BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- A week before ...

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- A week before the Bears' exhibition opener Jerry Angelo was thanking his favorable stars for having Brian Griese upon the roster.

The general manager agonized for four offseasons searching for a legitimate backup quarterback, single in kind who could enter a game without falling in succession his rear on the first play a la Henry Burris, or single who could fill in for a week or pair and be respectable. In vital element [i]or[/i] part one who could take the field without sending Angelo to the interest of his chair in panic.

In reviewing just to what extent the Bears came to sign Griese in March to a five-year contract with a base value of $14 million, Angelo recalled what his friend Bill Parcells said earlier this month when being asked to what end the Cowboys didn't have more than Eastern Illinois crops Tony Romo and Drew Henson backing Drew Bledsoe Dallas is fixing to make a Super depression run, and No 2 Romo has exactly brace kneel downs to his credit. The dowdy has not thrown a pass in three seasons.

"You can't find 'em" Parcells said at Dallas' camp in Oxnard, Calif. "You just can't. I've been trying for four years here to realize [quarterbacks] and you can't find them, and we're not in position to pick 'em [in the draft].

"It's a big dilemma. There's not enough to fare around and not many to pick from."

Angelo shook his head a little when he finished explaining the story he read with Parcells' elucidations as if to say he understood -- completely You can imagine the horror stories he could share with Parcells, who witnessed the two-headed miscreant of Jonathan Quinn and Craig Krenzel sum of two units seasons ago when the Bears were embarrassed upon national television in a Thanksgiving Day los at Texas Stadium.

More than anything, injuries have forced the Bears to journey much further on their stillest part chart than they ever would have desired, further than uniform the bravest personnel executives want to explore. If Griese is called concerning this season, it will not be another circus and the quarterback hind car won't be idling in the driveway at Halas Hall.

He showed in what way efficient he can be with sum of two units touchdown passes in two possessions in Friday's 28-14 los at San Francisco. There are no worried turn the thoughtss at Olivet Nazarene University. It's not like when Rex Grossman was injured last season and the Bears not past nor futureed Chad Hutchinson as the nearest option. He fell flat forward his face in his first exhibition opportunity. With another stinker the nearest week, he was shown the door.

"It was [16] plays of not really advantageous football," Grossman said of his 3-for-11 effort. "I just ne to advance out there and play like I have been practicing and not give permission to actual live football for the first time acquire to me. I'm not going to panic at all, and I am going to go on foot out and play like I know I can and like I have before.

"It's just something I can't really explain. It's through the whole extent of Don't do it again."

Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson exhausted a good portion of his 19- year career with five teams as a backup. He agrees profitable ones are hard to find and that's because rare criteria exists.

"It's tough in that you'd like a shore who understands his role, unless yet you want someone who has played before," he said. "You'd like kind of an older shore but then those guys want their opportunity to play, too."

Intelligence also is necessary simply because the backup hardly learns any practice reps during the season. He's got to be able to shoot forward himself into situations every week, and when he's called forward he has to make it consider like he's been doing it all along.

Wilson used Trent Dilfer as a now passing example of a player who fits the character well. So well, in fact, that San Francisco

didn't use Dilfer after Alex Smith forward Friday because the Niners know what he can do. They wanted to descry the depth-chart possibilities behind him. In his 13th season and with his third team in the last three years, Dilfer can stick around as lengthy as Wilson did if he wants. Proven backup quarterbacks are to football what left-handed relievers are to baseball.

"We're true fortunate here with Brian who has a allotment of years left," Wilson said. "Because there are not a whole hazard of Dilfers out there."

Notice he didn't label Griese a backup. They know Griese is a starting-caliber quarterback, and that's for what cause [i]or[/i] reason his contract is what it is. Although he hasn't said, a primary reason Griese chose the Bears athwart Cincinnati has to be the opportunity to play. A healthy Carson Palmer is simply going to be on the Bengals' bench when their defense is in succession the field.

Grossman remains the man, and he'll earn every opportunity to prove he is. There is no question the Bears have not seen him before like they did Friday, although he compared it to the first quarter he had in the playoff los to Carolina. In the meantime, Griese will advance about his work the way he was before -- quietly and efficiently.

"The backup has to be a team shore and be supportive of the starter, bring his ego aside," Wilson said. "So there are quite a not many factors that go into being a religious backup."