Is Devin Hester too much of a risk on Offense or is Rex Grossman?
Walking my wife to work this morning in Chicago I heard a discussion by a couple we walked past that included: “…I hope so. They just can’t put together anything on Offense.” I’m going to assume that they were talking about Rex Grossman.
The negativity towards Grossman in the Chicago TV Press has been brainwashing, and it seems that most of the locals have been caught up in the media attack. I’ve been one of the few (it seems) to support Grossman through everything, but even I have caught myself thinking that perhaps Griese would be the better option.
So let me state some facts:
Rex Grossman is entering his fifth season as a Chicago Bear.
In his first season as a full-time starting Quarterback (2006) he led the team to Super Bowl XLI.
The last time the Bears went to a Super Bowl before XLI was in 1985.
Has led the Bears for a 17-6 record.
Has the best regular season winning percentage of any Chicago Quarterback since 1961.
To answer the sentence of that discussion I heard this morning, I’ll point out that last season (that season when the Bears went to the Super Bowl - remember that?) the Chicago Bears were heavily reliant on Devin Hester. In the last game this season against Kansas the Bears won the game 20-10 and in my opinion it was pretty much the same thing we saw all last season; The Bears Defense were very good. Devin Hester provided both a kick return for a Touchdown and a kick return for good field position (that allowed Gould to get a 3-point Field Goal). I also noticed (and everyone else seems to have missed this) the Offense score a Touchdown and also the Offense drive for enough field position for Gould to get another 3 points. The offense did score points - if they didn’t we would have lost. To me, that seems very similar to last season - when we went to the Super Bowl.
We’re two games in people. It took 21 years for the Bears to return to the Super Bowl between 1985 and 2006 (when Grossman led them) and I don’t think that’s Rex Grossman’s fault - is it? Shouldn’t we be somewhat grateful that he was good enough to get them there last year - and probably is this year - too?
It’s tough - it really is - I wouldn’t be upset if this afternoon against the Cowboys Griese came out as starting Quarterback, but unlike most of Chicago I will support Rex Grossman if he does too. You’ve supported your Bears for the last 22 years haven’t you? Why not try supporting them while they have a QB who’s actually been to a Super Bowl with the team?
So what about Devin Hester? He’s a game-changer. I’ve already said what he did against Kansas in the last game and that seems pretty similar to how his season was last year. He was touted as an Offensive player in the 2007 preseason - but is that too much of a risk?
I know that if I am playing the Bears and see Hester as Wide Receiver, I’m going to hit him as hard as I can to try to take him out of the game (and out of the Special Teams). It’s an awful big risk to lose a kick returner like Hester when you have receiver’s like Olsen and Muhammad.
Is he really worth risking? No!
Before the season began I was excited about Hester actually getting the ball ahead of the opposition, giving him less players to run by, rather than returning as usual, starting behind the opposition and giving him them all to run by… Now, I just want to see him doing those amazing returns all season long, winning games all by himself if needed! Unless the Bears have a play they can run him in where he’s properly protected, they really need to be careful with Hester and Offense isn’t the right place for that.
Tags: Chicago Bears, Devin Hester, Football, NFL, Rex Grossman
September 25th, 2007 at 11:38 am
How do you feel about Grossman now that the Cowboys game is over ?
It’s important to note that Grossman didn’t “lead” us to a Super Bowl.
Brett Favre led his team to a Super Bowl.
Peyton Manning led his team to a Super Bowl.
Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman.. etc Those are leaders.
Please don’t confuse Grossman in with names like that.
Rex got a free ride to the Super Bowl. Kyle Orton made it to the Playoffs the previous year with less talent than Grossman. Put any other starting QB in the league on the Bears and we still go to the Super Bowl with last year’s team.
But… Put Grossman on the Colts, and they probably don’t make the playoffs.
Bears play hard nosed defense, ball control , field position, running game style football. The QB just has to not make mistakes and protect the ball.
Grossman imploded when the pressure was on to come back in the Cowboys game. What he did, is exactly what he always does. He broke down under pressure and threw 2 interceptions to seal our fate.
http://myadd.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/everyone-have-enough-rex-yet/
September 25th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Was Rex the only guy screwing up? ‘Cause I’m sure I saw him throw some passes right into people’s hands - and that’s what actually turned the game. I’m also pretty certain I saw the defense playing badly, too - of course it was largely (but not completely) Rex’s fault that they spent so much time on-field - was their bad defense Rex’s fault? Were the injuries? We lost four big names from the defensive line, remember?
Where was the pressure coming from, exactly?
I actually think he needs to be replaced now you’ll be pleased to hear - but not because he screwed up. I think once things happen like “fans” chanting another players name, something has to happen for the mental wellbeing of the OTHER players.
It’s real easy to understand why the Bears don’t want to make the change, and haven’t for the last season and this season… They’ve trained the guy for four years - he’s an investment and he can throw the ball. He probably isn’t mentally strong enough to play for a town like Chicago (who like I said in my original post - don’t treat their QB’s well), but they had to give him a good shot - and I think they’re probably done with that now.
So yeah, I’ve had enough of it, but I was pretty pissed at most of the team on Sunday, there were failures in every part of the team…
Special Team’s didn’t block well against the kicking team for Hester.
Hester did drop the ball - how many times? 4?
Grossman threw interceptions.
The defense forgot about covering/tackling Owens.
The defense got tired - and it showed.
Berrian dropped how many GOOD Grossman passes? 3?
Muhammad didn’t seem to want to work too hard to make sure he got the ball before the Cowboys players.
The whole team got to the Superbowl last year - just like you say. THE WHOLE TEAM royally f*cked up on Sunday.