[bears9]

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears quarterback Kyle Orton hopes that his performance in the final three games of the season at least earns him an opportunity to battle for the starting job in 2008.
“I’d like to have a chance to compete,” he said. “I think everybody in the locker room going into training camp wants a chance to show what they can do and show their improvements and get a chance, so we’ll leave that for a few months.”

In Orton's first two starts in two years, he has completed 30 of 52 passes for 285 yards with 1 TD and a 71.4 passer rating in a 20-13 loss to the Vikings and a 35-7 win over the Packers.
Entering Sunday’s season finale against the Saints, the former Purdue star has been sacked just once in two games and his interception on a desperation pass in Minnesota is his only turnover.
“My expectations were for him to go in and play very well,” said offensive coordinator Ron Turner.

“He’s improved a lot. He’s getting the ball up quicker. He’s improved his accuracy a lot, he’s improved his touch a lot. Those are the things he’s shown in practice that he’s improved and we expect him to go in the game and show that improvement, and I think he has.”
Coach Lovie Smith has been impressed with how well the 2005 fourth-round draft pick has taken care of the ball.
“We talk a lot about ball security, whether it’s through guys running with the football, protecting it that way, or not throwing interceptions, and that’s been Kyle’s history the entire time he’s played since he’s been here,” Smith said.
Orton played well in miserable weather conditions last Sunday against Green Bay. The 6-4, 217-pounder completed 8 of 14 passes for 101 yards with 1 TD and a stellar 103.6 passer rating while operating an offense that did not allow a sack or commit a turnover.

Orton hopes to battle for starting job in '08

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The only sure thing is Grossman is gone from there. Orton deserves at least a shot.