Side by Side: Super-Bowl QB vs. Pro-Bowl QB

Not much comparison really.

When you think of the representatives of an entire football conference in the Superbowl, you would think that you are looking at the best of the best, at least when you're talking about the key play-makers. And what player is more a key to a team than their quarterback?

Of course there is much more to a "team" than just one player, and in the case of the NFC representative Chicago Bears, there are many key players. It doesn't just come down to one MVP.

Obviously.

So what does it take to be a QB these days in the big show? Not much more than it took to be Billy Carter, wayward brother to an American president.

So I thought I'd take a look at a little side-by-side comparison of the Bear's Rex Grossman and the 8-8 Rams QB Marc Bulger.

Rex Grossman started all 16 games this year, completing 54.6 percent of his passes for 3,193 yards. Not bad. Marc Bulger also started 16 games this year, completing 62.9 percent for 4,301yards.

In a championship year, Rex had 7 games with a QB rating over 100. Bulger had 8. But Train-Rex also had 3 games with a rating of not more than 10.2, while Bulgers lowest rating of the year was a 55.9.

Grossman threw 20 interceptions this year; Bulger threw 8.

Bulger is going to the Pro-Bowl, because he deserves it; Grossman's going to the Super-bowl on a free pass and a note from his mother.

The difference is Grossman's defense bailed him out this year while Bulger spent most of the year trying to bail out his defense.

So apparently you don't necessarily have to do anything but show up in uniform in some cases. But come Sunday when Rex faces off with a real quarterback in Peyton Manning, there will be no more coddling.

Colts - 33 Bears - 17

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-26-2007 @ 2:34PM

Gene said...

Ok, I admit it. Rex may not be the best QB in the NFL. But let's face it, the Bears are in the Super Bowl not just Rex Grossman. I have been a Bears fan for as long as I can remember. And although I don't remember their last Super Bowl appearance, I am glad to see them back their again. Even if they loose, I am still proud of them. GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!

1-26-2007 @ 2:55PM

Watchdog said...

Cheers to you buddy, congratulations. It's few and far between for most fans to see their team in the Big Game. These are thrills of a lifetime for those who stuck with their boys through the tough years.

1-26-2007 @ 3:00PM

Alan Oser said...

It doesn't take a genious to know that when teams are getting blown out (see Rams,Bulger) the defense of the other team tends to lay back in a soft zone or otherwise prevent type defense.This was instrumental in the inflated numbers that Marc Bulger had this year. He is a veteran and has played many more games than Grossman and therefor should be better that the sophmoric starter from Chicago. In many games this season when the Bears were blowing away opponents. Lovie Smith ordered Ron Turner to "stand down", not wanting to run the score up and embarrass the other team. This can't be said for the Ram's and Bulger. It was pass,pass,pass for the Rams whether they were losing by 30 points or leading by 30. Grossman had a couple of dismel games this season but they were both over exagerated tremendously. Take the Minnesota game that RG got the low 1.6 rating. He didn;t throw that many times to bring the numbers up and didn't feel it neccesary. Minnesota needed the win moreso than the Bears and the veteran qb for Minnesota was having an equally dismal day. Brad johnsons numbers for the day were around 9. The weather had an effect on both teams throwing and catching the football.
In the 0 game for RG, Greenbay was headed nowhere and the Bears were preparing for the playoffs. Grossman had huge success against Greenbay in every head to head meeting that the two teams have had when RG has played. In this game he only played for 2 quarters. He didn't take a snap in the second half. Check out some of the halftime playoff ratings of the two greatest qb's in recent history, Tom Brady and Petyon Manning. Both qb's endured terrible first halves in the playoffs and yet seldom were the numbers pasted on the tv screen in a similar manner as we have seen Grossman's.
In the playoffs this year Manning's qb rating is in the 60's while Grossman's are in the 70's.
What gives ?
Remember this kid has just completed his first season of starting in this league !

1-26-2007 @ 3:41PM

albaNY Hawker said...

the only one happier than Rex about Grossman being in the SB is Ben Roethlesberger, who's hoping that Train-Rex* shows up and bumbs big has-Ben out off the lowest rated quarterback in the Super Bowl pedistal.

* (c) 2007 The Watchdog

1-26-2007 @ 4:26PM

Ben McKnight said...

Waaaaaa! My Rams aren't in the super bowl because they suck! Waaaaaaa!

Enjoy your 5-10 years of rebuilding, douchebag. You're comparing apples to oranges. If St. Louis and Chicago a) ran remotely similar offenses and b) Grossman and Bulger had been drafted at the same time and c) started the same number of games, then your comparison might be worth looking at.

As it stands, it's some ignorant douche comparing non-comparable stats. Hey, while we're at it, lets compare Gale Sayers to Steven Jackson. It's retarded, like your article (and by 'article' I mean 'waste of time, energy and IQ').

If you're going to piss and moan and bitch, try to do it in an entertaining manner. You just whine in this post.

1-26-2007 @ 4:47PM

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

His name is Ben McKnight!

1-26-2007 @ 5:17PM

adp said...

Hey the Rams didnt make the Super Bowl because they suck...sucky teams can still make the Super Bowl.

Take the Bears, for example.

1-26-2007 @ 6:08PM

Wow Ben, guess I struck a nerve with that one. I was trying to not let the world know that Rex was your illegitimate son with that crackwhore bobbi (the one with the bone in her nose?) but your little emotional spasm there isn't helping the cause. Just take it easy Benny... it's the rhoids talking.

1-26-2007 @ 6:14PM

Dude your Bears are phonies and your son Rex probably used to be a girl. When the Bears get a quarterback they will be legitamate. When the time finally comes your son/daughter/lover (whatever) can come back home where mean old Watchdog can't pick on him anymore..
BooofreakinHooo ben

1-27-2007 @ 2:48AM

Tony said...

No Poodle, they got it rite !!!!

It seems someone here has a bad case of the Bulgers !!!! Everything with you is Bulger this and bulger that. Your manipulating stats to fit your needs. Your 8-8
team was dismal this year, and will suck worse in 07.
I here vegas is looking for a team ? Hmmm, How about the Nevada Rams ? Hmmmm, That's got a nice ring to it!

Listen to what the readers are telling you. Your hero Bulger is not going to save this team. The only phony here is you. You have lost your credibility by harrasing the fans that disagree with you and filling up Blog space with worthless Bulger crap.

You should respect the teams that are playing in the bowl, and give credit where credit is due. They made it to the playoffs, and all the regular season stats go out the window. Theese teams now feed on momentum
and sure desire to win. You can't call any of theese players bad. They are two champion calibur teams who are going to show us how football is played. Quit crying already. You are a bad looser, who can't handle where your rams are headed. Vegas ?

Tony

oh...yyes Tony, Now you're making sense. Vegas...yes man. Don't you know that Vegas is about 2,000 miles closer to me? That's awesome. To tell you the truth Mr.T, I would love that scenario.
Tony, my posts at this point are a Joke ... for fun!
Don't you get it? The two best teams are in the Superbowl.. They ARE! The only reason I post this stuff is to get the goat of those who can't stand it when I do... in Short ... YOU BABY!
It's just fun getting you, you alone sweetheart.
And I get you every time... awesome. Just like they say in AA ....Keep coming back. It works if you work it.. and I'm working YOU.

1-27-2007 @ 7:17AM

shell said...

Very well put Alan, Grossman is still very young and yet, the first 5 games of the season, he was one of the top 3 QB's! He had a few bad games as ALL QB's do, but, he's played some good one's as well, passing 339 yrds. against Tampa Bay and passing 272 yrds on Jan.14 beating ALL the other QB's record's for passing that weekend in the playoff's. I have also seen some really good passes he has thrown that his receivers let slip through their hands! Give him time, he has only had one full season of playing NFL football, I have watched him as a Gator QB, throwing over 300 yrds per game, the kid is good! He's just not had the playing time that Manning or Brady has had and after ALL the years they have played, they too make mistakes! Some of the comments in these blogs remind me of what alot of people were saying about Chris Leak and the Gators chance for a National Championship win against Ohio State, we know what happened there, UF 41/Ohio State 14 and Chris Leak was the MVP! Go Orange and Blue! Bears 27 Colts 24

1-27-2007 @ 4:45PM

Well Poodle,

I think your articles suggest diferently. They are filled with overtones of a subconscious cry for attention and an attempt at trying to make the Rams look better than they are. Writing for the sake of getting a rise out of someone is sick, and twisted humor, and is taken by many fans as being sophomoric child like "sour Grapes mentality".

I don't know if it's because of your age, but I think you have alianated the fan base you started out with at the begining of the season, who have now turned off, because the jokes are becoming sterile, crass and your reply's to reader opinion are rude and child like.

There is a good reason for the lack of responce to your postings. It's because you set the tone for cracking wise at others expence. Even if you do post a disclaimer, it's still comming off as being
half hearted in the eye's of readers.

Readers like me will put it back in your face, to see how you like your own medicine. You seem to swallow the hook every time the lure is cast your way. Readers are not tuning back into your posts because you belittle those who disagree with your position. Readers of the Rams blogs, are noticing how you directly attck them once they have posted comment. In doing so, you prevoke a fight, and push readers away
instigating child like correspondence. Your actions turn allot of readers off, and your postings now suffer for it.

It's not that I don't like you, but I reply to your postings as a way of bringing you back down to earth. I have had my fun slinging jabs your way, and will keep reminding you when your slipping down the slope of bad moral judgement and deck stacking. I think you have the potential to write some real good opinion, as seen thru the eyes of a youthful sports journalist. I do think you are slacking off, as you are capable of so much better. I do think your writing just for your age group when you should be including the masses in your thoughts. We see you as brushing off your readers, and choosing to ignore them while posting redundant attempts at getting a rise at their expence. I think you are an enabler and regressed to creating an environment for yourself and a small group of immature giggling like minded fans.

Get back to writing with a passion !!!!!

There is an old saying written on many a cork screw.
"In Vino Veritas"(In wine there is truth.) I suggest you reorganize your approach, and inspire us with truth, logic and your youthful passion as a fan of and for the game. I think you will regain a fan base once people see that your are writing using a balanced perspective.

Tony

1-28-2007 @ 1:21AM

Well, thank you Tony for a critisism that is constructive as well as thoughtful. Maybe some of that is true. These are the last posts of the season next week. I guess a little boredom is creating a bit of a need to keep things interesting, and there is nothing interesting in saying goodbye for another year other than the exciting prospects for the next. For your thoughtful insights and perserverance on this side of the moon, I will dedicate this last week to a more sportsmanlike introspective. I do apologize if I have truly offended you or anyone else with my satire - it was really all in fun...really.
Mark

1-30-2007 @ 7:17AM

Since we're going to compare QB's....Rex Grossman's FIRST full season as a QB, 29 INT....Peyton Manning's First full season as a QB....28 INT...even in his 4th season, he threw 23 INT. Rex was a High School Sr. when Peyton had his first year in the NFL. Yet, Rex made it to the Superbowl in his first full season, and don't say it's ALL defense....it's a TEAM sport, the Bears defense didn't make it to the Superbowl alone. Give Rex the time Manning has had, before you trash him. Go Bears!