Bad Rex Scares Bears, Pick Orton as QB

Orton Happy to be Starter Kyle Orton officially won the quarterback competition at Chicago Bears camp, as Head Coach Lovie Smith announced Orton had beaten out Rex Grossman for the starting position. Orton will start the team's next preseason game, against the San Fransisco 49ers, working with the first-string offense in preparation for the regular season opener on September 7th against the Indianapolis Colts.

Because Grossman had seemed for a long time to have more potential than Orton, Rex was given every opportunity to keep the starting job despite undependable play, following great games with horrible ones . But, in the end, the Bears tired of seeing too much Bad Rex and not enough Good Rex.

Acknowledging that neither quarterback was likely to put the team on his back, Smith said the decision to favor Orton came down to which man the coaching staff felt would play within himself and manage the offense best.

Four years ago, as a rookie from Purdue, Orton started fifteen games, with generally poor numbers. Now, however, he has had plenty of bench time to master the offense, and he's lost the rookie jitters. Of the difference between now and then, Orton said, "My accuracy has improved, my command of the offense has improved and just being able to play at a high level."