Dallas Cowboys Make A Good Move While The Bears A Bad One

Seven-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker Zach Thomas has reached a contract agreement in principle with the Dallas Cowboys, team and league sources told ESPN.com on Saturday morning.

Saturday night, Thomas' agent, Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the deal.

"It is going to be signed in the next couple of days," Rosenhaus was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

The deal includes a $1 million base salary, a $1 million signing bonus and a $1 million incentive-based bonus based on playing time that Rosenhaus said should be easily attained.

Thomas, 34, who was released by the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago, following a 2007 season in which he was limited to just five appearances, chose the deal from the Cowboys over contract proposals from the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints.

A 12-year veteran, and one of only three players in modern NFL history to register 100-plus tackles in each of his first 10 seasons in the league, Thomas was released by the new Miami football regime on Feb. 14 after a celebrated stint with the Dolphins.

Meanwhile, for reasons I have no idea what they were thinking.....

Rex Grossman has signed a one-year deal to remain as the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears.

Grossman

Grossman wanted to stay with the Bears, and Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith wanted to give him one more chance to stay as their starting quarterback. On Saturday, each side worked out a deal in order for the relationship to continue.

"It's still a great opportunity for him [in Chicago]," his agent, Eugene Parker, told ESPN.com.

Under terms of the deal, Grossman will have a $3 million base salary. He can make close to $2 million in incentives as long as he's the starting quarterback.

Several players on the Bears offense were pushing for Grossman to return as quarterback.

His best season was in 2006 when he started 16 games, passed for 3,193 yards, threw 23 touchdown passes and helped to take the Bears to the Super Bowl. He struggled in 2007 and started only seven games.

During the second half of last season, Smith used Brian Griese and Kyle Orton as starters. Grossman's signing, though, should resolve the Bears quarterback situation.

A first-round choice in the 2003 draft, Grossman has appeared in 32 games, with 30 starts, during his tenure with the Bears. The former Florida star has completed 489 of 900 passes for 5,907 yards, with 31 touchdown passes, 33 interceptions and an efficiency rating of 70.9. Ouch.

Maybe the Bears were thinking about how they could find ways to lose more games than they could win and how they could drive all their fans crazy as they watch Grossman throw interception after interception with an occasional touchdown to make fans believe as if he was the real deal.

Peterson: Offensive Rookie of the Year? Of Course!

Running back Adrian Peterson from the Minnesota Vikings was voted as the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press this morning. This was a no brainer considering Peterson's enormous skill and huge potential to be the next greatest running back in the league. This season, he set a league mark for rushing in a game with 296 yards in a 35-17 win over the San Diego Chargers. He also had 224 rushing yards in a win against the Chicago Bears. Peterson led the NFC with 1,341 rushing yards and is second in the league only to San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson. These extremely impressive stats clearly paved the way for being selected for this honor. Peterson definitely deserves this award. He has been an unbelievable and explosive running back for the Vikings scoring 78 points on 13 touchdowns (second in the NFC). Towards the end of the season, however, it appeared that opposing teams figured out a way to stop him. In the Vikings game against the San Fransisco 49ers, for instance, Peterson had 14 rushing attempts for a mere 3 yards. If the Vikings want to maintain Peterson's highly effective running game, they would be wise to improve their passing offense. Derek Anderson would be a good pickup. The Vikings should jump all over him.

Adrian Peterson And The Minnesota Vikings Still Need Work

I was looking forward to watching the Chicago Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. Actually, I was looking forward to watching Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor run like crazy because I have yet to really sit down and watch this team play. Wow, was I disappointed.

Peterson did put together 78 yards and 2 touchdowns, but only 2 rushes impressed me (the 28 yard run and the 2nd touchdown run). Other than that, Peterson was stuffed the whole game. Aren't the Bears last in run defense?? If you have one of the top rushers going against the team that is ranked last in run defense, how do you only put together 78 yards?! Also, this is the 2nd week in a row he put together unimpressive numbers. Terrible

In fact, the whole Vikings team played terrible. If they expect to last a round in the playoffs, they have to get their act together. Tarvaris Jackson threw 3 interceptions that weren't even close to being caught by a Vikings receiver. The Vikings are so lucky they were playing the Bears, who's offense I'd rank next to last (with Miami being last of course). Between fumbles and interceptions, the Vikings gave the Bears every chance in the world to score, but the Bears just lack offensive firepower. If the Vikings go up against a team like the Cowboys or Packers, or even the Seahawks or Bucs, it would be a disaster for the Vikings.

What is the Vikings strong point? Throwing the ball deep is the answer. Almost every time the Vikings lined up, it was in I-Formation, and the same result happened: Peterson or Taylor got stuffed. They really need to give up the I-Formation. It doesn't work for them. What does work is a play action to Peterson (since everyone fears him so much) and then throwing deep down the middle. The few times the Vikings did that against the Bears, it worked very well. But, then they went back to I-Formation and got stuffed.

The final 2 games the Vikings play are against Washington at home on Sunday night and Denver away. I can see the Vikings going 1-1 or 2-0 and grabbing the 5th or 6th seed. Why did I say 5th seed? Because its possible the way the Giants play they could lose their last 2 games and one of the many teams itching for a spot right behind the Vikings could squeeze in.

Battle of Backup Quarterbacks In The Bears-Redskins Game

This game was pretty boring, but the amount of injuries that added up were remarkable. Men were falling like soldiers on the battlefield. The starting QB from both teams were injured and never returned.

Only days removed from burying a teammate, and without the benefit of a full practice, the Washington Redskins managed to win thanks to a backup quarterback who last completed a pass in 2004.

Todd Collins came on for the injured Jason Campbell and threw for two touchdowns Thursday night, leading Washington to a 24-16 victory over the fading Chicago Bears that ended the Redskins' four-game losing streak.

In a rough-and-tumble game befitting two teams that entered on the very fringe of the playoff chase in the so-so NFC, both lost their starting quarterbacks in the first half. Campbell left for good with a dislocated left kneecap a few plays after hurting his throwing elbow, while Rex Grossman never returned from a left knee injury on Chicago's second possession.

Collins wound up 15-for-20 for 224 yards and his first two scores since 2002, when he played for Kansas City.

Griese was 21-for-45 for 295 yards and one TD, but he also raised his season interception total to 12 in seven appearances for the reigning NFC champion Bears (5-8).

The list of injuries doesn't just end with the two starting QBs. This list also includes running back Clinton Portis (stomach illness), right guard Randy Thomas (elbow) and cornerback Fred Smoot (cramps) of Washington, and defensive tackle Antonio Garay (ankle) of Chicago.

Also, Redskins tight end Chris Cooley left two plays before Campbell did, and limped off to the locker room at the same time his QB was driven there on a cart. Cooley, though, was able to return at the start of the second half, and Portis made it back on the field, too.

Bears' Cedric Benson's Season Is Over

The Chicago Bears first round draft choice in 2005, Cedric Benson, needs surgery after injuring his left ankle Sunday. Benson, who took over this season as the Bears' starter after the trade of Thomas Jones to the Jets, broke free for a 21-yard run in Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, but he was hurt as he landed while being tackled by Denver safety Hamza Abdullah. Soon after he had to be carted off the field following the second-quarter play.

"It's tough when you lose your starting tailback. Cedric went down with a season-ending injury, which is a tough break," Bears coach Lovie Smith said Monday, the day after the Bears beat the Broncos 37-34 in overtime. Benson gained 47 yards on eight carries before he was hurt Sunday. He'd rushed for 674 yards this season on 196 carries, an average of 3.4 yards per carry and had four touchdowns.

Benson had taken his share of criticism for the lackluster performance of Chicago's running game, one that is averaging only 3.3 per carry. Devin Hester, who had a 75-yard punt return and an 88-yard kickoff return, both in the third quarter against the Broncos, should be made the returner and running back. He is that insanely good and fast at what he does.

Monday Morning Headlines: Week 10

• Fred Taylor cracks 10,000 Yard in His Career: First off, congratulations to Fred Taylor. He has been one of the most underrated runners in league history. The only player I can think of who did more with less credit is Curtis Martin. Just because Fred Taylor plays the game right and never calls out his coaches, he doesn't get the media attention; now he will

• Dallas Shows Who #1 in NFC East: See the article below for details.

• Rex Returns and Leads Team to Victory: See the article below for details.
  

• St. Louis Finally Wins: After starting the season 0-8 for the first time in franchise, the Rams looked very impressive in their win over the resurgent Saints. The Rams are finally healthy, and I would expect them to win a few more games before this season is over. They are not as bad as their 1-8 record shows.
  

• Adrian Peterson Sprains Knee: It looks like something has finally slowed down Adrian Peterson. After running wild through all NFL defenses, Peterson has just sustained a knee injury that may cost him a good amount of time. Lets wait to her the results, but a sprained knee is never good.
  

Welcome Back Res Grossman

Rex Grossman looks to be back where he deserves to be, as the starting Quarterback of the Chicago Bears. I am tired of hearing everyone say how bad he is, or how he is the only reason the Bears lost so many games. I tell you people: SHUT UP! In his first full season as a starter he leads his team to the Super Bowl and resurrects football in the city of Chicago.

Now he starts off the season struggling because he doesn't have a second in the pocket without a couple of defenders in his face. How is that fair to him?

Well today, when Brian Griese went down with an injury, Rex steps up and throws a 60 yard TD pass late in the 4th quarter and quite possibly won back his starting position. I never though Rex should be benched. And now I am going to be the one who says he deserves to start whenever the Bears play their next game.