1. According to Jason La Canfora (and as relayed by Parks earlier), it looks like Rex Grossman is going to be the starting quarterback against the Giants. As you all know, I have been standing on the rooftops screaming that this job was never really up for grabs. I suppose if Rex showed up weighing 300 pounds and underhanded a dozen interceptions in August, John Beck would have been given a chance to take the helm in 2011.
2. It is not that I think John Beck is that awful or that I think Rex Grossman is that great. I just feel like Kyle Shanahan and Rexy are boys and this job was always Rex's to lose. John Beck impressed the hell out of me this preseason, but not to the point where I thought he had done enough to overtake a guy who was essentially the coach's choice.
3. Mike Shanahan played the media to perfection for the last five or six months. Hell, he could still be playing the media. But he told writers and beat reporters repeatedly that John Beck was the guy they were high on and that his upside was hard to ignore. I think that as a result of this whole process, Beck's confidence is way, way up. If he has to come off the bench for whatever reason, I think you will see a player who considers himself starting material. That is a great situation for this team, because chances are we will need him--only a handful of quarterbacks take all the snaps for their team each year.
4. Let's all be very clear: it is not like we were picking between Peyton Manning and Danny Wuerffel. This choice came down to two players that were both probably similarly qualified to be the starting quarterback for this team in 2011. Rex has a better NFL resume but Beck's mobility and quick release were hard to miss by even the most casual of fans this summer.
5. In my own personal opinion (that you could argue has been proven right) this came down to one thing: Rex did nothing to lose the job. John Beck pushed himself and played hard, but as I have said all along, he was not even with Rex at any point in this competition, no matter what Mike Shanahan says.
6. And to be fair, he has to say what he's saying. I have no problem with the way Shanny has handled this announcement. He has been consistent since he came here last year. Competition at every roster spot is what he is all about. By keeping this "race" alive, he really allowed John Beck to grow comfortable in the system and to believe in himself so that when he is called upon at some point, he will be a player who can lead us to wins. Sure...Beck has never seemed to be short on self-confidence, but through this "competition", Beck has played with and lead the starting unit on the field in an impressive enough way that coaches probably feel pretty darned god about him.
**I took a considerable amount of heat for going against the grain on this for the last six months. Thanks for not being too hard on me. I have my next bold prediction coming this week. And I plan on being right again! Hahaha...