Teammates again look to Grossman
The Bears' quest to rally around Rex Grossman continues today at Seattle's Qwest Field, where the task should be much tougher than a week earlier, when the benched and beleaguered backup revived his career and his team's playoff chances -- at least temporarily.
Seeing teammates rejoice with Grossman proves that camaraderie still exists among them after last year's Super Bowl run.
After his 59-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Berrian provided the winning points, Grossman pumped his fist and leaped into the arms of offensive tackle John Tait as defensive teammates celebrated on the sideline.
Benching aside, there's still a connection between Grossman and his teammates, forged not only through shared success but through the adversity the quarterback has experienced.
No one has remained more loyal to Grossman than the offensive linemen, even though they fully supported Brian Griese when he was elevated to No. 1.
"Like I've said a million times, we admire him in the first place as a quarterback," center Olin Kreutz said of Grossman. "Secondly, we admire the fact that he's taken a lot of criticism, a lot of (bull), and he hasn't cried or whined about it."
The hope is that the long-toss ability Grossman flashed against Oakland and throughout 2006 is the key that finally unlocks a running game that has been an embarrassment.
Defeating the Seattle Seahawks on the road (3:15 p.m., Channel 32, WBBM 780-AM) and making a playoff run will require more than the 78.8 rushing yards the Bears are averaging, the third-worst mark in the league.
No one would appreciate that or benefit more than Cedric Benson, who has struggled to find running room all season. His 3.0-yard average per carry is the second-lowest in the league among players with 50 attempts or more.
"Usually when you do get some big plays in the passing game, it does loosen up the defense," Benson said. "Maybe it backs off that eighth guy out of the box."
But that's not the only reason Benson enjoyed Grossman's success least week.
"You get in these battles, in these games with guys on a consistent basis, and you go an entire season and just naturally you develop a kind of loyalty to the other guy," Benson said. "It's a unit. You're all out there, you're all one. It takes all of you to get it done, to be successful."
Tight end Desmond Clark has had nearly equal success catching passes from Grossman and Griese. But Grossman's 23 TD passes last season were the seventh most in the NFL.
For an offense that has struggled most of the season and has yet to scored a first-quarter touchdown, the prospect of Grossman opening up the attack is attractive.
"Aw man, when he threw it to Bernard? That was flashbacks to early last year," Clark said. "Hopefully we can recapture some of that and get on a roll on offense, because Lord knows we need it."
Grossman had eight games last season with a passer rating better than 98.0, during which he had 19 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. But he also had five games with a passer rating worse than 37.0, when he had 1 TD pass and 16 interceptions.
His teammates seem to remember the good times more vividly.
"He's the guy we started the show with," Benson said, "and he does bring a different feel to the game. I'm not a critic or anything, but he is good at making the big plays downfield."
If Grossman can do that while avoiding the turnovers that got him benched eight weeks ago, the quest will go on.