ST. LOUIS - The Chicago Bears insisted Rex Grossman's broken ankle has not put the franchise in panic mode.

"We're going with the hand that we dealt ourselves," general manager Jerry Angelo said. "We said that going in and we're comfortable with it. If we're contingent on just one player then obviously we didn't build this team to win."

Less than a year after Grossman ruptured a ligament in his right knee in the third game last season, the Chicago quarterback broke his left ankle Friday night in the Bears' 17-13 exhibition loss to the St. Louis Rams.

He will need surgery and is expected to be sidelined three to four months.

"We're not feeling sorry for ourselves," coach Lovie Smith said. "We're minus one of our players but we have a lot of other players who will step up to the plate."

The Bears' starter now is unproven Chad Hutchinson, and Angelo refused to second-guess his decision not to sign a proven veteran backup in the offseason while passing on the likes of Kurt Warner, Brad Johnson and Jay Fiedler.

As for Grossman, he said he'd just try to stay positive.

"I feel like this is another bad thing that happened but I know great things are going to happen for me," he said. "I can just feel it. I feel like I've been through hell and I'm going to come out of it and good things are going to happen."

Grossman's injury is the latest hit for a franchise that has a history of quarterback problems, using at least three in six of the last seven seasons. Last year, the Bears' passing attack was lost without Grossman.

The NFL's worst offense was mostly to blame for a 5-11 record in Smith's first season as coach, the Bears finishing with more lost fumbles (21) than offensive touchdowns (19). They were ranked last in six major statistical categories, including scoring and total yards.

The Bears addressed the offense in the draft, but running back Cedric Benson, the team's first-round pick, remains unsigned.

Grossman, a former Heisman Trophy runner-up and first-round pick in 2003, flashed promise last September before being lost for the season.

Hutchinson was 1-4 last year as the starter. Also on the roster are rookie Kyle Orton, Kurt Kittner and Ryan Dinwiddie.

So, some of the Bears sensed disaster when a limping Grossman signaled for a trainer with 11:08 to go in the first half after a 4-yard completion to Darnell Sanders.

"I began praying as soon as he hit the field," said wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad, who was added in the offseason to boost the passing game.

Grossman had been flushed from the pocket by Jeremy Loyd and Trev Faulk and then spun and dropped by Faulk, initially getting back to his feet before slumping to the turf and grabbing his left knee in pain. Grossman slammed his helmet on the cart that took him off the field, a clear signal that something was seriously wrong.

"I knew right away and I was kind of in denial to start with," Grossman said. "I tried to walk it off but I heard a pop. I got caught in one of those situations where someone kind of twisted me and sat on my leg and you know, what are you going to do?"

Smith was the Rams' defensive coordinator from 2001-03, and some of the Rams felt his pain.

"I'm just heartsick about Rex Grossman," coach Mike Martz said. "That's a coach's nightmare, that's a team's' nightmare. To have this happen is devastating."

Rams offensive tackle Rex Tucker played for the Bears from 1999-04.

"It's terrible to see that happen to a guy," Tucker said. "I just hope he keeps his head up and perseveres through it. He's the kind of guy who will do that, though."

Grossman was 6-for-11 for 52 yards before leaving the scoreless game. He was replaced by Hutchinson, who led the Bears to their only first-half score on the same drive.

Hutchinson, a former major league pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals and one-time starter with the Dallas Cowboys, said he was ready for the challenge. He noted he has been getting almost as many practice reps as Grossman.

"It's go time," Hutchinson said. "I'm ready for it. I'm ready to roll."

Hutchinson added that there was no pressure.

"I've got nothing to lose," Hutchinson said. "In my mind I've been preparing to be the starter every day, so this isn't a change of mind-set for me.

"I wasn't going in saying I can't wait to be a backup, I was going in saying 'Hey, I'm going to push Rex as hard as I can and prepare myself to be the starter.'"