Morning Box Score: Titanic Edition

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Nov 10, 2008 4:10PM

The Bears suffered the loss of Kyle Orton at perhaps the worst possible time in their season. Rex Grossman had to take the reigns of the Bears offense for the first time in 2008 against the undefeated Tennessee Titans. That scenario didn't sound promising, and the end result was as expected -- the Bears dropped to 5-4 with their 21-14 loss at Soldier Field Sunday afternoon.

Grossman's day did begin promisingly enough. On the Bears' first possession, he led a 75-yard drive capped by a Matt Forte touchdown that gave the Bears a 7-0 lead. And while we didn't necessarily witness a return of "Bad Rex" from seasons' past, there were certainly missed opportunities on offense that could have changed the game's outcome.

The defense did an admirable job of shutting down Tennessee's running game -- holding them to just 29 yards on 20 carries -- but the Titans were able to compensate though the air. Kerry Collins completed 30 of 41 passes for 289 yards and 2 TD passes -- his first game over 200 yards this season and his first with more than a lone touchdown throw. It does no good to game-plan so well for half an opponent's offense if you're going to allow them a season-best day with the other half.

One thought Chicagoist had while watching the game, that was then brought up on the local Sunday night sports wrap-ups: what's wrong with Devin Hester? He has yet to break a single return for a touchdown, and more often than not he's looked downright ordinary back there. He did have one 41-yard return on Sunday, but overall he's 31st in kickoff return average and 20th in punt return average. Is this reversion to the mean after two record-setting seasons? Have teams figured him out finally? Has he lost some of his speed do to wear-and-tear or injury? Or is he simply disinterested in returning the ball now that he's getting a shot at wide receiver? Whatever the cause, Hester just isn't giving the Bears the field position or game-altering big plays we've grown accustomed to.

So just who will be throwing the ball to Hester and the Bears other wideouts next week? While Grossman probably wants another shot to prove Lovie's QB choice wrong, it's sounding more likely that Orton will try to return next week, when the Bears head into Green Bay for a key division game.

AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast