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Rex Is Finally Put to Sleep

Chris Stout |Sep 26,2007

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Rex Is Finally Put to Sleep

Anyone who watched the post-game press conference after the Bears loss to the Dallas Cowboys knew that it was over. Rex Grossman was done for sure -- finished without a doubt.

Rex looked broken on the podium, a sorry, beatdown version of his former cocky self. Despite all the criticism he has endured during his brief rollercoaster career, Grossman always remained defiantly confident.

But the defiance was gone during his last post-game press conference as the starting QB for the Chicago Bears. Rex addressed the media in a defeated tone that was full of frustration and awkward pauses.

“You know, I have to -- to take care of the football,” Grossman lamented. “I have to start making plays. Uh…uh…do what I do best – you know…um…you know make plays down the field, but, uh, I have to... you know…don’t turn the ball over. And that, that’s the key. So, um, there’s a fine line there and I definitely need to start playing better.”

Watching that clip on Sunday, I knew Grossman was toast. Lovie Smith made one last attempt to save Grossman from accepting the full burden of the loss. But anyone watching knew that Grossman days were numbered.

Grossman threw three picks on Sunday. He couldn’t find the endzone, he completed less than 50 percent of his passes and was sacked three times.

Rex always had his highs and lows, but this season it’s official -- Rex simply can’t hang. In three games, he’s compiled a QB rating of 45.2. He’s tossed six interceptions and only one touchdown. Rex hasn’t cracked the 200 yard mark in any game, and he has completed only 52.8 percent of his passes.

It had to be done and Lovie Smith knows it. The press conference just confirmed the obvious -- Grossman is not working, in any capacity, as the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears. His self-worth is shattered. Teammates can’t stick up for the guy any longer. Lovie can’t shield him from blame any more. Rex’s days as a starting quarterback in the NFL are over.

Enter Brian Griese, the most popular QB in Chicago. Griese started his career with the Denver Broncos, and made brief stops with the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Bucs before signing with the Bears in 2006. The thing about Griese is that he doesn’t even have to be good. Taking over the starting gig in Chicago, Griese doesn’t even need to be average.

All he has to do is not suck on a world-historic level, and his starting job will be secure for the remainder of the season.

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