Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Bears Go With Orton In Opener

I haven't seen a single Chicago Bears practice, but could have made a pretty good guess that in an open competition, Orton would be the final choice. One thing I learned through my years as an NFL quarterback is that coaches want players that play within the system. Great ability that is uncontrolled is not worth nearly as much as good ability that is dependable. While the Atlanta Falcons were willing to deal with Michael Vick's lack of consistency in the passing game because of his unbelievable ability in the scrambling game, not many other teams would have been. Offensive coordinators design plays to be executed according to design. The ability to improvise when the plan goes awry is a plus, but making the plan go awry too early drives a coordinator nuts!
Rex Grossman can make great plays, but as we have all learned over the years, the great plays don't outweigh the bonehead plays that cost games. Kyle Orton has better technique and mechanics than Grossman which usually contribute to more accurate, on-time passes within the design of the play. Orton can play his way out of the starting line-up, but around the league, count on the guy getting the ball out of his hand on time being the starter.

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