Rex has little appeal in Super Bowl XLI

Feb 5, 2007 - 7:09 AM By John Pezzullo PA SportsTicker Pro Football Editor

MIAMI (Ticker) -- The much-maligned quarterback committed three more turnovers in Super Bowl XLI. Now Rex Grossman will face even more adversity in the last year of his contract in 2007.

In his first full season as a starter, Grossman helped the Chicago Bears make the Super Bowl for the first time in 21 years. But along the way, Grossman committed 25 turnovers - 20 interceptions and five lost fumbles - and caused quite a bit of angst in the Windy City

During Super Bowl week, Grossman got so tired of the abuse that he called the media "ignorant" for their relentless critiques of his play.

Realistically, Grossman did not have much of a chance to beat seven-time Pro Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. But his two interceptions in the fourth quarter sealed the Bears' fate in a 29-17 loss to the Colts.

"It's extremely disappointing when you get this close to a world championship and you come up short," Grossman said. "You know, there's nothing else to say."

There's Good Rex and Bad Rex. No one had more games (seven) with a QB rating better than 100 and no one had more (five) with a rating below 40.

His rating for Super Bowl XLI was 68.3. Despite the rainy conditions, Grossman completed 20-of-28 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown. But along with the two interceptions, he also fumbled a snap.

"We're not going to turn on him just because we lost this game," said Chicago's Bernard Berrian, who had four catches for 38 yards. "I mean, it's the biggest game, but that's our teammate. In my opinion, yes he should be the starter. Until someone else can beat him out, he's going to be the starter."

Grossman's 3,193 passing yards ranked second all-time in franchise history. His 23 touchdown passes tied for fourth in club annals. But Grossman's 20 interceptions were third-highest in the NFL this season.

The interceptions reared their ugly head at the most inopportune time in Super Bowl XLI. The Bears were trailing, 22-17, when Grossman lofted a pass down the right sideline for Muhsin Muhammad, who was well covered by Kelvin Hayden.

"I was giving 'Moose' a chance to go up and battle for it on kind of a hitch-and-go," Grossman said. "The corner got his eyes around and saw the ball and made a good play on it. In hindsight, I wish I could have thrown it away."

Hayden picked off the pass and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Colts' lead to 29-17 with 11:44 left.

Then on Chicago's next possession, Grossman attempted to hit Berrian over the middle and safety Bob Sanders intercepted the pass and returned it 38 yards.

"I threw it a little more inside than I wanted to," Grossman said.

In the second quarter, Grossman fumbled a snap and defensive tackle Raheem Brock recovered for the Colts at the Chicago 35. Grossman blamed that on the wet conditions.

"The ball wasn't tough to handle once I got it from center," Grossman said. "Getting it from center was the only tough part about it. It would slide off my hands."

"The Colts were dealing with the same ball," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You can't make mistakes like that."

Three mistakes by Grossman against the Colts was going to result in a loss, even if Devin Hester returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

But Grossman's record stands at 17-6 and that doesn't include his two playoff wins over Seattle and New Orleans.

"I think that you analyze how a person plays throughout the season," Muhammad said. "But it (criticism) comes with the territory. He's a starting quarterback in the NFL."

The Bears' 39-14 victory over the Saints in the NFC championship game best exemplified the experience of riding the Rex roller coaster.

For nearly three quarters, Grossman looked lost. With under two minutes left in the third quarter, Grossman had completed just 5-of-20 passes for 64 yards.

And then Good Rex appeared. He completed 4-of-4 passes for 78 yards that culminated in a 33-yard touchdown to Berrian.

During Super Bowl week, Grossman was subjected to questions about polls which link him with the likes of Miami's David Woodley and Baltimore's Trent Dilfer as the worst Super Bowl quarterbacks.

Unfortunately for Grossman, the pressure will only get more intense in 2007.