by Rickhouse on August 22 at 1:44PM
Remember those stats I projected for Grossman at the end of the quarterbacks preview? Well that projected excellence was based on one thing: I think the Bears are going to be real good this year, and if they are, Grossman is going to have a lot to do with it. But after watching Monday night's debacle against the Colts, you have to wonder about Rex.I mean, holding on to the snap? That's like the easiest thing in the world, yet Grossman fumbled three times versus the Colts on Monday night. Rex has always had a problem with this, and you have to wonder, if he hasn't fixed it already, will he ever? Olin Kruetz is generally regarded as the best center in the NFL, so he can't be the problem. It's just something Grossman is going to have to work out himself, and if he can't, the Bears might be in trouble. I defended Grossman throughout last season, and expect big things from him this year, but he has to cut down on the turnovers. It could be the only thing holding the Bears back from glory. On Monday night's broadcast, Tony Kornheiser said something along of the lines of "the only thing that matters for this team is Grossman. Yeah they have a great defense, and Benson could be good, but there only going to go as far as Grossman allows them." As much as I hate to admit it, that's sort of true. Rex can't play this year the way he did against New England and Arizona last year. This team is too good to put up with that crap.
The unfortunate thing about the fumbles is that it masked Grossman second consecutive preseason game of throwing the ball great. He was 8-for-10 against Houston, and finished Monday night 17 of 21. Even in the Super Bowl, for which the blame was unfairly placed on Rex's shoulders, he finished 21-28. Not a bad day at the ole' football field for most QB's. Grossman is a great passer, as Urlacher said in a sideline interview during the game, when he's on, he's one of the best in the league. But these turnovers could negate all of that for Rex, and possibly leave him without a job at the end of the year.
Honestly, though, I'm not that worried. I definitely don't think it's time to bench him as everyone's favorite local columnist suggested today. It's still the preseason, and all of that good stuff, and Grossman has done enough for the Bears to support him through one horrendous game that doesn't even count. But all I know is that Rex better start hanging on the ball, because the Bears season depends on it.
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Mariotti is a joke. Of course it would be him to say bench Grossman after a few fumbled snaps in PRESEASON. The NFL preseason should be cut down to two games. I'm sick of seeing big players go down with season-ending injuries, and I hate watching scrubs play in it like its the Superbowl.