For a moment, Rex Grossman seemed to fight tears at the podium. His eyes glistened, and his responses were measured. Grossman knew the Washington Redskins were his last chance to start. Nobody else made a play for the passer during the short free agency market, forcing him to sign a one-year deal and compete with journeyman John Beck during the preseason for the job.
The job doesn’t appear to be his anymore, and it hurt more than anything else in the 20-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Each of Grossman’s four interceptions was a dagger. He now has nine picks in five games — backbreaking despite a 3-2 record. Coach Mike Shanahan couldn’t avoid switching to Beck by the fourth quarter. That Beck led a touchdown drive surely puts a quarterback controversy at the top of the team’s distractions.
Even if Shanahan benches Grossman against Carolina on Sunday, it’s probably not the last time he plays. This will linger the entire season — and then the team will draft a rookie quarterback next summer.
That he likely will play again won’t help Grossman accept his fate, though. He pre-empted questions about his interceptions by listing reasons for each. That never happens. But Grossman obviously spent the fourth quarter pondering Sunday’s events.
“There are so many times in this league that you face adversity for one reason or another that you’ve got to go back to your core beliefs,” he said. “I believe in myself no matter if the whole stadium doesn’t or the coaching staff doesn’t. Whatever the situation is, I believe in myself that every single play I’m going to get it done, so I fall back on that.”
Unfortunately for Grossman, there aren’t many others who believe in him at this point. The fans booed him throughout the third quarter, then cheered when Beck entered the game. Grossman has been awful in the red zone and seemingly couldn’t find anyone other than tight end Fred Davis.
Missed opportunities cost the Redskins against the Eagles, and they likely will cost Grossman the starting job. At age 31, he’s now a career backup.
“Obviously, I would have liked to have finished what I started,” he said.
Now Beck gets a second chance. Sunday was his first appearance since he played in five games for Miami in his rookie year in 2007. This is his opportunity to prove he’s a starter in the NFL, but if Beck sputters, he will share Grossman’s fate, relegated to a career backup at best.
Beck’s mobility will help, especially after the Redskins lost their left tackle and guard to serious injuries. He was a respectable 8-for-15 and scored on a 2-yard run.
And just as the quarterback has changed, so have the Redskins’ prospects this season. Washington could have validated itself as a true playoff contender. Instead, the Redskins seem on the outside once more.
Just like Grossman.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
