Grossman's performance a dud
A fan wearing a Cubs cap sat in the front row of the Soldier Field north bleachers Sunday night holding a sign that can be described only as wishful thinking:
"Next year is here for our Cubs and Bears."
If true for the Cubs, if the 98 years of suffering is to end this fall, Bears fans can only hope that Rex hasn't inherited the hex.
A year ago, Rex Grossman was enjoying a September so sweet that he was named NFC offensive player of the month. That was after he threw for 250-plus yards in each of the Bears' first three games, all wins.
This September? It's hardly gone as smoothly.
"Wait 'til next year?"
Grossman, who's signed only through this season, might not get that chance with the Bears if he continues to perform the way he has this year.
His sickly September continued Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Grossman finished the night 15 of 32 for 195 yards with 3 interceptions. His quarterback rating was 27.5.
He entered the game against Dallas having thrown for only 305 yards and 1 touchdown (to tackle John St. Clair) to go along with 3 interceptions in the Bears' first two games against San Diego and Kansas City.
In the first half against Dallas, Grossman did nothing to eliminate the talk of a quarterback controversy. He completed just 9 of 22 passes for 84 yards and an interception, with a measly passing rating of 33.1, which was actually lower than the 55.1 he compiled the first two weeks.
The first half ended with a scrambling Grossman tripping over supine linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who was credited with his second sack of the half.
"I have take care of the football. I have to start making plays (and) do what I do best," Grossman said after the Bears' 34-10 loss. "There's a fine line there and I definitely need to start playing better."
Grossman did engineer a touchdown drive in the third quarter, marching the Bears 86 yards on 6 plays. Cedric Benson capped the drive with a 1-yard run for his first touchdown of the season. The score pulled the Bears even at 10-10, but they never scored again.
Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, meanwhile, was showing the elusiveness and pocket presence that Grossman has lacked. Romo -- who was signed by Dallas as a non-drafted free agent out of Eastern Illinois in 2003, the same year the Bears chose Florida-product Grossman in the first round -- threw for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns through three quarters in helping Dallas build a 17-10 lead.
Grossman's struggles continued into the fourth quarter, when he threw into triple-coverage looking for Muhsin Muhammad along the sideline and was picked off by cornerback Anthony Henry for the second time. Henry returned the interception 28 yards for a touchdown, padding the Cowboys' cushion to 27-10.
"It was a corner route," Grossman said. "Their defensive corner hugged up on the outside receiver and I felt like we could get a corner in behind his head. It kind of floated short."
The Bears close out September at Detroit next Sunday. Question is, will coach Lovie Smith replace Grossman with backup Brian Griese?
"I'm going about my business," Grossman said, "and not worrying about things that I don't control."