Player Spotlight: R. Grossman & B. Griese (1 Viewer)

2006 Player Spotlight Series

Over the course of the offseason, we will be evaluating a multitude of players at every fantasy position. One such way we go about that is through the Player Spotlight series. Think of the Spotlights as a permanent record on some of the more intriguing players for the upcoming season. Each Spotlight will be featured in an article on the main website.

Thread Topic: Rex Grossman & Brian Griese, QBs, Chicago Bears

Player Page Link: Rex Grossman Player Page

Player Page Link: Brian Griese Player Page

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Detailed viewpoint from a Footballguys staff member
Highlighted member commentary from the message board threads
FBG Projections
Consensus Member ProjectionsThe Rules

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Focus commentary on the player in question, and your expectations for said player
Back up your expectations in whatever manner you deem appropriate; avoid posts that simply say "I hate him" or "He's the best"
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For QBs: Passing Yards, Passing TDs, Ints, Rush Yards, Rush TDs
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For WRs & TEs: Receptions, Receiving Yards, Receiving TDsBest of Luck and ENJOY!

The Bears surprised everyone last year; but won IN SPITE of their QB play. In a controversial move, the Bears went with a recovered Rex Grossman late in the year despite his lack of practice time.

This year, determined to not make the same mistake, the Bears added Brian Griese as Grossman's "backup." But logically this has to be an open competition. Grossman hasn't done anything to deserve a stranglehold on the job, and Griese has shown glimpses of greatness such that it would be easy to see him outplaying him if it's an open camp.

Now, the Bears aren't going to throw the ball a ton...having ranked 31st, 30th and 31st in completions, attempts and yards respectively in 2005. BUT, they are no doubt planning on throwing more often.

Would you draft either of these guys? In 12-team leagues, does anyone view the Bears QB as a potential QB2?

I think it really depends who steps up as a receiver in Chicago besides Mush. Supposedly Desmond Clark has slimmed down and wants to get himself more involved in the passing game which he's been disappointing in so far in his career.. If Mark Bradley recovers from his knee injury and is able to be the #2 in chicago, that would be their best option.. Berrian would be solid out of the slot, not so much the #2 position..

The offensive line, running game and defense are all top notch.. For the chicago QB's to be servicable fantasy wise, someone besides Mush is going to have to step up this year to help out the QB or else its going to be a repeat of last year (slightly improved since both grossman and griese are better then ortan)

Grossman will be given every opportunity to fail. Griese will wind up having a good 10-12 games with maybe 2500 yards and 18 TDs. Poor Orton thought he landed on the right team as a rook and now.....

The coaches have faith in Grossman but is that faith warranted? That is the question this year will answer providing that he stays healthy.

Griese has had an interesting career that has followed a pattern. He will be traded to a team and beat out the incumbent but will later be replaced and eventually traded or released again. Wash and repeat.

Has Chicago every have a fantansy worthy QB at all? Neither will have any impact at all.

Bears' victory gives pause to QB situation

Chicago Tribune

By K.C. Johnson

August 18, 2006

I'm trying to do exactly what I'm supposed to do on each play and keep getting better. It seems like I have done that. We didn't put any points on the board, but we moved the ball.



Mist shrouded Soldier Field on Friday night, which seemed fitting for a Bears quarterback situation that no longer seems as clear as it once did.

For the second straight week, Rex Grossman delivered an underwhelming, if more accurate, performance. Meanwhile, backup Brian Griese looked like he was singing in the rain, acting as cool behind center as Gene Kelly in a dance routine.

The Bears' 24-3 victory seemed to take a back seat to a quarterback situation that might give management pause.

Then again, this move seemed intriguing: Following Griese's 9-yard touchdown pass to Justin Gage the Bears' third touchdown drive in Griese's four possessions in two exhibitions Kyle Orton trotted in.

Griese's short night featured him completing 2 of 4 passes for 16 yards. Playing without starting receiver Muhsin Muhammad or either of the Bears' top two tailbacks, Grossman finished 7 of 14 yards for 83 yards and an interception.

'That is not a conversation that I am really going to talk about because that has nothing to do with me,' Grossman told WBBM-AM when asked about a quarterback controversy. 'I'm trying to do exactly what I'm supposed to do on each play and keep getting better. It seems like I have done that. We didn't put any points on the board, but we moved the ball.'

Luckily for Grossman, the Bears took a 14-3 lead before he had taken the field for his second possession.

Linebacker Brian Urlacher disappointed any soggy, late-arriving tailgaters by stepping in front of a Philip Rivers pass intended for Antonio Gates and scampering 64 yards for a TD just 91 seconds after kickoff.

After an exchange of punts, San Diego mounted a drive thanks to some shoddy tackling by the Bears. The Chargers marched 55 yards in eight plays, settling for Nate Kaeding's 43-yard field goal.

Rashied Davis only needed 16 seconds to change the score. He returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards, badly juking Kaeding in the process.

The defense and special-teams scores couldn't mask Grossman's inability to get the Bears on the board for the second straight game. The Bears did collect seven first downs on Grossman's four possessions three by San Diego penalty.

'We need to be able to get more production from our offense,' coach Lovie Smith said. 'Rex has been hit quite a bit, but we need to do more.'

On the Bears' first possession, offensive coordinator Ron Turner called for more balance than he had in San Francisco last Friday. Grossman completed two passes for first downs, one to Rashied Davis for 7 yards and one to Bernard Berrian for 18. But the drive stalled after a second-down sack.

Grossman can thank Berrian that he didn't finish with two interceptions. On first down of the Bears' second possession, Berrian tipped an underthrown pass away from Drayton Florence. Grossman then threw incomplete to Davis on third down, forcing a punt after three plays.

Davis dropped a Grossman pass on the first play of their third possession. But a taunting penalty on Antonio Cromartie gave the Bears a first down anyway. Then, a no-gain rush by Adrian Peterson and back-to-back bad throws to Davis and Justin Gage forced another punt.

Grossman's final pass was his worst. After driving the Bears from their own 17 to the San Diego 24, Grossman threw into double coverage near the goal line, trying to find Gabe Reid. Instead, safety Marlon McCree stepped in front for the easy interception and touchback.

Grossman had completed a 24-yard pass to Davis to convert a third down, a 14-yard pass to Berrian and a 10-yard pass to fullback Jason McKie his fourth straight completion earlier on the drive.

'That interception is something I cannot do,' Grossman said.



Cheers greeted Griese when he entered just after the second-half kickoff. Griese just missed freeing Gage on an 80-yard touchdown on his first drive, which fizzled after three plays.

But Devin Hester's 42-yard punt return set Griese and the Bears up at San Diego's 38 on his second and final possession. P.J. Pope burst up the middle for 14 yards to convert on fourth-and-1. And Griese took advantage, firing a dart to Gage on a slant pattern for a 21-3 Bears lead.

'I can't say that I am [surprised],' Griese told WBBM-AM. 'I just try to go out and read the defense, make the right plays and the right reads and pull the trigger when it is called for.'

'[The second team] has made plays,' Grossman said. 'All I can say is [Griese] did a great job.'

How long before Griese is the starter?

Griese has a career QB rating in the mid-90's, which is better than any Bear QB in history. Grossman has only started seven regular season games. Under normal circumstances, he would be given time to mature as a QB and suffer through the normal growing pains. But, this is a team that was a couple of wins away from a superbowl championship. The front office and coaching staff know they have a window of opportunity and therefore I believe Grossman will have a short leash.

With that said, the Bears did nothing in the draft to address their weakness at WR and TE. RB and the offense line are still the strengths of the offense and I predict they will run the ball over 400 times this season. Expect marginal QB2 numbers even if Griese does manage to get the starting job with little upside. And that won't carry a team to a fantasy championship.

jerseys finest said:

I think it really depends who steps up as a receiver in Chicago besides Mush.

Click to expand...

This is a built-in excuse for Grossman - as the Bears have done NOTHING to fortify the receiving corps via free agency or the draft. They did move Arena Leaguer Rashied Davis from CB to WR though...Griese is the better QB. He can win with the talent the Bears have at WR/TE.

It's just a matter of time with:

> Grossman's inconsistent play

> Grossman's lack of durability

> Jerry Angelo's Ego crashing to the ground

....until Brian Griese is rightfully named the starter.

It doesn't really add anything to say that neither of these guys is worth drafting.

If we're going to have a discussion about Bears QBs, let's assume we're playing in a "start 2 QB" league or a large league where bottom-tier QBs have value.

I play in "start 2 QB" leagues and was very happy to get Griese with a late pick this week in a draft. The topic of this thread is interesting to me.