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Redskins fans girded themselves for an exciting climax today in Dallas.
Unfortunately, the end came just a little too quick for full satisfaction to be achieved.
Still, a 300+ yard/4 TD pass effort by the QB formerly run out of Chicago in a crescendo of boo’s was better than the same old Donovan.
In the end, in the words of the immortal Dennis Green, Grossman was who we thought he was. And a little bit more. The Grossman we’ve all come to know, either by personal observation or by reputation alone, was there for Redskins fans everywhere to admire. He threw wobbly back-pedaling passes to waiting defensive backs, held onto the ball seemingly oblivious to the impending sackers bearing down upon him, and put the ball on the turf.
But he did lots of other things. Positive ones. He threw the ball all over the field. He stepped into the pocket to buy precious seconds in order to make key completions. He got plays off on time. He handled the noise, pressure, and distraction of a road game against a tough NFC East opponent. He threw some pretty damn impressive passes, including four of them for touchdowns. That’s two more touchdowns than heralded former Pro-Bowler Donovan Mcnabb has mustered in a single game this season.
Rex Grossman, dead-sexy or not, showed up today. Big time.
Had Santana Moss not employed his patented 'hands upside down’ catching technique on a late game downfield pass from Grossman, Rex might well have been yet another hero in a laundry list of Dallas comeback heroes. That drop of a surefire TD reception made this latest Dallas clash just another 'almost’ reminiscence, instead of earning it the legendary comeback status it deserved.
Rex Daniel Grossman III is not Jesus. He can’t turn water into wine, heal lepers, or miraculously mend a broken Redskins offense. But he’s not beyond redemption either. Today Grossman showed that he’s got talent. He can play with the big boys and get the job done. NFL cellar-dwelling big boys, I’ll grant you, but big boys nevertheless. Grossman has always had talent. It’s just that the plethora of mistakes, meltdowns, miscues, and miscalculations he made on the journey from Chicago wunderkind to NFL obscurity made it all too easy to forget that talent.
So where has this version of Rex Grossman been hiding?
We’ve all experienced it in our lives. Pressure is a cruel bitch. She can undermine the best of us. Turn strength into fatal flaw, confidence into self-doubt, success into epic failure. Pressure is part and parcel of being an NFL starting quarterback. It comes with the job description. Those that can’t handle the heat often never even get a chance to get out of the kitchen. They just burst into flames. And that’s how Rex Grossman left Chicago, a smoking, smoldering heap of stress-induced failure.
But embers smolder too. And today, we may have seen the ember of pride, determination, and belief grow into a small inspired flame.
I have to wonder if Grossman’s relationship with Kyle Shanahan doesn’t have something to do with today’s performance. Some players respond to the hammer and anvil, some to reassuring gentle massage. I don’t know which kind of player Grossman is. But whatever karma and kismet exist between Grossman and Kyle Shanahan, it appears to bring out the best in both of them. That can’t be a bad thing, can it?
Is Rex Grossman the next great quarterback of the Washington Redskins? Not likely.
But he had himself one hell of a coming out party in Dallas Texas today. And he may have proven he’s the guy to lead our offense until we find our next great franchise quarterback in the coming seasons.
Besides, if nothing else, he’s not half bad to look at. Some might even call him sexy.
Unfortunately, the end came just a little too quick for full satisfaction to be achieved.
Still, a 300+ yard/4 TD pass effort by the QB formerly run out of Chicago in a crescendo of boo’s was better than the same old Donovan.
In the end, in the words of the immortal Dennis Green, Grossman was who we thought he was. And a little bit more. The Grossman we’ve all come to know, either by personal observation or by reputation alone, was there for Redskins fans everywhere to admire. He threw wobbly back-pedaling passes to waiting defensive backs, held onto the ball seemingly oblivious to the impending sackers bearing down upon him, and put the ball on the turf.
But he did lots of other things. Positive ones. He threw the ball all over the field. He stepped into the pocket to buy precious seconds in order to make key completions. He got plays off on time. He handled the noise, pressure, and distraction of a road game against a tough NFC East opponent. He threw some pretty damn impressive passes, including four of them for touchdowns. That’s two more touchdowns than heralded former Pro-Bowler Donovan Mcnabb has mustered in a single game this season.
Rex Grossman, dead-sexy or not, showed up today. Big time.
Had Santana Moss not employed his patented 'hands upside down’ catching technique on a late game downfield pass from Grossman, Rex might well have been yet another hero in a laundry list of Dallas comeback heroes. That drop of a surefire TD reception made this latest Dallas clash just another 'almost’ reminiscence, instead of earning it the legendary comeback status it deserved.
Rex Daniel Grossman III is not Jesus. He can’t turn water into wine, heal lepers, or miraculously mend a broken Redskins offense. But he’s not beyond redemption either. Today Grossman showed that he’s got talent. He can play with the big boys and get the job done. NFL cellar-dwelling big boys, I’ll grant you, but big boys nevertheless. Grossman has always had talent. It’s just that the plethora of mistakes, meltdowns, miscues, and miscalculations he made on the journey from Chicago wunderkind to NFL obscurity made it all too easy to forget that talent.
So where has this version of Rex Grossman been hiding?
We’ve all experienced it in our lives. Pressure is a cruel bitch. She can undermine the best of us. Turn strength into fatal flaw, confidence into self-doubt, success into epic failure. Pressure is part and parcel of being an NFL starting quarterback. It comes with the job description. Those that can’t handle the heat often never even get a chance to get out of the kitchen. They just burst into flames. And that’s how Rex Grossman left Chicago, a smoking, smoldering heap of stress-induced failure.
But embers smolder too. And today, we may have seen the ember of pride, determination, and belief grow into a small inspired flame.
I have to wonder if Grossman’s relationship with Kyle Shanahan doesn’t have something to do with today’s performance. Some players respond to the hammer and anvil, some to reassuring gentle massage. I don’t know which kind of player Grossman is. But whatever karma and kismet exist between Grossman and Kyle Shanahan, it appears to bring out the best in both of them. That can’t be a bad thing, can it?
Is Rex Grossman the next great quarterback of the Washington Redskins? Not likely.
But he had himself one hell of a coming out party in Dallas Texas today. And he may have proven he’s the guy to lead our offense until we find our next great franchise quarterback in the coming seasons.
Besides, if nothing else, he’s not half bad to look at. Some might even call him sexy.
