Kyle, Rex, and Brian - Why?

Dr. X post this from The Baddest Part of Town:

"Sorry, one more on Bears quarterbacks. This is interesting to me because the bottom of the IAYPA ratings is not stable - the worst five or six performers are always hustled off the stage in short order. Except in Chicago. In Chicago they hold the job all season - and then are replaced by someone just as awful. TMQ asks the question on everyone's mind:

As for Grossman -- I mean Griese -- what is it about being a Chicago Bear that devours quarterbacks? This team has not had a top passer since Jim McMahon, and even he was effective mainly because defenses were stacking up against Walter Payton. All three of Griese's interceptions were terrible throws forced into double or triple coverage. You'd think a team with decent defense, four blocked kicks already this season and two kick return touchdowns would be flying high. In case you're wondering, Chicago's third quarterback is Kyle Orton, who was good at Purdue but, upon arriving with the Bears, immediately became terrible.

"Well, a couple of thoughts.

• "The Bears have always been a rough, tough, physical team. Maybe passing doesn't, how you say, fit their culture? But I reject this hypothesis. The Steelers have had excellent play at the quarterback position, yet are not viewed as a finesse team. Ditto the Schottenheimer San Diego Chargers. In fact, the commitment to the running game should open up opportunities for the passer.
  
• "Preparation has been an issue. Grossman said last year: 'It's the last game, it's New Year's Eve and there were so many other factors that brought my focus away from what is actually important.'
  
• "Orton, Griese, and Grossman - the entire quarterbacking unit - have drunk life to the lees. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I myself have downed a few, and then a few more, many many times. Butnot as a highly-paid member of a professional sports team. When you think about the physical dangers of being a quarterback, it's somewhat amazing to me that these guys would do anything that could slow their reflexes during football season.

"The common thread here has to be coaching. Someone, at the start of the season looked at this group of quarterbacks - and said 'this is just the group of guys we want.' And all of these men had played well before they got to Chicago. Orton, as TMQ notes, played well at Purdue. Grossman was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy (and maybe should have won). Griese may be an NFL nomad now, but he led the league in passing in 2000 and as recently as 2004 had a 97.5 passer rating in Tampa Bay.

"And yet they accomplish nothing. They are, as a group, noteworthy for their poor performance. As have been all prior Bears quarterbacks. I've been running IAYPAs for five years - and a there's always a Bear near the bottom.

"I root for Brian Griese - I think he will play better the next few games, and if he can stay healthy he might even play very well. When healthy and focused, he's had good seasons. If not...well, there are always quarterbacks around. And Jake Plummer's not doing anything right now...he might need the money..."