Bears can only hope third time's the charm

Kyle Orton finished ahead of Rex Grossman in the competition to be the Bears' starting quarterback, but he may struggle to maintain his winning ways while playing behind a shaky offensive line and throwing to an ordinary group of receivers.

This will be Orton's third go-round as the starter.

He went 10-5 as a rookie on 2005, when he operated a scaled-down version of the offense after he was thrust into the lineup when Grossman suffered a fractured ankle in the preseason and Chad Hutchinson played himself out of the job.

Orton also was given the last three starts last season after Grossman suffered a sprained knee, and he went 2-1.

This time he gets the job on merit.

"He's got a lot better grasp of the offense being here another year," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "Physically, he's in really good shape, and he's playing the best football of his life."

Orton completed 12 of 19 passes in the first two preseason games for 99 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and a passer rating of 76.4 while guiding the offense to a pair of field goals.

Grossman has completed 13 of 23 passes for 118 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception and a passer rating of 66.9. The offense scored 7 points while he was under center.

But Grossman failed to get the Bears on the scoreboard Saturday night on five possessions, during which he constantly was pressured by a blitzing Seahawks defense that overran the Bears' patchwork offensive line.

Orton had just two possessions at Seattle, but he directed the Bears to a field goal to cap a two-minute drill at the end of the first half.

"I think I've just continued to get better in the preseason - in the games and in practice," Orton said after Monday's practice. "So this will be another step to take."

Orton found out early Monday morning before practice when he was called up to coach Lovie Smith's office.

Smith said the decision wasn't based solely on preseason performance, although Grossman clearly needed a better effort than he produced in Seattle to avoid losing the job he has held, when healthy, in each of the past four seasons. Smith said the evaluation was comprehensive.

"From completions to turnovers to just the feeling we have on who can manage the game the best for us, all of those things," the Bears coach said. "And the good thing about evaluating both Rex and Kyle is we've had a long time to do it. It's been quite a few years; we've had a chance to see both guys play."

Orton was told he won the job based on criteria that coaches specified when the competition began at the start of off-season workouts.

"Just consistent play and just doing the right things on offense," Orton said. "It's not that Rex didn't do that or anything. I think Rex has played well. But I just focus on myself and getting ready to play."

Even though Orton helped the Bears make the playoffs in 2005, he did it by managing games rather than winning them. Turner said Orton's a much different quarterback now.

"He's so far ahead of where he was then," Turner said. "His knowledge of the system, his physical condition, the way he is throwing the ball, everything."

Grossman, too, came to camp in better shape than ever, but he did not produce the results he hoped for. He did not talk to reporters after Monday's practice.

"No competitor will agree with a decision when it doesn't go their way," Smith said. "But Rex is a team player, he's been in this situation before, and he'll do whatever he needs to do to help our football team win."

Grossman was benched after playing poorly through three games last season but got the job back when his replacement, Brian Griese, suffered a shoulder injury after six starts. Grossman played better over the next four games before he was hurt, giving Orton the opportunity to show that he deserved an opportunity to compete for the job.

In those three games, his first game competition in nearly two years, Orton compiled a 73.9 passer rating, 7.5 points higher than Grossman's 2007 mark.

"Kyle is the same every day," said Rashied Davis, one of five wipeouts battling for playing time, none of whom appears to be a go-to guy.

"He plays hard, he does his job well, he knows where he's supposed to be, and he doesn't turn the ball over. I guess that's what they want. He's a smart guy, he's a good leader in the huddle, and that's what they want."

Now that he's got the job, Orton has more of an opportunity to establish himself as a leader.

"It's not going to happen overnight," he said. "But with work ethic and performance (you) just try to establish yourself as a leader on this offense."

Orton will get his most extensive playing time of the preseason Thursday night at home against the San Francisco 49ers, when the starters are expected to play into the third quarter.

Injury update: Defensive tackle Tommie Harris (soreness) and safeties Brandon McGowan (ankle) and Kevin Payne (back) practiced Monday.

Harris and McGowan sat out Saturday's game, during which Payne was injured. Long snapper Pat Mannelly (stinger), tight end Desmond Clark (knee), and linebacker Nick Roach (concussion) also were hurt Saturday and did not practice, although none of their injuries are considered serious.

Guard Terrence Metcalf (knee), defensive end Mark Anderson (hand) and offensive tackle Kirk Barton also did not practice.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player65.html">Kyle Orton profile </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>