NEWS: Grossman Gets Second Chance in Chicago

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NFC North: Grossman gets second chance in Chicago

By Michael Rushton, Sports Network
The Sports Network


In two seasons, Rex Grossman went from being the quarterback who led the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl to the man holding the clip board on Sundays. However, the 2003 first-round pick is about to get a second chance in the Windy City.

Grossman led the Bears to a 13-3 regular-season record in 2006, as well as playoff wins over Seattle and New Orleans before a Super Bowl loss to Indianapolis. The Bears were on a roller-coaster ride that year with Grossman, who was coming off two injury-shortened seasons before playing in all 16 games that year.

Sure, there were the multi-touchdown games, including a four-score performance in Week 2 in 2006. There was the 3,193 passing yards and 23 total TD passes he compiled that year as well.

There was also the turnovers. Grossman was picked off 20 times in 2006 and was intercepted three or more times in a single game six times that year. He needed to play just well enough in the Super Bowl for the Bears not to lose. He didn't, getting intercepted twice while throwing for just 165 yards.

After tossing six interceptions through the first three games of the 2007 season, Grossman was on the bench. Still, he took a chance and re-signed with the Bears for one season this past summer. He then lost a training camp battle with Kyle Orton, but is likely to get another chance to shine with Orton suffering a right ankle injury in this past Sunday's win over Detroit.

Though head coach Lovie Smith did not say on Monday how long Orton would be out, the Chicago Tribune reported that he could miss up to a month of action due to a high ankle sprain.

In steps Grossman, who accounted for two touchdowns in the second half of Sunday's game, including the deciding one-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter of the 27-23 victory. The 28-year-old finished the game 9-for-19 with 58 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

"You always want to play, but never under those circumstances," said Grossman. "I had the whole halftime to kind of think to myself about my game plan, how I'm going to go out there and get ready, so that was nice."

Grossman said he felt great "probably 70 percent" of the time on Sunday, though he added his timing was off. He said that should work itself out with a week of practice.

Chicago, which is fourth in the league in points scored this year, can't afford for Grossman to take too long to get into rhythm. The club is 5-3 and leads the NFC North by a game over Green Bay and Minnesota, but also draws 8-0 Tennessee this weekend.

"It's pretty difficult (to get rhythm going after the quarterback change), said wide receiver Rashied Davis, who caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Grossman in the third quarter. "We started out on fire, then we got off kilter a little bit. We were out of sync a little bit, but we were able to turn it around at the end of the game."

The x-factor for Grossman this year could be the play of running back Matt Forte. In 2007, the Bears suffered due to the lack of a ground game, as the now-departed Cedric Benson failed to get things going out of the backfield.

Forte, though, has thrived in Chicago after getting selected in the second round of the 2008 draft. He ran for 126 yards versus the Lions and has totaled 641 yards and four touchdowns on the ground this year, to go along with 30 catches for another 228 yards and two TD grabs.

UP NEXT: The Bears host the undefeated Titans, a club they have beaten in each of the last three meetings. The clubs haven't met since the 2004 season, a 19-17 overtime win for Chicago. The Bears lead the all-time series, 5-4.

The rest of the teams:


http://www.kansascity.com/491/story/874815.html

[DaDitka]

Grossman was picked off 20 times in 2006 and was intercepted three or more times in a single game six times that year. He needed to play just well enough in the Super Bowl for the Bears not to lose. He didn't, getting intercepted twice while throwing for just 165 yards.

After tossing six interceptions through the first three games of the 2007 season, Grossman was on the bench. Still, he took a chance and re-signed with the Bears for one season this past summer.

Do we really have to open those wounds?

That was starter Rex, this is Back-up Rex, it's different.