Smith tells media to attend Wednesday practice to see who'll start at QB

Updated: September 25, 2007, 12:26 AM ET

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Associated Press

Are the Bears Considering a Change at QB?

Bears coach Lovie Smith on the performance of Rex Grossman.Tags: NFL, Chicago Bears, Brian Griese, Rex Grossman

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Rex Grossman still had his health when he walked off the field. But he may not have his starting job much longer after his latest meltdown.

Grossman threw three interceptions as the Chicago Bears fell to the Dallas Cowboys 34-10 on Sunday night, and he did not get a vote of confidence from his coach a day later. Now, the question is: Will he start this week at Detroit?

"Will Rex Grossman start Sunday?" coach Lovie Smith asked on Monday, repeating the question. "Well, our evaluation process is going on right now, and if you come out to practice Wednesday, you'll have a better idea of who will be starting at all positions."

Has Smith made a decision?

"I'm always thinking ahead," he said.

Smith gave his usual answer when asked Sunday night about Grossman -- "Rex Grossman is our quarterback" -- but his tone was different on Monday, fueling speculation Brian Griese might start Sunday against Detroit.

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Grossman's supporters would have a hard time arguing against the move, considering he ranks 23rd in the league with 500 yards, has a 45.2 rating and is 47-of-89 (52.8 percent) with a league-leading six interceptions and just one touchdown.

But is Griese the answer?

A Pro Bowl pick with Denver in 2000, he has passed for 16,564 yards, but has also been released three times -- by the Broncos, Miami and Tampa Bay.

"I have confidence in our entire football team," Smith said. "Brian is a part of that. After you have a loss like that, we all feel bad. We should."

And Smith realizes something needs to change -- quickly.

At 1-2, the Bears are certainly not living up to those soaring expectations after last season's Super Bowl appearance. Besides Grossman's struggles, injuries are mounting.

They lost former Pro Bowl safety Mike Brown and starting nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek to season-ending knee injuries in the opener at San Diego. And on Sunday, Bears were falling like dominoes.

Linebacker Lance Briggs (groin), cornerback Nathan Vasher (groin) and defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) all left the game with injuries. Offensive lineman Ruben Brown suffered what was announced as a game-ending ankle injury, although he returned near the end.

"All of these injuries we're evaluating right now," Smith said. "I can't give you anything else."

As for the evaluation at quarterback, Grossman's troubles are well-documented and they explain why the Bears let him enter this season with an expiring contract rather than an extension.

He was the NFC Offensive Player of the Month last September. Now, he may not be the starting quarterback when September ends.

There certainly is blame to pass around, but the focus is on the quarterback.

The Bears were hoping Grossman would play the way he did the first five weeks last season and ditch the inconsistency he showed the rest of the way.

Well, he is more consistent.

The problem is "Bad Rex" keeps lining up behind center, and that's bad news for the Bears.

Smith stuck with Grossman last season, but that leash appears to be growing shorter with each pass into double or triple coverage; there were a few of those on Sunday night.

Like the one that Anthony Henry picked off early in the fourth quarter.

Dallas' Nick Folk had just kicked a 44-yard field goal when Grossman tried to hit Muhsin Muhammad in triple coverage. Henry intercepted and ran it back 28 yards for a touchdown that made it 27-10 and put away the Bears.

Grossman didn't get much help.

"All the way around the whole offense, it was one of those days where it seemed like we'd get something going and it'd fall back, and we just couldn't get anything going," wide receiver Bernard Berrian said.

Cedric Benson managed 46 yards after running for 101 the previous week in a 20-10 victory over Kansas City.

A wide-open Berrian dropped what might have been a 35-yard touchdown pass. And Muhammad seemed to stop on a deep route over the middle on the first play of the second quarter, resulting in an interception for Henry.

Smith called it "bad timing between the quarterback and receiver."

Although fans booed and chanted for Griese, teammates continued to support Grossman.

"Rex is my guy. Rex is my guy until the end," tight end Desmond Clark said. "He didn't have his greatest game [Sunday], but if you ask me Rex is my guy."

But for how much longer?

"We're talking a lot about Rex, and I guess we should," Smith said. "I would talk about our football team. I made a lot of mistakes yesterday. We all did. That was a team loss. ... You can't give a quarterback all the blame."