tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247037499744036971.post3045402698340006488..comments2024-03-07T12:45:51.807-05:00Comments on The Baldest Truth: Bears finally sack Lovie The GeniusMike Nadelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02109967340262145570noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247037499744036971.post-59380224560600303322013-01-04T23:07:30.833-05:002013-01-04T23:07:30.833-05:00I actually supported Rex most of that season. And ...I actually supported Rex most of that season. And I absolutely had little respect for Griese. But even Hall of Fame coaches know that benching a QB during a game can spark a team and can inspire the benched QB.<br /><br />One thing we got to know about Rex: He wasn't one of those QBs who could suck for most of a game and then all of a sudden turn things around. If he sucked, he was going to continue sucking. So there was absolutely no reason not to turn to Griese during the Super Bowl. There was nothing to lose. Lovie went down without a fight, and the Bears have won one playoff game since.<br /><br />All I said to Lovie and all I said in that column is that it wasn't a preposterous notion or a media invention. Lovie himself had benched a 10-win Orton the previous season. And Hall of Fame coaches benched QBs all the time -- damn good QBs, too. Earl Morrall was NFL MVP that season. George Allen benched Billy Kilmer. Landry benched Craig Morton. Shula even benched Marino once. <br /><br />Let me tell you, if a Hall of Famer like Shula can bench a Hall of Famer like Marino, Lovie Effin Smith can bench Rex Freakin Grossman!Mike Nadelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02109967340262145570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5247037499744036971.post-77706259544355693972013-01-04T18:50:20.988-05:002013-01-04T18:50:20.988-05:00Rex's three games after that column:
13-23, 2...Rex's three games after that column:<br /><br />13-23, 200 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT, 114.4 qb rating<br />29-44, 339 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT, 104.3 qb rating<br />20-36, 197 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT, 80.4 qb rating<br /><br />I'm of course omitting his terrible season-ending performance against the Packers, but Griese was nearly as bad in that one. Lovie may have merely recognized that Griese brought little to the table and Rex, warts and all, during his hot streaks brought more to the table. He was in 2006 either Brett Favre (season 1 with the Vikes edition) or Brett Favre (season 2 with the Vikes edition.) They probably weren't going to get anywhere with Griese, but the possibility was that they could ride a streaky Grossman to the title. I think Lovie knew that. To bench your best bet at that point would have been a confidence killer and in the end the next three games sort of confirmed his choice, maybe. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com