Bad Rex not worst of Bears in this defeat

The simple answer is, yes, the Bears would have won Sunday had Kyle Orton been able to play.

But, no, you can't put the Bears' loss to Tennessee all on Rex Grossman, and there has been entirely too much focus on No. 8 since the defeat.

Any regular visitor here knows this is the last place on the planet you'd expect to see a defense of Grossman, who has been mostly terrible since he got to Chicago, and didn't disappoint Sunday against Tennessee.

But what did you expect?

Grossman has a difficult time seeing over the line, his passes float, and he's the most predictable QB in the NFL.

Still, what did the Bears do to help him?

Did the coaching staff get him out from behind the line and give him a better look at his receivers?

Did he have any receivers who could actually run more than a 5-yard route and catch a pass?

Did offensive coordinator Ron Turner change things up to confuse the defense?

With even the tiniest bit of imagination, the Bears could have done some things to help Grossman, like move the pocket or try more no-huddle.

What did they have to lose?

Meanwhile, the Bob Babich experiment isn't working, and the Bears are completely unable to locate the quarterback.

The Bears dared Kerry Collins to beat them, and all he did was beat them up and down the field for four quarters.

While the Titans' offense adjusted, the Bears' defense stayed the course.

Maybe it wouldn't have mattered, as the Bears' best defensive players look old or injured, and just like in so many other games this year the defense was shredded through the air.

At the same time, how are all those big-money contracts working out?

Brian Urlacher and Tommie Harris got huge deals to make big plays, but it shouldn't shock anyone to find the aging Urlacher and the often-injured Harris very quiet these days.

As for Devin Hester, he's a distant memory at the moment, looking glum when he walks out on the field for a return, and even worse when he walks off the turf. He's either hurt or he has given up.

If this all sounds a bit cruel, well, those guys all got piles of money to win games, and they're not doing a whole bunch to win games these days - at least not for millions on top of millions.

As for Grossman, he signed a one-year deal and wasn't expected to do anything to help the club this year.

He lived up to that Sunday.

If he has to play again, he's got another chance to win a game and perhaps convince someone he's worth signing when he becomes a free agent after the season.

And Sunday's tough loss aside, the game in Green Bay is very winnable, even if Orton can't go and Grossman's the QB.

But Grossman will need some help in order to win.

The question is, will he get any?

North and south

The Bears (5-4) came into the season an 8-8 team and haven't given any indication they should finish better or worse than break-even.

Last year, no 8-8 team made the playoffs, but the Giants earned a wild-card berth in 2006 while finishing .500.

The way the NFC North is playing right now, 8-8 might be more than enough to finish first and play in January, for whatever it's worth.

Ivan Boldirev-ing

Free-agent center Mats Sundin wants to play for a winner and is telling friends around the league that he won't consider any team unless he believes that club can win immediately.

When last seen, Sundin was being courted by Anaheim, which has no cap space but does have a team only 17 months removed from a Stanley Cup and is poised to make another run next spring.

If Sundin indeed makes winning a priority, salary will have to take a back seat - at least for this season.

Just Bevington

White Sox bench coach Joey Cora, former Cubs manager Jim Riggleman and Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly are rumored to be among those getting interviews for the Seattle vacancy this week, with as many as 10 candidates possibly still alive in the chase for that managing job.

Best headline

Sportspickle.com: "Browns locker-room bacteria linked to Bill Belichick's chemical weapons lab.''

Just thinking

Comedian Alex Kaseberg: "Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis has to be spinning in the coffin he sleeps in during the day.''

Just asking

Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Jeff Schultz: "If Mike Singletary is going to get caught with his pants down, shouldn't he be playing in the 49ers' secondary?"

And finally -

Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: "Former Dolphin Daunte Culpepper has signed with the winless Lions. Geez, isn't that worse than being unemployed?"

brozner@dailyherald.com