LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Let the fans boo and the critics ramble. Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith refused to budge Monday. He’s sticking with Rex Grossman as his starting quarterback.

A day after the Bears wrapped up their second straight NFC North championship, Grossman’s lowly performance in a 23-13 win over the Vikings still was the main topic. A 1.3 quarterback rating and three more interceptions increased the clamoring for a change to veteran Brian Griese.

Grossman’s shaky outing took the edge off clinching a playoff spot and left many wondering if he could return to the way he played the first five weeks of the season instead of continuing on his present course.

“We are not making a change. … Rex didn’t play as well as he needed to yesterday. It was a bad game for us, bad game for Rex,” Smith said Monday after reviewing tape.

Grossman was booed in the preseason but won NFC offensive player of the month for September. In his first five games, he threw for 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.

But in a Monday night game at Arizona when the Bears rallied for a 24-23 victory, the Cardinals pressured Grossman into four interceptions, showing other teams how to attack the Bears defensively. Grossman then had a rash of turnovers in losses to Miami and New England. In the last seven games, he has eight TD passes and 14 INTs.

“I’m thinking too much, trying to analyze things too much and making it more complicated than it is,” Grossman said Sunday after completing 6 of 19 passes for 34 yards. “It’s a lot easier when you just go and play and react.”

Smith said Grossman hasn’t lost his confidence but it’s obvious he’s thinking about his play. And sitting Grossman down for a couple of games wouldn’t resolve the issue, the coach said.

“I just don’t know how much you get from the sidelines. I think you get better playing,” Smith said.

Offensive coordinator Ron Turner suggested that Grossman could turn it around as quickly as his play has soured over the last several weeks. That seems to be what the Bears are looking for in their patient approach with their young quarterback.

“I’ve seen Rex play well. And that’s what you have to go on. We have a lot of football left to go, we’re just getting ready to start the last quarter of the season,” Smith said. “I think he will get back to that point.”

The Bears (10-2) still have plenty to play for – best record in the NFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

They play at St. Louis on Monday and if they win, coupled with losses by the Cowboys and Seahawks, they will secure a first-round bye.