Rex redux: Lovie goes with Grossman for Sunday's game in Seattle

Bears quarterback Brian Griese, who started the past six games, said he will be ready to play Sunday despite a sprained left shoulder that knocked him out of last week's game and kept him off the practice field Wednesday.

But coach Lovie Smith said Rex Grossman, who was benched after three forgettable games at the start of the season, will start Sunday because he gives the Bears the best chance to win.

Grossman picked up the win in relief last week.

"I like the way he finished the game," Smith said. "I like the way he gave us a boost. So he'll start for us this week."

Grossman downplayed questions about the pressure that will come with re-entering the starting lineup for a 4-5 team that has precious little margin for error if it wants to return to the playoffs.

"It's not really that much pressure for me," he said. "I didn't even know if I was going to play again. I'm just going to go out there and play like it's recess and just have fun. You never know if you're going to have this opportunity again to play with this team, so I'm excited about that.

"But I've already been benched. What are they going to do to me? I've been there (on the bench), and I don't want to go back. But I'm not worrying about the repercussions of it."

If Grossman doesn't perform well, Sunday's start could be his last.

"Right now, when you're trying to come up (in the standings), it's about one game at a time, and that's where we are," Smith said. "Rex is starting this weekend. I can't look into the future any more than that, and I'm not going to."

Grossman is focused on the task at hand, but also the big picture.

"I'm trying to keep this job for the rest of the season," he said. "I think that's a given."

There's also the remainder of his career to consider for Grossman. He's an unrestricted free agent after this season and will be auditioning not only for his current team but the other 31 clubs in the NFL.

Because of his uninspiring performance earlier in the season, Grossman said looking ahead to potential free-agent riches won't be a problem.

"I've probably missed the boat on the big one," he said, drawing laughs. "I'm just going to go have fun."

Grossman relieved Griese late in the second quarter of Sunday's game and completed 7 of 14 passes for 142 yards, including the game-winning, 59-yard TD pass to Bernard Berrian with 3:11 remaining.

Griese said he would be capable of playing in Seattle this week.

"It's something I had on my right (throwing) shoulder earlier in my career that I played with," Griese said. "On my left shoulder, it's not a big deal, really. I should be ready to play on Sunday."

Smith said he wasn't sure if Griese would be active Sunday or if Kyle Orton would be moved up on the depth chart to No. 2. Griese said he wanted to make a seventh straight start.

"I don't have any question in my mind that I will be ready if called upon on Sunday," he said. "That's not my decision to make. I'd like to continue to play, yeah. Obviously, we all think that we can play better and be in a better situation than we are now. I think there are some things that we can build on and I look forward to doing it."

Grossman has thrown 2 touchdown passes and 6 interceptions this season with a passer rating of 53.9 and is 1-2 in games he started and finished. Griese has 9 TD passes, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 77.1 and is 2-3 in games he started and finished.

Grossman helped get the Bears to the Super Bowl last season but had an extremely uneven season, mixing outstanding performances with meltdowns. His slow start this season brought not only the benching but extensive criticism locally and nationally from the media and fans.

Sunday's start will be Grossman's first in eight weeks, and he said the inactivity was difficult but that he was able to derive some benefit during his forced exile.

"It's tough," he said. "It's like studying algebra. It's not fun. But you've just got to really understand the best you can what we're trying to get accomplished, what the defense does, and how our offense relates to what they do. It's hard work. But now you get a chance to know you're going to play."