Grossman VS Griese

soxnole - I think this is a good question.

Here is my two cents....

I think you have to show patience with young players sometimes. A similar situation in the early 70's comes to mind. Terry Bradshaw struggled mightily for the first couple of years in Pittsburgh and they toyed with Terry Hanratty and Jefferson Street Joe Gilliam. In the end it was Bradshaw who prevailed and ultimately wound up in the HOF. Knoll basically groomed/developed Bradshaw for the position and yes showed patience under criticism. Remember they used to joke about him not having a high enough IQ for the position?

Rex Grossman has not played that many NFL games. This is Brian Griese's fourth team so what does that tell you? IMHO Lovey Smith is doing the right thing.

Yeah, Rex is nervous in the pocket...what pocket? I don't think the offensive line this year has provided him with much of a consistent pocket. I think the offensive line has gotten a little better in the last few games..it seems to be showing up in the running game..that and the backs are starting to hit the holes hard, not stutter stepping into them like mice, which was the case at the beginning of the season....That said, I'd like to see Griese play at some point..he, for sure, needs some quality minutes so he can be ready if Rex goes down or they decide to make a change. I don't think they are gonna make that change unless Rex goes down or they are in a playoff game, losing in the fourth, and desperate. We need to run up some big numbers and get him in.

What's the name of the Southside football team in this town? Dang!

CD:

I'll accept what you say about Bradshaw...you know more about that situation than I do. There is no question that Bradshaw was a great quarterback who led a great team...and if that is a result of the Steelers being patient with him, then my hat is off to them.

In regards to Lovie and Rex I have to disagree with you. Except for the performance of the Bears quarterback they have a reasonably strong and successfully performing squad...some parts are stronger than others, but none of the parts are as weak, and consistently as weak, and apparently getting even more weak, than Rex.

I respect the organization for standing by and supporting Rex, that's admirable, but the overwhelming consensus among the fans and pundits that I've heard is they have little or no confidence in Rex's abilities to carry this team very far into the playoffs. That's not good.

If Griese plays and he is successful then at least for this year and the playoff run the Bears would know what to do...remember...the fans know that the Bears are substantially good and that they are poised to do well in the playoffs...except the big, looming question mark at quarterback. If Greise isn't up to the task then Lovie and his staff will at least know more convincingly what they have and what they must do to be as successful as possible this year.

If the Bears should crash and burn with Rex at the helm, without having tested Griese, then the Bears will have a very, very unhappy bunch of fans on their hands. In this case I think it truly is a situation where the fans know best...it's real obvious that the Bears are facing a real major problem with Rex not progressing as the season goes on.

It's about this year and trying to win it all...why fool around trying to tweak and stroke Rex...he hasn't shown that he can get the job done...he's actually going backwards.

In defense of Lovie and his staff, I will acknowledge that there may be a problem with Griese's abilities that they are not divulging to the rest of us...that is not a certainty, but may be a probability.

There is no guarantee that if the Bears blow this year's chance at a Super Bowl by protecting Rex that they can be in a position, like they are now, to march into the playoffs next year. Again, it's about this year.

I think it is wise to point out that Griese has been "born again" if you will, after he finally dealt with a career long drinking problem.

Keep in mind that if Grossman go's down the Bears will be sorry they have kept Griese on the shelf.

I understand with being patient with young players and im all for it but this is not the year to be patient with a quaterback. The bears have the team to win right now, not in a couple of years. I garauntee the bears will not win a playoff game with rex as our quaterback.

If the Sox had benched their pitchers at the end of 05 (they were stinking up the place) they would have never won the WS.

Rex may well find the form that he showed earlier in the year.....it can come back just as fast as it left.

quote:

...it can come back just as fast as it left.

That may be true, but you must admit that there is no evidence at all to suggest that Rex is going in the right direction.

Rex has not been going in the right direction to be sure. But neither were the Sox of 05 and then they turned around and had one of the best post-season runs ever, even if the competition wasn't that great...just like The NFL this year. Lovie seems to be seeing enough (maybe at practice) to hitch his wagon to Rex. If he is willing to do so (and he has a lot more at stake than I do) so am I.

To compare Grossman to the 05 Sox staff is like comparing Brian Anderson to Babe Ruth!

Rex and Brian can still succeed.

The Babe and the 05 WS Sox staff will live forever in the Hall of Fame.

It's Griese or say "sayonora" to the playoff's EARLY!

I agree with you, Sox.

The Bears defense and the kick returner are what got them to 10 wins and respectability.

The offense stinks...Wait a minute...Wasn't Ron Turner the coach of the Illini when they absolutely s____ed?

I'm also ready to have #32 play a full game. Jones can't turn a corner if his life depended on it!

STOP THE PRESSES! Beenthere says something I can agree with!

I agree, #32 has to play a whole game.

ClevelandDad,

I'm hearing great things about your son.

I look forward to following him this season.


I must also say that Grossman will NEVER be close to Bradshaw in arm strength, leadership and especially his unmatched ability to stand in the pocket and deliver the ball.

Rex is smarter (not by a lot) but loses EVERY other comparison to the GREAT TB!

quote:

Originally posted by soxnole:
OK...I warned you, Rex is a little too short, he's very nervous in the pocket and he is woefully inexperienced.

It's my opinion that Brian Griese must play half of each remaining game in order to find out which QB will be the playoff starter.

Um, Soxnole, don't look now, but Rexie's the NFC offensive player of the week...

Not sure which is the right guy. Either way its like putting a backup QB in a playoff atmosphere and the fact that its a problem most likley will be why they fall short.

I think the Bears staff have their eyes open in the teams workouts.. He is doing enough in practice to keep Lovie loving him... With that being said, I take the veteran for the Playoffs. If Rex takes care of the FB , leave it be, if he starts making rookie mistakes like he has showed he does, bye bye.

1. Give Griese some serious playing time the next two weeks, maybe half the game.

2. Put Rex on a short leash, yank him if he can't throw the ball.

3. You have who you have. Griese was deemed a QB not able to take a team to the promised land by a caoch who has won.

Prediction:

Bears and Rex go down in week 2 of the playoff's.

quote:

Originally posted by soxnole:
Prediction:

Bears and Rex go down in week 2 of the playoff's.

Is that including their first round bye or would that be the NFC Championship Game?

Sox,

Are you ever wrong about anything.

FBD,

Are you ever right about anything?

Get off your soap boxes guys, just one time.

I was right about what I said about you BobbyD.
SourBobbyD.

Do you ever say anything postive about anything?

Funny thing about my last comment....didn't really make much of a statement.

it could be worse we could have wienke vs. brad johnson

quote:

Originally posted by soxnole:
Prediction:

Bears and Rex go down in week 2 of the playoff's.

After today's game I grudgingly have to agree with you. Very poor pass protection, very poor pass rush against a real makeshift O line. Finally, teams seem to have figured out how to contain Hester, but that shouldn't mean that he gets to play as a nickle back. He's way too inexperienced to be playing on defense at this stage of the season. JMO

Griese should start based on the few minutes he played today. They should now start Benson, too.

Hester back to the bench and on returns ONLY. He was horrible on defense. Even the last play...but for Williams (How can a guy who is that big and is drafted so high, not catch a pass?)screwing up again, Hester is the goat.

Bears can lose to a lot of teams; or, they can beat a lot of teams. No consistency from anyone.

A year or two away.

With Griese the bears go to the SB.

With Gatorboy "Rextacy" (nickname in hogtown) they get beat first time out...maybe 2nd.

BobbyD,

I am not perfect and I suspect FastballDad is similar in that respect.

In any case you are 1 ornery dude around here.

Lay it on the line, be specific, whats eating you?

The Bears go nowhere unless the defense gets "healthy"

With all these predictions about the Bears being one or two and done, has anyone thought about who they have to play to beat them? I'm not saying they can't be beat, but really, who in the NFC should worry the Bears right now. I don't see the Bears being a juggernaut, but neither do I predict they get beat at least until there's an AFC matchup.

My predcition, Bears superbowl bound, not on the greatness of their team, but the mediocrity in the rest of the weak NFC.

Excellent point CPLZ.

However I like Brees to slice and dice the weakened bears defense.

The SB, in any case could be ugly.

Soxnole,

"slice and dice", good analogy. Reminds me of Popiels "Vegematic", or was it by Ronco?

Rosy...

I believe that Ronco and Popiel are one and the same!

Either way it is a crapshoot in the NFC, unless the Bears are holding something back. If Ratay and Kitna can shred the Bear defense then Brees will puree it. Doesn't look real good for the home team.

FBD,
I don't think the Bears are holding back as much as they are throwing stuff in the mix.

Take the Lions game. I saw more CB blitzes in that one game than I have all year combined. I think the Bears are throwing defensive schemes out there that have to be scouted so that they can disguise what the base defense is come playoffs.

For example, those CB blitzes create shallow quick slant routes for the recievers. The problem with quick slants, is that if the safety or linebacker jumps the route, it's an easy 6 points. Therefore, if in the playoffs, the QB reads red and checks to the quick slant when the CB blitz isn't on...

Just a theory