Kyle Neckbeard Is Our Quarterback

I'll admit it... I was WRONG.

I truly thought that Rex Grossman would come out on top of this QB competition. Last week Kyle Orton was deservingly named the starting QB for the Bears. While I'm pissed that it's not Grossman, I completely agree with the decision. I'm not pissed about the decision, I'm pissed that Grossman can't ever seem to play up to his ability. He has all the talent in the world, but he is a skraight mindfuck. Ron Rivera called him a "mental midget," and that's pretty much the best way to put it. Whether it's an early INT or a lost fumble, after something bad happens to Grossman it's downhill from there. Something gets in his head telling him he's going to fuck up again... and he does. He showed a lot of improvement/maturity after he was benched last year but it didn't last long. While he may be in better shape than ever, I don't see any real improvements that came during the off-season.

Kyle Orton, on the other hand, looks like he's worked hard over the off-season. It may just be a little bit more confidence coming off of the end of last season. Or maybe it was the fact that Grossman wasn't named the starter before camp and Orton had a chance to win the job. Whatever it is, Orton is just so much more consistent than Grossman. Orton may not be a TD threat on every play, but he is capable of going deep with the ball. He needs to work on it still, but people give his arm much less credit than it deserves. He was a slanger in college and can still do it when he needs to. While Grossman may have more talent, Orton is much more of a complete QB. He knows how to stay in the pocket (which may or may not collapse immediately once the season starts) and check down when the 1st option isn't open. He also knows how to complete short passes, something that Grossman has yet to show. With a RB that can actually catch the ball this year, short/screen passes will be a big part of the offense. While there are still some in the locker room that were pulling for Grossman, you can tell that the majority of the team has more confidence in Orton, and for good reason. As the QB of a team, you need to be THE leader. How can you be looked at as the leader if you are the worst public speaker on the team? Now to be fair, Devin Hester is not exactly Mr. Articulate, but he's improved since his rookie year and probably gives better interviews. Grossman constantly looks like such a meathead struggling to answer questions after games. Orton, on the other hand, is poised at all times and says the right things. If you just observed the two of them for 5 minutes, you can tell who's more of a leader-type. That's what the offense needs. Someone who knows what's going on. Someone who can read a blitz coming. Someone who will throw the ball away instead of give the ball away.

While I'm still a Rex Grossman fan, he does not deserve to be the #1 QB on the Chicago Bears. Unless Orton gets hurt and Grossman steps up and performs like he's in Dan's World, this is the end for Grossman in Chicago. His contract is up after the season and I don't see him signing another contract anywhere unless it comes with a chance to be the starter. I still think he can be successful in the right situation. He needs a fresh start... one where he won't get boo'd just for stepping onto the field. One where he doesn't have to worry about the mistakes he's (repeatedly) made in the past. One where there's no expectations from him so there's not so much pressure as a big city like Chicago. All you can do now is wait Rex. Don't be pouting on the sideline everytime the you get some face-time. Don't look happy everytime Orton makes a mistake. You can hope and wish and pray all you want that Orton gets hurt, but don't let us know you're doing it... even though we already know you are.