Griese 'respects' new opportunity

As Brian Griese can attest, there's nothing like two years of inactivity to make a quarterback appreciate being back on the field.

Griese became a starter in just his second season in the NFL and remained in that role for most of the next six years until a knee injury ended his 2006 season after six games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He didn't even play enough to letter last season, his first with the Bears, but he has played some of the best football of his career in the past three games. Wednesday he was named the NFC's offensive player of the week for his 322-yard passing effort in the 19-16 victory at Philadelphia.

He orchestrated a 97-yard drive to win it after taking possession with less than two minutes remaining and completed 65.9 percent of his passes (27 of 41) with 1 TD and no interceptions, but he downplayed the award.

"Honestly, my initial reaction was it must not have been a good week for the rest of the NFC," Griese said. "More than anything, it represents as a team what we were able to do, specifically offensively. So I take it on behalf of our offense."

After his lengthy hiatus, Griese's glad to take it any way he can get it.

"I'm happy to be contributing to the team more than anything," the 10-year veteran said. "As a competitor, as a guy who's played football his whole life, I just feel happy to be out there again.

"When you're not out there for a couple of years, you realize you can't take it for granted. Every time you have an opportunity to go out there and compete and work with these guys that I play with, it's really a treat."

The Bears' offense has enjoyed a resurgence with Griese under center, scoring an average of 26 points in his four starts after scoring a total of 33 in the first three games.

Griese has 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the last three games while throwing for 917 yards, second in the NFL to the New England Patriots' Tom Brady, and completing 68 of 111 passes (61.3 percent). Over the last three games, Griese's passer rating of 94.3 is No. 6 in the NFL.

He has been sacked just four times in the past three games after getting dropped six times in his first start.

The previous two years weren't as fulfilling for Griese as the past four games have been, but he said he never lost his joy for the game.

"I longed for it," he said. "I longed for the competition, I longed for being out there, getting hit, throwing the ball, working with the offensive linemen and having fun and rejoicing when you win. That's what you miss."

Indications are that he hasn't lost his ability to play the game, either. Griese made the Pro Bowl after the 2000 season and had a 97.5 passer rating in 11 starts with the Bucs in 2004 after taking over for the injured Chris Simms.

In 2005, he helped the Bucs to a 5-1 start before a season-ending knee injury.

"You don't realize how good you have it," Griese said. "You don't realize that you're one injury away from not being out there. I went through a tough time being on injured reserve with the knee injury and then coming here and not being on the field.

"I just have a different respect for the opportunity that I have now."

Griese's teammates and coaches have developed a respect for his game.

"He's always been a poised quarterback," wide receiver Rashied Davis said. "I remember watching him when I was a little bit younger -- sorry about that, 'Grease' -- but he's always been a pretty poised guy. He's focused and he executes."

That was never more apparent than during Sunday's game-winning drive.

"He has a tremendous amount of confidence, and I think that was evident in the fourth quarter of that game," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "We're in a close game, and he got in the huddle and showed tremendous poise and confidence. I think that brought confidence to everyone else."

Griese, who led Michigan to an NCAA championship and whose father, Bob, is a Hall of Fame quarterback, exudes as much confidence as anyone at a position that almost requires a touch of arrogance. But he also has learned some humility along the way.

"I think (from) my mother," he said, smiling. "Now my dad's going to be mad at me. I've been through a lot in my career, and it hasn't all been positive. I think when you're knocked down a couple times and you figure out, 'I've got to get up, I've got to keep going, I've got to keep pushing,' that adds a little humility to you right there.

"I just want to come out and work hard and play. I really don't care about the numbers and all those other things. I just want to have an opportunity to contribute and have the great feeling of winning like we did in Philly and be happy and enjoy the time because we can't play forever."