Some thoughts on last nights ‘now they’re out of the playoffs, not like they had a chance anyway’ Bears debacle game:

• I completely missed the fist five minutes of the game.  Figuring that, like Sunday and Monday night games the game, although slated to start at 7:00 (TV time) wouldn’t start until closer to 7:30, was busy rocking out to Rock Band, so didn’t join the game until Grossman had been injured.
• Too bad Grossman got hurt - I think he would have done a much better job than Griese did - and I would have said that even before Brian stunk up the joint.
• If Grossman is out for the year (haven’t heard one way or another yet), I hope he comes back next year - even if it’s a one year, incentive-laden contract (which I’d guess it at least be incentive laden, and probably not real long term).  Griese can go ahead and move on to another team.
• After seeing Griese run the show quite a bit this year, I can see why he hasn’t lasted long on any team he’s been on.
• Also, if Grossman is out for the year, I’d like to see Orton.  He’ll be back next year, so we might as well see what we have - can be be a starter/backup QB, or do we need to bring in another veteran to be that starter/backup, w/ Orton being the 3rd stringer?
• Another thing is also clear - this team needs a running back.  (The other) Peterson is fine as a backup, but you’re not going to win anything w/ him as your feature back.
• Granted, the line doing a better job of opening holes will also help, but for a team that’s always prided itself on running the ball, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a team as bad at running the ball as the Bears are this year.
• Nice to see Hester get the ball a little in the second half.  It’s too bad Griese both a) completely telegraphed his throws, and then b) made lousy passes to Hester late in the first half - he was open.  At least on the first interception.
• Might as well start putting Hester out at WR a lot more to end the season.  Really work him into the offense and see what he can handle.  Putting him out there just for trick plays and/or long bombs just diminished his effectiveness, since the DBs don’t need to worry about quick slants, crossing patterns, hooks, etc.  He’s either going to a) run a reverse (faked or not), b) get an immediate pass and look for broken tackles, or c) go long.  That’s it.
• Defense - once again, had a chance to make a game of it, and failed.  Had a chance to win the game last week, and failed.  This isn’t about giving up a ton of points (though they’ve done that at times this year), but not being able to make the critical stop when the game is on the line.  I don’t know if that can be blamed on the players not executing, or horrible coaching by the new DC.  Or, of course, injuries that force backups into a more prominent role than originally hoped.
• Special teams - meh.  Didn’t stand out one way or the other.  Gave up a block on a Gould FGA, but that’s about all I remember of them.  Outside of kick returns.
• Granted, Hester didn’t break a big one last night.  But if teams keep kicking him the ball - even squibbing it - he will eventually.  If teams want to kick out of bounds and give the ball up at the 40 yard line, that’s fine - although I wish we had an offense that could actually do something about it.
• In fact, until the Bears have an offense that can make a team pay by giving up the ball at the 40, they might as well just kick the ball out of bounds.  Hester is going to score more often on a kick/punt return that the current offense will.
• At this point, the Bears might as well lose out.  Get a high draft pick.  They need all the help they can get this fall.
• Finally, Bryant Gumbel is just flat-out awful as a play-by-play guy.  I have nothing against him personally, but PbP is not his strong suit.  At one point, he called a field goal good that was a couple yards short.  Another, he had Maynard punting to Hester (which would have been an odd thing to see).  Collinsworth is fine.  But for the love of all that is holy, NFL Network - PLEASE put someone else in the booth for play-by-play duties next year.