Bears Better Clean up Their Act Before Regular Season Starts

The Chicago Bears and their fans have hopes as high as any team in the NFL heading into the 2019 season. They're fresh off of their first playoff appearance in eight years, and they've got the league's best defense and a quarterback entering his second season in a great offensive system.

There should be no reason for the club to worry, but training camp has some observers pretty concerned about the state of the team now that opening day is fast approaching. For one, third-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky seems to be experiencing some serious growing pains.

Bears are
• "scaling back the offense"
• "sticking with familiar plays"

This is a red flag considering how the Nagy/Trubisky offense tailed off last year

Games w success rate 52%+
Passes: 3 of first 5, 3 of last 12
Rushes: 6 of first 7, 2 of last 10https://t.co/PJtnavA9rR
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 12, 2019

If anything, you would expect head coach Matt Nagy and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to ratchet up the complexity of the offensive system as Trubisky gets more and more comfortable in it. If they believe he's ready to be a franchise QB, the coaching staff ought to be comfortable turning Mitchell loose this season to take the offense to a new level.

Unfortunately, Nagy is "scaling back the offense" and "sticking with familiar plays." This is a bad sign that the coach believes Trubisky is not ready to carry a bigger load, something a third-year signal caller should be able to handle-- particularly after leading his team to a division title last season. Trubisky's talent level is unquestioned, but his dubious decision-making and inconsistent accuracy with a clean pocket raise questions about his ability to make the next step.

Chicago Tribune on #Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky’s third training camp:

“Hasn’t exactly passed the eye test. ... Too many INTs, too many throws off the mark, and too many days where the QB and his offense have been uneven.”https://t.co/u07ByW9rXj
— Evan Silva (@evansilva) August 12, 2019

But quarterback isn't the only issue facing the Bears; they've now endured two fights already in training camp, including one that got veteran Kyle Long tossed from practice. Scuffles are bound to happen in such a physical sport, but the fighting needs to stop before someone gets hurt or team chemistry is irreparably damaged.

Chicago's ceiling is very high this season, and they could be a legitimate title contender if they get their act together. But if the preseason is any indication, poor quarterback play and an explosive locker room environment could spell doom for the Bears' championship aspirations.