlemen, we can thank Kyle Orton for that blown third-down play.

The QB who sat there and told us, "I just do what I'm told. I throw the ball where it's designed to be thrown and hand it off or whatever they tell me to. People may not like it but if that's what I'm told to do I do it."

Kyle, I can speak for everyone when I say that your cheap imitation of Peyton Manning's antics at the line before the play fooled no one, and we would've liked it just fine to see a hand off to a solid back when we needed ONE yard rather than your nearly intercepted, poorly selected, drive-killing pass to Booker.

But this is who you guys wanted out on the field. The quarterback whose decision later prompted Turner to tell the media, "I probably shouldn't have given him that option."

Turner has only turned on his quarterback to the media once, and that was when Griese took credit for 97-yard TD drive to win the game in Philly last season. This time, it was Turner letting the media know that that play was all Kyle Orton on that one.

That says a lot, believe it or not. With all the bad game Grossman has had, you'll never find one quote by Turner that calls Rex out on a bad decision. So that says A LOT.

I give it a few more weeks until we start hearing the cheers for Grossman or Hanie.

The "New & Improved" Orton Looks Like Same Old Story

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:14:51 -0400

Lovie Smith may not be up for the 2008 Coach Of The Year Award in the NFL, but he may be a likely candidate for the Nobel prize after secretly developing a time machine in which he went back to 2005, gathered the old '05 roster of Chicago Bears and brought them back here to 2008 and put them on the field Sunday night in the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic about the victory over an injury-ridden Colts team that looked more off than ever, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we've suddenly found our answer at every position on the field.

The defense looked fantastic and kept Manning out of sync for most of the night. They also racked up some amazing plays and defensive stops. One included a beautiful tackle of Addai with the Colts deep in their own end zone by Ogunleye which left the fallen back staring up at the goal line ref running out to the field and clapping his hands high over his heads and signaling for a safety.

Matt Forte looked like the real deal, running for 123 yards and a TD in his NFL debut, becoming the first running back to start as a rookie for the Bears since the great Walter Payton first graced the field back in 1975.

Forte had a better start than Payton who rushed for 0 yards on 8 carries back in '75, but the idea that he might even have half the career that Payton had isn't likely—still, Forte took long strides in making the fans and franchise forget very quickly about Cedric Benson.

Benson, who no doubt sat at home, drowning himself in alcohol and watching a rookie running back, who didn't hold out by the way like our old friend Cedric, rush for more yards in his first NFL appearance than Benson had had in any game all last season.

And then... there was Kyle Orton. The "New & Improved" Kyle Orton by the way who spent the week leading up to his '08 debut against the Colts swearing up and down that he was a new QB, and "not the same guy" who we left behind in 2005.

You remember him right? The "hand the ball off and get out of the way" QB that was never really good for a TD, but would have no problem in gracing the field with under thrown balls and turnovers.

The "New" Kyle Orton took a major step backwards in shedding his label as a lame duck game manager that does nothing but fill the void between the offensive line and running back. In fact he solidified that view even more than before.

Orton was 13 of 21 for 150 yards with no TDs. He fumbled the first snap, which is something apparently according to Bears fans, is something only Rex Grossman does, and fumbled once more later when the ball was swatted out of his hands while Orton was in the pocket. He made a multitude of poor throws and was nearly picked off twice on two poor passes and was simply lucky the Colts defenders seemed to have butterfingers last night.

His "solid" performance could easily be a horrid performance where he threw for no TD's and 2 INT's with 2 fumbles. Luckily for Orton, he caught all the breaks in the world last night. The fumbled snap was negated by a penalty, he managed to fall on his own fumble later on, and his two easy INTs were simply dropped by Colts defenders.

If Rex Grossman had the night Orton had last night, the media and fans would be calling for his head and cursing him for a poor performance—but because it's Orton we're supposed to be ok with a an inept, lackluster, underachieving signal caller?

Sure everything is sunshine and lollipops now for the Bears, but what happens when the Bears aren't firing on all cylinders and we NEED that passing game to come through?

With the way the defense was stopping the Colts, the way Forte was running, and the starting positions the Bears had, Orton should have had a much better night than he did and did nothing to back up his talk from earlier this week about being a new QB with an open playbook.

The Bears didn't even look like they had confidence in Orton to make the plays. On the drive directly following Forte's TD run, the Bears faced another 3rd and long—an obvious passing situation.

They elected to put the ball in Forte's hands on a draw play rather than let Orton take a stab at it after a multitude of poor passes. Why!? If you have enough confidence in Orton to name him offensive co-captain and put that "C" patch in his jersey, and yet you don't put the ball in his hands to make key plays and convert 3rd down situations for you - what are you thinking? What does that say?

And aside from when Orton hit Desmond Clark late in the game, the passes he did complete weren't very well thrown either. Lloyd had to stop in mid route and jump high in the air on a slant route in which Orton should have easily hit him low, in the chest, and in stride. Olsen had to come back on an under thrown lob that had Orton put the right touch on could have sent the tight end into the end zone for an easy score.

Yes, Orton made some decent plays and didn't turn the ball over, but he made mistakes which is supposed to be what he doesn't do, and did nothing to convince me that he's a changed man.

Even Grossman, who didn't have the greatest Superbowl in which he threw two INTs, had more success in the passing game than Orton did when he threw for an early TD, for over 150 yards, and had a better completion percentage.

Sure we won, and our defense was able to take advantage of an offense in which Peyton Manning was shaky and taking snaps from a rookie and being protected by another backup on his right side, and Forte made the ground game look easy.

But what happens if that stops? What happens if Forte can't break through the holes, and the Bears can't stop the run or the pass and we need a QB back there that can keep us in the game? Everyone's happy with Orton now because we won—his underachievement at a position he proclaimed to be improved at didn't cost us the game. But reverse the situation for a moment.

Imagine Peyton Manning was his normal self, and scoring off the hook. Imagine the Colts fulfilled their 30+ point average per game that we normally see—Orton throwing for 150 yards with no TDs and two fumbles all the sudden doesn't look so great does it?

If Chicago is ok with an inept QB behind center simply because he won't turn the ball over (yet he still fumbled twice and nearly had two poor passes picked), then so be it. But when we need a QB to come through and drive us down the field to score and win the game, if you really think Kyle Orton is that man after last night, well there's not much else anyone can do to take you off the slow and painful road to insanity.

Orton looked like the Orton from 2005. In 2005 we were winning like we're winning now. Orton reaped the benefits of a defense and running game in 2005, and did the same last night, doing little to help.

It was only a few short weeks before the fans began to beg for the injured Rex Grossman to recover more quickly. So how long will the feel good sensation last before we realize exactly what Orton showed us last night—and it wasn't much.

If Chicago wants a lame duck signal caller, you've got it in Kyle Orton. But when the pressure is on and the game is on the line, we'll want something more—and what happens then?

Fed Up With Chicago, Grossman May Seek Trade

Jimmy Mac — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:51:38 -0400

In Chicago's Thursday night preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, Rex Grossman had a look on his face that not many Chicagoans had ever seen before. Grossman is usually good for a smile or look of determination on the sidelines, even in his darkest moments. But there was nothing of the sort as Grossman sat on the sidelines, an official backup for the first time in his career.

Grossman had been benched the previous year in favor of Brian Griese, who now resides in his previous home of Tampa Bay. But that was different. Everyone had the feeling that they would see Grossman again at some point in the season. This demotion, however, has no such feeling.

Grossman had the look of a man who knew he had been duped by the Bears management. An empty promise for a true QB competition in which Kyle Orton was obviously favored left Grossman a backup, unsure of his future with the Bears. But in all honesty, Grossman's face told me everything I needed to know. He looks like he wants out of Chicago.

Can you blame him? In the past two decades how many QBs have we won playoff games with?

One. Rex Grossman.

In the past two decades, how many big play QBs and potential threats did we have under center?

One. Rex Grossman.

How many Superbowls have we been to in the past 21 years?

One. Who was the QB? Rex Grossman.

Grossman helped bring home Chicago's first back-to-back NFC North titles, along with an NFC Championship and a Super Bowl berth. He broke 7 franchise records in his time here, and is, even now, one of the better QBs in Chicago Bears history.

And even with all that, he watched a city full of what he called, "great fans", turn on him when he needed their support the most.

And even now that Grossman appears to be out of the picture... for now...the Chicago fan base still unleashed their wrath on him. Grossman ran out on the field Thursday night to a flurry of boos and negative reactions.

He hadn't even run a play yet, not one play, and he was beeing booed. And for what? For dedicating his time and effort to a city that will soon turn on Kyle Orton the way it did him? Grossman's not even the starter, so why boo him? He has no effect on the future games, and is simply trying to cope with being demoted, so why boo?

The worst part, is the fans were booing Grossman for absolutely no reason. On a third down, Grossman dropped back to pass, watching a corner come free into the backfield on a blitz (big surpise, the line collapses for Grossman... that never happens..), and with literally no time (because he always gets it from his line) he made the right read and threw the ball away. A safe, smart decision that any intelligent QB would make, and a boo erupts from the crowd.

I half expected Grossman to get up off his back, throw his arms up in the air and scream, "What the hell do you want from me!?"

But he didn't need to. The look on his face said it all. His walk to the sidelines without so much as a word to his teammates, after once again being hung out to dry behind a poor offensive line, was all the statement he needed.

Grossman, very possibly, may request a trade from the Bears. His relationship with the fans has become so unbearable that they even refuse to accept him as a backup, a role in which he may never effect the outcome of another game.

So where may Grossman end up by halfway through 2008 or next season? The biggest possibility seems like the Miami Dolphins, who expressed an interest in Grossman when he was bound for free agency before the Bears tricked him into thinking he would have a chance to actually compete. Grossman was a hometown favorite after nearly winning the Heisman and leading the Gators to an SEC Championship.

Miami's best option right now is Pennington, and with Pennington's record, who knows how that will end up.

Other possibilities are the Kansas City Cheifs or Baltimore Ravens where Grossman would likely end up as a backup. But to him, a backup role elsewhere seems like a more acceptible environment than Chicago.

As a Rex fan, I'll be sorry to see him go. I'll be sorry to see Kyle Orton's season suddenly take a downward sprial after we've already shipped Rex out. And it will happen. Trust me. Orton's smokescreen against a pitiful 49ers defense will clear once he faces top pass rushers like Dwight Freeney in week 1 against the Colts.

Get out now, Rex. You'd be better off somewhere else...

Is the Chicago Bears' QB Competition A Set-Up?

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:04:06 -0400

As farfetched as it may sound, the Chicago QB derby Saturday night in Seattle had all the makings of a fixed competition. I know what you're thinking, "The Bears would never do that..."

...Would they?

Consider that "for no rhyme or reason," Kyle Orton was selected to start against the Kansas City Chiefs, a lackluster team in 2007 with a lackluster defense that was one of the worst in pass defense. And consider that Rex was then forced to start against one of the top defenses in the NFC, if not the league, in the Seahawks.

Consider that when Rex started the game in Seattle on Saturday night, all of our "experimental" receivers and rookies, for some reason, started the game. Rookies like Earl Bennett, who dropped two crucial passes for Grossman.

Except for a few routes on Grossman's final drive of the night when Booker was in there, Lloyd, Bradley and many others who are considered to be our locked-in receivers were nowhere in sight...until Kyle Orton came in.

Both of Kyle's big completions on his second drive were to Lloyd.

Consider that Rex Grossman walked off the field after his final drive with a gash to the bridge of his nose, a cut on the back of his head, and a cut and bruised forearm that was wrapped for the rest of the night.

Then consider that Kyle Orton didn't get TOUCHED. While Rex was a shotgun native from Florida, Turner kept him directly under center most of the night, giving Grossman less time and allowing him to get sacked and hurried more often.

Eight of Orton's nine passes, however, came from the shotgun and no-huddle offense, which Rex dominated in last season against the Giants, on two series where Orton literally had some of the best protection of the night.

Grossman used the shotgun once and wasn't seen in the no-huddle at all.

Does this all seem a bit odd to you? Is it just me, or does it seem like this competition was set up as a lose/lose situation for Rex. They give him the second team against the Chiefs, and then start all rookie or experimental receivers when he gets the nod for Seattle.

They also put him directly under center, yet they gave Orton the shotgun and no huddle, which anyone will tell you, is always harder for a defense to keep up with.

Was Grossman set up? It's hard to think that, but something about the way the line was collapsing left and right and then suddenly tightened up when Orton came in just doesn't sit right with me.

Miserable Offensive Line Fails Rex Grossman

Jimmy Mac — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:04:02 -0400

Never in my life have I seen a more morbid display by an offensive line. Rex Grossman's night was ended with a gash to the bridge of his nose, a cut on the back of his head, and a slice up his forearm that was bandaged for the majority of the night.

Despite the offensive line's terrible play, Grossman's stats were surprisingly decent.

He went 9-of-15 for 74 yards with one interception. The turnover should be credited to the offensive linemen who let a Seattle D-linemen come in and swat the ball from Grossman's hand in mid-pass. The ball ended up flying off into the arms of a waiting d-linemen's arms.

Grossman was bruised, broken, and beaten in a game where no one can accurately judge his play. Grossman collapsed with a line, that for whatever reason, couldn't pick up a blitz for anything, nor block whatever defense Seattle threw at them.

As for the QB competition, Orton played against the second string Seattle defense, and spent most of his time in shotgun. Except for two nice passes to Lloyd, he didn't amaze anyone.

Considering the fact that 95% of Orton's passes came from the shotgun, which gives him more time in the first place, and the fact that his second drive was a no-huddle attack, Orton faced literally no pressure compared to Grossman's previous series'.

All this game did for me was show me that we have a horrid offensive line and that Orton can play decent in the shotgun. And why the offensive coordinator chose to run the shotgun for Orton when he's 6-foot-4 and has no problem seeing over the line is beyond me.

Grossman, who tops out at 6-foot and operated and excelled in the shotgun during his collegiate career at Florida would have benefited more with such play-calling.

If Kyle Orton takes the starting position because of this game tonight, I will resign my post as a Bears fan and go jump off a bridge.

Brett Favre Could Be A Minnesota Viking by This Evening...

Jimmy Mac — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:38:11 -0400

All seemed well for Favre and the Packers as his private plane from Mississippi touched down in Green Bay on Sunday evening at 6:00 PM. Favre emerged from the plane with a big smile on his face, followed shortly by his wife and an oversized man in a Favre Pro Bowl jersey.

He waved and laughed as hundreds of fans stood by and watched their hero, their quarterback, return to Green Bay to take back what was rightfully his...

...Right?

Wrong.

Things suddenly took a nosedive, and there's a good possibility that Favre could be a Minnesota Viking as early as this evening after what was supposed to be a civil and simple meeting obviously went bad.

What points my thinking in this direction?

First off, the management of the Green Bay Packers. They have spent the past six-and-a-half months preparing for life without Favre.

They've turned the offense over to Aaron Rodgers, they've spent millions in marketing campaigns based off Favre's retirement (the Madden 09 Cover and a DVD series of Favre's legacy and greatest games that is scheduled for release sometime before the end of the year, to name a few).

They've done everything you could possibly do to keep a player away. They've entertained trade possibilities with the Bucs and Jets, perhaps even the Vikings now we've heard, and have pleaded with Favre just to stay away.

Management has made several personal trips to Favre's home in Mississippi to beg that the future Hall of Famer simply let bygones be bygones and that they go their separate ways. They've even offered him a $25 million retirement package, just trying to keep him off the field!

And now...all of the sudden...they're welcoming him back? No, no, no—this doesn't make sense. After all the pleading and begging and bribing, the Green Bay Packers are just going to throw Favre into a competition with Aaron Rodgers for a starting gig that they told him was out of the question months ago?

And a quarterback competition? Do you honestly buy that? Anyone who believes this farce about a "quarterback competition" is a little too naive for their own good.

Let's see...do I put a future Hall of Famer who is quite possibly one of the best QBs of all time out on the field, or a guy who's never started an NFL game in his life and just went seven of 20 for two INTs and no TDs at the Packers' family night?

You do the math.

And Favre didn't seem very open to the idea of a competition when NFL Network analysts caught up with him right before his meeting with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. When asked about the open competition between he and Rodgers, Favre said, "Well, I don't know. I guess we're gonna have to talk about that."

Brett Favre doesn't know if he's going to compete for the job? Have to...talk about it? That doesn't sound like the words of a man who is part of the "open competition" that has been confirmed by several reports (which are wrong, by the way).

And don't forget the malice and hatred that has formed between Favre and the Packers. He's done countless interviews on FOX and NFL Network, pointing the finger at the Packers, talking about being forced out and not wanted back.

Here's a quote from a FOX interview with Favre:

"I was told that playing in Green Bay was not an option. I do want to play football again. Yes, I do. Now, where I want to play it is a different question. Not in Green Bay. If they don't want me to play here, then give me my release and let me play somewhere else."

Do any of you really believe that all the happenings over the past few months have just disappeared and Green Bay is going, "Oh, my bad, of course you can come back and play Brett. I don't know what we were thinking."

Favre wants out of Green Bay and into Minnesota, a team he's hinted at playing for more than once. And the green and gold legend could be a purple people eater as early as tonight.

Keep your eyes open, and you'll see that the possibility of Favre playing for the Pack again is as slim as they come.

BREAKING NEWS AS OF 2:00 PM: FAVRE IS ON HIS WAY TO MEET WITH TED THOMPSON TO WORK OUT A DEAL, MOST LIKELY TO EITHER STAY RETIRED OR TO TRANSACT A TRADE, FAVRE HAS STATED, "I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT IN GREEN BAY. THERE HAS BEEN TOO MUCH SAID AND TOO MUCH IN PLACE THAT I CAN'T FORGET. CAN I MOVE PAST THAT? I DOUBT IT. I JUST DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO WORK."

The Vikings are looking more and more like Favre's new home.

Brett Favre To the Chicago Bears? Chicago...Think This One Over

Jimmy Mac — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:42:10 -0400

Brett Favre is slowly backing the Packers into a corner. A corner, they've stated, that may force them to trade Favre within the division, like he wants.

The Lions aren't even being considered in this race for No. 4, so the focus shifts to the two remaining teams of the NCF North—the Vikings and Bears.

Overall, based off of fan reactions, polls, and the like, Favre seems more likely to go to Minnesota over Chicago, but don't think for one second that Lovie Smith and Jerry Angelo won't be overwhelmed with questions on a possible future in Chicago for the legendary Packer.

Now, obviously, Lovie is not one to fold under pressure. I'm sure many fans will always remember Lovie for his "Rex is our quarterback" speeches at the postgame podium. And I commend him for that. He's the first sensible coach in Chicago we've had in a while.

He understands that a QB must develop before he can reach his potential, something that both Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton are both in the process of doing. I respect him for that. The fans shouldn't run the team—management and the coaching staff should.

But either way, it's quite clear that the media and fans won't have an effect on whether or not the Bears consider Favre, should he miraculously fall on their doorstep with the potential for a trade.

But like I said, that doesn't mean Chicago won't hound them for it. This is my plea to Bears fans: Chicago, do you really want to see Favre in a Bears uniform? Please, think this one over, and think it over long and hard.

Like it or not, Favre is, and will always be, associated with the Pack. And he's been an archrival of Chicago for the past 17 years. That's like the Joker putting on the Bat Suit—it would never work. Are we really so ignorant and impatient to let two potentially good QBs that we already have take a backseat so that Favre can come in and fail us all?

And fail us he will. Think about it Chicago.

Why do you want Rex Grossman gone? Inept decisions, timing with those decisions, and turnovers, right? Do you realize that you're wanting to bring the KING of interceptions and costly decisions, and put him in the driver's seat of an already questionable offense?

Forget the Favre of last season—think of the Favre from two or three years ago. The Packers, like the Bears now, were a young, inexperienced team. No-name wide receivers and no-name running backs. These were the years when Favre was condemned and ridiculed for not retiring because he was playing so poorly.

He often took matters into his own hands and tried to win the game on his arm, often throwing costly interceptions and making poor decisions because he didn't believe in his team.

What do you think he's going to come here and do!?

Our best hope at wide receiver (Devin Hester) is a guy who has about 20 career catches! Everyone knows, deep down in their heart, that Favre will be slinging that ball left and right, getting picked off like his resume' that includes the most INTs of any QB in league history is telling us he will.

And Favre's play, while very good last year, was still dependent on a strong offensive line. Uh, Chicago...we don't have a line! We have nothing to protect the 37-year old with!

And Favre's mobility is extremely lacking. Sure, he may stumble out of the pocket and underhand a pass every now and then, but think back Chicago, think back to when we played the Packers.

Our defense, ranked 27th in the league, mind you, obliterated Favre...twice. He handed Urlacher an INT...twice. He was uncomfortable in the pocket. He was throwing costly passes. Isn't that all the things you want to stop? Just because Favre's a legend doesn't mean we should look past all the problems he will bring.

And Favre has stated his hatred for training camp and practices. You want that kind of attitude coming in and taking over when we have guys that need all the reps they can get at their positions?

And if you think for one second that Favre will suddenly shift his loyalty to the Bears and become a full-blooded Chicagoan—think again.

Do you remember Jim McMahon? QB of the '85 Bears? He ended up playing as Favre's backup in Green Bay. When the Pack won the Super Bowl in '96, they were invited to the White House. Do you remember which jersey McMahon wore? His BEARS jersey!

A loyalty to a team never dies. If you think for one second that Favre will come here with anything but revenge and sticking it to the Pack on his mind, think again. Favre would perform miserably here, and deep down, we all know it.

We're just so eager to hand the reigns off from Rex Grossman that we don't realize there's nobody to hand them to.

Rex Grossman Has Upper Hand in QB Battle So Far

Jimmy Mac — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:46:32 -0400

Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton will be picked apart more than probably any other QB, or QB pair for that matter, during training camp and into the preseason. Every move they make will be analyzed, every facial expression contemplated, and every mistake blown out of proportion.

Thus far, however, both quarterbacks seem to be doing at least a decent job of dealing with the pressure. At this point, the clear frontrunner is Rex Grossman.

Through the first three days of training camp, Grossman has clearly outplayed Orton, who had his worst day, yesterday, on Friday.

Orton started off fairly decent with the second team on Wednesday when the Bears opened training camp. We saw the same old Orton, the inaccurate deep passes and constant overthrows. But overall, he looked decent.

He didn't throw an INT, and completed several short passes, proving he could still move the ball at times. Nothing special—just the Kyle Orton we've come to know.

On Thursday, Orton, who worked with the first team offense that day, tried to come out of his shell a bit more, taking a few more shots and deep passes than he normally does. Hillenmyer picked him off easily over the middle on a bad pass, and he overthrew a few of his longer passes. He didn't have a bad day, though, completing a multitude of shorter passes, but never reaching the endzone.

And on Friday, Orton had a very rough day. What made it even worse was that he worked with the second team, a defense made up of backups at this point, and they had no trouble keeping Orton out of rhythm. He fumbled a snap exchange and lost it, and was picked off twice by Trumain McBride and backup safety Kevin Payne.

Grossman, on the other hand, seems only to be getting better with each snap of the ball. On the first day, while he did throw an INT, his passes were far more threatening and crisp than Orton's. He completed four deep passes, one for an easy TD, and worked the short game just as well if not better than Orton.

On Friday, when Orton was picked off and kept out the endzone with the first team, Grossman excelled with the second team. He executed more big plays including a deep TD pass to Davis whom he hit in stride, while throwing no INTs.

And Grossman looked his sharpest yesterday, while Orton looked his worst. With the first team, Grossman missed a few passes early, but ended up completing six straight. He found more big plays and different receivers like Hass and Davis for more TD passes while once again committing no turnovers.

If you're keeping score thus far, like we all are, Grossman has one INT to Orton's three, both have a center exchange fumble, and Grossman has thrown at least four for sure TD passes as opposed to zero for Orton.

Grossman also seems to have developed a rhythm with both the first and second teams, whereas Orton had his best day overall with the second team offense.

Things can change quickly in Chicago, but for right now, Grossman has the upper hand. I'll keep you updated as the competition develops.

LaMont Jordan: The Chicago Bears' New Running Back?

Jimmy Mac — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:06:46 -0400

Sources indicate, and this isn't confirmed, that only a short time ago, LaMont Jordan was seen at Halas Hall, and he has apparently signed with the Bears after being released by the Oakland Raiders.

Though most fans were pulling for Forte to take over the starting role, it appears the Bears want a little more security at the position. Jordan signed with the Raiders in 2005 and rushed for 1,025 yards and caught 70 passes that season. Injuries, and the emergence of Justin Fargas, cut into Jordan's playing time for the past two seasons.

Jordan, 29, rushed for 424 yards in Oakland's first four games last season, second only to Pittsburgh's Willie Parker to that point. However, he injured his back midway through the fourth game and spent most of the final 12 games searching for a way to get back on the field.

I'll keep you posted as I continue to attain information.

Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton—Who's the Better QB?

Jimmy Mac — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:01:24 -0400

A line has been drawn in the city of Chicago. A line that goes right down the center of Soldier Field. On one side stands the supporters of Rex Grossman, while on the other, the backers of Kyle Orton.

Some in Chicago feel that despite an up and down career that obviously isn't all Grossman's fault, Rex can still be that guy they dreamed of on draft day in 2003, when he was selected 22nd overall by the Bears. Others cheer for Orton, stating he hasn't yet got the chance he deserves, and he can lead the Bears offense better than Rex Grossman.

We could go back and forth all day on what we think, but let's lay down what we know, and make a judgment based off that for the time being. We'll break down the two QBs piece by piece, and base a prediction off of what we find there.

On paper

First, let's look at the records of our two QBs. Grossman has compiled a solid record of 23-12 as a starter, while Orton has approximated just as noteworthy of a record at 12-6 as a starter. Most Orton fans will laugh in triumph over the one victory lead that Orton holds for the time being, but let's break this down logically and look at the details of those records.

Orton, in his two major seasons, 2005 and 2007, has lost only six games as a starter. But it's not as great as it sounds. Though Orton's 10-5 record in 2005 as a rookie is impressive, he was far from the reason for the Bears' victories. Orton finished with an overall rating of 59.7 in 2005, the second to worst in league history for a rookie with 10+ wins.

And his losses came against what are considered bottom-feeders in the NFL right now. He has losses to Washington, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Minnesota twice. Except for the 2005 Champion Steelers, the rest have all dropped off in the league, and only two of the five teams have made the playoffs in Orton's time, Pittsburgh and Washington. Cleveland barely made it this year, but have yet to be noted as a solid playoff contender.

Grossman, on the other hand, has lost only seven regular season games in his two major seasons, 2006 and 2007, while playing nearly double the games; and they have been to the absolute cream of the crop in the NFL.

He's lost to New England, Green Bay, Miami, San Diego, Dallas, Seattle, and the recent Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. The only lowlight on the list is the Dolphins, other than that, you're looking at the NFL's elite—the absolute best. Six of those seven teams went to the playoffs, one of them won the Super Bowl.

New England has been in the postseason both season that Grossman has started, as has San Diego, Dallas, and Seattle. Green Bay nearly went to the Super Bowl this year.

Grossman also holds a better overall rating in both his starting seasons, and has postseason experience that Orton does not. Grossman is also one of three QBs ever in the NFL to reach the Super Bowl in his first full season as a starter.

ON PAPER ADVANTAGE: GROSSMAN

On the field

Orton holds a clear advantage over Grossman in terms of height. Grossman's height has been skewed between 5'11" and 6'. Orton's nearly an entire head taller at 6'4". But in terms of the pocket, Orton doesn't have much more over Rex.

Grossman has been criticized for his "failure to take a snap" miscues that have been largely overrated. For example, in 2007, Grossman had only one botched snap, as opposed to Griese and Orton who combined for nine, Orton taking the cake with five in three games. Perhaps people should start looking more at center Olin Kreutz before they name the QB as the scapegoat.

Both lack great skills in the pocket. Grossman needs to work on stepping up into the pocket rather than running backwards, an area in which he displayed great improvement on when he returned from the bench for a three-game stint in which he put up better numbers than both Orton and Griese.

Orton isn't quickest either. He lacks the ability to scramble, though his height advantage makes it easier for him to make logical decisions under pressure because he can see more of the field. However, we haven't seen enough to say that he actually does that, as his INT-to-TD ratio is worse than Grossman's.

And although Grossman's play in the pocket was much improved, he can't ever make himself taller or have a better overall view of the field. Grossman's pocket presence is easily better than Orton's when the offensive line provides a solid pocket for him to throw in, but there's no substitute for height and better vision. Although I still tend to think that Grossman is the better pocket passer, Orton has the better tools.

POCKET PRESENCE ADVANTAGE: ORTON

Orton may have the height, but the stats and on-field performances don't lie—Grossman is easily the better passer. Grossman is somewhat of an anomaly at the QB position. His accuracy increases with the length of his pass. In passes of 30+ yards, Grossman is one of the best QBs in the league, pulling in a 142.6 rating. Orton, on the other hand, has a strong arm as well, but nowhere near the accuracy.

Orton's biggest problem is that he overshoots his receivers, or puts a bit too much zip on the ball in tight situations. He needs to learn when to rocket the ball into a receiver's arms and when to put touch on it. Both have a similar short game, Grossman having only a slightly better rating of passes inside 25 yards.

But Grossman's short game is on when it counts.

In the Super Bowl, he completed a clutch pass on the five-yard line to Muhammad to put the Bears ahead 14-6. In 2007, Grossman completed a beautiful pass to Berrian off the one-yard line against the Denver Broncos to tie the game and keep the Bears' season alive.

Both need to work on decision making. In Orton's 18 starts, he has thrown 16 INT, five coming in one game. Grossman has been just as INT-happy, but has made up for it in throwing 31 TDs in his 32 regular season starts. Both have a tendency to throw into coverage, though Orton's passes are many a time overthrown or are inaccurate, and therefore are out of a defender's reach.

Both have their problems and areas that need work, but based off the stats and what we've seen, Grossman is clearly the better passer.

PASSING STRENGTH AND ACCURACY ADVANTAGE: GROSSMAN

And last but not least, we'll touch on the "clutch" aspect of the game. When it comes down to it, who's hands do you want the ball in for that last minute drive to come from behind and win the game.

Most Chicagoans have delusionally labeled Orton as "more dependable"; a QB who won't turn the ball over and won't lose the game for you like Rex will. This has me confused.

Rex Grossman, in his career, has a 98.8 passer rating when the Bears are behind by 16 points or less and has brought his team back from the dead many times, be it a clutch TD to win or tie the game, or a beautiful pass to set up a Robbie Gould field goal in overtime.

Grossman's interceptions have been costly, indeed, but Grossman's ability for the big play and his on-paper ranking as a great QB when the Bears are down aren't arguable—they're fact.

Orton, on the other hand, has been labeled as a "hand the ball off QB", which is true. However, this doesn't mean Orton's "better" at managing a lead or putting the Bears in position to win. When the Bears are behind by 16 points or less, Orton has an ugly 57.0 QB rating. But that's not the worst part. Despite the label Bears fans have put on Orton of being a great QB to manage the lead, Orton only has a 22.0 passer rating (yes, that's 22) when the Bears are AHEAD BY 9-16 POINTS. Grossman's rating when the Bears are ahead is actually better, he rates at a 40.

So, where the delusion that Orton can manage a lead or not lose a game for you came from is beyond me.

But you need to ask yourself, when the game's on the line, and you need a big play to get you into field-goal range or to possibly score a TD, do you want the ball in the hands of a QB who has one of the league's most accurate arms, or the QB who can maybe get you to mid-field on a couple of run plays and the short passes that he hopefully won't overthrow.

THE CLUTCH FACTOR ADVANTAGE: GROSSMAN

While this is only a preliminary analysis, I brought this up because the reality behind most people's logic to start Kyle Orton, is simply the fact that he's not Rex Grossman. They don't look at the stats, or the logic. As long as his jersey doesn't read "GROSSMAN", they're fine with it.

Most of them forget that this was the same Kyle Orton they booed off the field in Week 15 of 2005, in favor of Rex Grossman who came in and demolished the Falcons and gave us the lead.

I'm eager for a good competition, but right now, despite the logic of some sports analysts and bandwagon fans who want Rex Grossman gone simply because he's Rex Grossman, and cheer for Kyle Orton simply because he's NOT Rex Grossman, I have to put my money on the guy who's shown he can do a better job. That's Rex Grossman.

Rex Grossman will be the starting QB for the 2008 Chicago Bears.

Rex Grossman Backed by Chicago Bears Fans for Once

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:02:30 -0400

When Rex Grossman sets foot on the turf in the new Lucas Oil Stadium opening night to take on the Colts as the starting QB for the Chicago Bears, and believe me, he WILL be the starter, he will have something in his back pocket that perhaps he never expected to have again. Support from the fans back home.

Here's what Larry Mayer, writer for ChicagoBears.com had to report on a few recent polls taken by the website of the Monsters Of The Midway:

"According to recent poll results on ChicagoBears.com, Bears fans think that quarterback Rex Grossman and rookie running back Matt Forte will start the season opener, Grossman will lead NFC North quarterbacks in touchdown passes in 2008 and Chris Williams will have the best NFL career among the Bears’ top three draft picks.

Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:

When asked to select the quarterback/running back tandem they expect to start the season opener in Indianapolis, 39.5 percent of the 23,126 respondents voted for Grossman/Forte, 34.6 percent chose Grossman/Cedric Benson, 17.7 percent picked Kyle Orton/Forte and 8.1 percent tabbed Orton/Benson.

In a poll that asked which NFC North quarterback would throw the most TD passes this season, 44.2 percent of the 27,359 voters selected Grossman, 21.0 percent chose the Lions’ Jon Kitna, 18.4 percent picked Orton, 10.5 percent tabbed the Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and 5.9 percent chose the Vikings’ Tarvaris Jackson."

Has Chicago finally awakened from their ignorant delirium that switching the QB out every time a bump in the road comes along is one day going to just hand us a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady?

Has Brett Favre's support of Grossman when he speaks to the media and tells them, "Hey, it took me five years to develop into the QB I needed to be..." finally hit home in Chicagoans' heads?

It seems to be that way.

Grossman's victories in the polls came at astounding numbers. Not only did he take the top spot for the starting QB in the RB/QB poll, but he took the number two spot as well. Fans think it's a solid bet that Grossman will start this season with either Forte or Benson in the backfield.

And it seems the fans feel that he's going to keep that starting spot. They voted him as the NFC North QB most likely to throw the most TDs this season.

These polls may seem small and meager to some, but to Grossman, that's nearly 20,000 fans that think he's the guy. This could be a major confidence booster for the QB who's had more than his fair share of criticism in Chicago.

And the worst part of it is that when you break it down, Grossman's far from the scapegoat Chicago has made him out to be.

He came back from two consecutive season ending injuries and improved his team, taking one of the worst offenses in the league (under Kyle Orton in 2005) and making it one of the best in 2006, en route to a Super Bowl berth. He is far from the draft bust everyone seems to think he is.

It's become a sad and pathetic fad to hate Grossman in Chicago. I've noticed that most of the "haters" have relatively little knowledge of Grossman and seem to be on the bandwagon for the heck of it.

So just to help Chicago fans to brush up on the QB situation as it stands coming from 2007:

•The notion that Grossman can't take a snap now looks to be more on the shoulders of center Olin Kreutz. Grossman had only one fumbled snap in 2007, while QBs Brian Griese had four and Kyle Orton had five in only three games. Haters need to get a new slogan besides, "He can't even take a snap right."

•Fans criticize Grossman for his turnovers, though Tom Brady had more fumbles over the past three seasons than he did.

Brett Favre, who will undoubtedly be a hall of famer, holds the all-time INT record. Kyle Orton holds the team-high INT record for current QBs on the roster with six in one game, which came when he played the Panthers in 2005.

Chicago needs to wake up and smell the roses. Grossman isn't the only QB in the world to turn the ball over.

•And we had zero, zip, zilch, and nada for an offensive line in 2006 and 2007. Jones helped the cause in '06 by adding a better than average running game, but Benson killed any respect teams had for Chicago's run game in '07 when he dropped to the bottom of the league in yards per carry.

Grossman's line was horrid, finishing second worst to only the Detroit Lions, giving up a sack every 10-15 pass attempts. Perhaps the new, younger, and stronger line can give Grossman enough time to be an effective passer.

Now's the time, Rex! From what it seems, Chicago believes in you. So does the team, and so do I.

And I guarantee you, if Rex Grossman gets the receiving corps and the offensive line he deserves, he will be a Pro Bowl QB in no time.

NFL Draft: Bears Finally Give Rex Grossman Some Upgrades

Jimmy Mac — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:16:22 -0400

September 23rd, 2007 - Solider Field, Chicago...

Lovie Smith lowered his head and clutched his clipboard tight, waiting for the seconds to tick down in the fourth quarter as the Cowboys rolled over the Bears, knocking them down to 1-2 for the season.

He saw Romo rip his defense apart, passing for 329 yards and two TDs. He watched in horror as Marion Barber and Julius Jones added another 130-plus yards on the ground.

He watched as Grossman was sacked three times, throwing three INTs. He cringed as Benson only rushed for 46 yards total on 16 carries, fumbling and averaging only 2.8 yards per carry.

He closed his eyes and tried to figure out how his team, who only months earlier came so close to being eternally glorified as Super Bowl champions had now been reduced to a nothing in the league and the NFC North.

A horrible sight to see when Lovie closes his eyes...but when he opened them, he saw something even worse.

He watched a defense that had given up over 400 yards of total offense to the Cowboys walk back into the locker room without so much as a mental scratch from an angered fanbase.

He watched a running back who had managed to consistently do nothing since he took over the starting job for the Bears, follow closely behind and also enter the locker room without a mental beating from the crowd. He watched Bernard Berrian, who had three big drops on the night, including two for sure TD passes, along with Mushin Muhammad, who had a drop as well on a key third down that a rookie could have caught with his eyes closed, follow in the same fashion.

And then he saw Rex.

Rex with his head held high walk into the locker room with fans in his face, booing him, screaming obscenities at him, and hurling vulgar insults. Rex, who had done everything he could to compensate for a joke of a receiving corps and a running back who had become so comfortable with his situation that he gained 23 pounds in the offseason and lost most of his speed due to a bad workout routine.

Rex, who, time after time, fell victim to an aging offensive line that had given up a franchise record 10 sacks in the first three games. Rex, who had fallen victim to a fanbase that was too ignorant to understand that a QB, even the greatest QBs are nothing without a good surrounding environment.

He saw a blind fan base point the finger at the person who was probably the least of the problems at the time and at that moment. Lovie promised himself that he would do everything he could to make sure he would never see that sight again.

...fast forward, seven months later - April 26th, 2008, the NFL Draft.

Roger Goodell approached the microphone with a 4 x 6 card with the 14th overall selection in the draft. It didn't read a QB like some ill-knowledged fans vowed it would. It didn't read a running back, at least not at that point. It read a name that Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton would smile at when voiced aloud:

"Chris Williams, Offensive Left Tackle..."

Ah... music to my ears.

Don't complain those of you who still for some reason think that adding another QB will somehow make the team better. It doesn't matter without an offensive line. It's like buying a carriage before the horse.

This move will help in reestablishing an aged offensive line by placing Williams at the left tackle and moving John Tait back to the right side where he can be more effective.

And the addition of running back Matt Forte, whom the Bears selected later on, will help to perhaps motivate Benson to up his performance a little more, and provide a formidable two-back system which was key in the Bears run to the Super Bowl in 2006.

But more importantly, in a key year for Rex Grossman, it will finally give him a fighting chance to show what he can do with at least decent protection, which Grossman has never really had here. Even in 2006, when he posted some of his best performances, the offensive line still ranked toward the bottom of the league in terms of sacks allowed and per attempts.

The new running back in town will also help take some pressure off Grossman, who literally had nothing in terms of a running game to work with in 2007, particularly before his benching when Benson was the bottom ranked RB in the league.

Here's hoping Rex...here's hoping that the new line will give you time to deliver the ball, that your new receivers don't once again lead the league in drops, that your running game doesn't once again fall to the bottom of the NFC, and that the fans give you longer than one pass attempt to show them what you can do.

Here's hoping.

Brett Favre Replaces Rex Grossman As Bears QB

Jimmy Mac — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:30:03 -0400

Brett Favre hasn't signed his retirement papers with NFL management yet... it could happen, right? Brett Favre as the Chicago Bears QB? Wouldn't that be a dream come true? Certain rumors circulating about Favre's re-emergence as a QB for another team—possibly the Bears—tend to point in that direction.

You would think so...

But here's the first article you would read after Favre's first start as the Bears starting QB in week one of the 2008 season:

Brett Favre walked off the field tonight knowing he'd done something he's only done a few rare times in his career—lose at Solider Field. Only this time he did it donning a Chicago Bears uniform.

Favre's efforts were true, but he threw up three INT's and only one TD, getting sacked five times as his line collapsed and Benson proved to be the inefficient pass blocker we all knew he was two years ago.

Brandon Lloyd dropped two for sure TD passes and Marty Booker showed his age, catching only three passes for 27 yards.

Favre's legacy seems to have taken a turn for the worst as he felt the sting of a team who has a reputation for turning on its QB at a moment's notice.

One man, who I'm sure enjoyed watching tonight's game, sat on the opposite end of the spectrum. Earlier today, in an afternoon game featuring the Packers and Lions, Grossman, whom Chicago traded to Green Bay for Favre, threw for two TD's and over 300 yards.

Grossman's missing link all along in Chicago had been an offensive line and running game, which Green Bay's huge linemen and star running back Ryan Grant seemed to make up in a hurry.

It seems that Chicago is at it again, basing the hopes of a team on the shoulders of a QB when in reality, it was the entire offense that needed a revamp. Anyone could have seen this coming with the Bears' lack of activity in the offseason in which they let solid running backs like Michael Turner and star wide receivers like Dante Stalworth slip through their fingers. This is especially disappointing when you figure they were one of the 13 teams that sat $30 million under the cap.

Welcome to Chicago, Brett Favre, it will be the worst mistake of your life.

This article is to hopefully open the eyes of Bear fans who seem to think they can pinpoint all our mistakes to the play of the QB. Look back at Tom Brady in the past year's Superbowl XLII—he posted worse stats than Rex Grossman did against the same Giant's defense weeks earlier. Take his line away—and he becomes surprisingly human.

I wrote this article because the Bears are getting a lot of mouth for their inactive offseason behavior—as they should. But come game time, if the scene hasn't changed much, and the Bears become "who we thought they were" again, we all know who will get booed off the field... not Jerry Angelo, not Lovie Smith—Rex Grossman will, and it's ridiculous.

Rex: I really hope your "new-found" line, P.O.S running back and "upgraded" receiving corps can jump into high gear and actually give you a decent offense to run.

If not, we both know that Chicago will point the finger at you and only you even when it's apparent that it's not your fault.

Listen Up Bears: Give Rex Grossman Another Shot

Jimmy Mac — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:13:51 -0500

Rex Grossman deserves another shot with the Chicago Bears. Let me tell you why.

Look at the following statistics. These are a certain quarterback's stats against the now-Super Bowl Champion New York Giants:

29 of 48 for 266 yards, one TD, and five sacks with an 82 passer rating

No, it's not Rex Grossman. The previous stats are those of the indestructible Tom Brady.

So what's my point? Here, take a look at Rex Grossman's stats against the same New York Giants back in week 13 of the 2007 regular season, and tell me if you see any similarities:

25 of 46 for 296 yards, one TD and six sacks with an 81 passer rating.

Look at all familiar?

The only differences between the much maligned Bears QB and the invincible, pretty boy are Rex throwing for 30 more yards, completing four less passes with two less attempts, and being sacked only once more than Brady.

Now hold the phone, for a minute. How does Tom Brady suddenly turn into Rex Grossman in the blink of an eye?

I will tell you. It's what any football fan that has the magic of sight could've told you from week one where Grossman was planted on his first drop back of the season against the Chargers. Three words:

The offensive line.

Brady suddenly lost his pocket of protection and looked less than human. His accuracy was off, his throws were rushed, and at least two passes should have been picked off by the Giant's secondary. The QB, who was laughed at Plaxico Burress' comment about the highest scoring offense in the history of the league not scoring more than 17 points in a predicted loss, only managed to throw one TD in quite possibly one of the most important games in his life.

A game that gave him the chance to be the only undefeated QB in the history of the league since the 16 game regular season came into play.

So what does this mean? It's quite simple: Any quarterback, no matter how great or how perfect they may seem, can't do their job, and do it well, without an offensive line.

Rex Grossman would tell you this after he crawled away from his first rib-cracking sack of the season against the Chargers. Grossman would play six more games behind a line that would eventually end the season giving up a sack every 10-15 attempts. Which gave their quarterback's (all three of them) an average of less than two seconds to get rid of the ball.

As opposed to top-of-the-line o-lines like the Colts and Patriots who give their quarterback's nearly 4 to 5 seconds to deliver a pass.

Not to mention also the fact that Grossman played with "Benson the bust" who on top of not being able to pass block, finished as one of the worst rushers in the league, and a wide receiving corps, that lead the league in dropped passes with 27 this season.

Do you really expect ANY Quarterback to flourish in an offense with all those struggles? In the midst of the mediocre commentary of Superbowl XLII, Brady was quoted as, "showing us how he would look if he were playing behind Chicago's offensive line." Brady gave up more sacks in that game than he'd given up in any game all season long.

My point: Rex Grossman cannot be blamed for the Chicago Bears' offensive struggles this season, period. Let's look at this logically, on top of the offense that struggled as a whole, we tried another QB in Brian Griese. He fared no better, and ended up leading the team in INT's.

Griese had more snap fumbles than Rex and Kyle Orton, and didn't help us improve the statistic that counts the most: the win/loss stat. Grossman played in less than half the games this season, and the Bears still ended with a losing record.

So it's obviously more than Rex.

And not that it helps heal the wounds of a lost season any quicker, but Rex played significantly better after coming off the bench, throwing 3 TD's to INT in a span of three games and posting an 82 rating average in those 3.5 games.

Those hoping for a free agent to come in and light it up, please, tell me who?

Donovan McNabb is staying in Philadelphia, Chicago can't afford to lose a first and third round pick, and the money it would cost to sign Derek Anderson, who by the way posted a 52 rating in his last five games, throwing 5 INT's and looking... not so hot.

Who else? Daunte Culpepper? Cleo Lemon? Josh McCown? Please, even those who hate Rex to the very depths of their football souls know that he has shown more promise than the previously mentioned.

Rex could be signed at a cheap deal, leaving us money and draft picks to upgrade a badly degraded offensive line and perhaps take another running back to compete with Benson. Also give them another deep widereciever to replace Bernard Berrian, who may leave, and help complement our passing attack which should feature the ever-explosive Devin Hester next season.

With that kind of weapon on offense, the Bears absolutely need Grossman and his powerful, accurate arm next season. Nine of Griese's 12 INT's came on passes over 15 yards, so he obviously struggles with the deep pass. Orton has the arm, just not the accuracy to make the throws Rex can make. All in all, Grossman seems like the smartest choice for 2008.

And with the constant sightings of Grossman working out at Hallas Hall, Sexy Rexy could very well be back in the mix for 2008.

Hopefully Chicago will re-sign him, and do him a favor: Get him an offensive line.