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Rookie QB Making Headway in the Windy City

Kyle Orton who was selected by the Chicago Bears as the 106th pick of the NFL draft has already been making a name for himself as one of the top young quarterbacks in the league. With Orton in the lineup the Bears are 7-3. Orton got the starting job after Rex Grossman went down with an injury at the beginning of the seasons. In addition to leading the Bears to 7 consecutive victories already this season, Orton has also set a Bears rookie record for touchdown passes and yardage.

The 23 tear old Orton has always been a natural at sports, lettering in basketball, track and tennis, in addition to football, at Southeast Polk High School in his hometown. Coming out of school, Orton was ranked the 2nd best quarterback in the nation before attending Purdue University where he majored in history and quarterbacked the Boilermakers to a 9-4 overall record in 2003 as well as a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten Conference and an appearance in the Capital One Bowl.

In addition to Orton, Chicago has another newcomer who is eager o learn and improve. Rookie runningback Cedric Benson is also battling his way to the top during his NFL rookie season with the Chicago Bears. Although still basking in the glow of his success he enjoyed at Texas, where he became the sixth all-time leading rusher in NCAA Division 1-A history, Benson also agrees that he has much to learn and hopes and dreams of a very successful NFL career.

Since joining the ranks of the NFL, playing for the Chicago Bears, Orton was named as starting quarterback by coach Lovie Smith, following Orton?s strong performance in the Bears? 16-12 win over Buffalo, in which he led an 81-yard scoring drive, completed 2 interceptions and three sacks.