Mitchell Trubisky is on Thin Ice if He Can't Clean Up His Game Fast
By Scott Rogust
The Chicago Bears entered their 2019 season opener Thursday night with plenty of lofty expectations. With a brilliant defense and a plethora of weapons on offense, fans were surely settling in for a Pro Bowl performance from quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.
But throughout Thursday night's 10-3 loss to the rival Green Bay Packers, the signal-caller proved over and over again that he has some maturing left to do.
These are the throws Trubisky has to hit to be a viable NFL starter. Terrible placement pic.twitter.com/dMJYVHFl3Z
— Ian Wharton (@NFLFilmStudy) September 6, 2019
In his 2019 debut, Trubisky completed 26-of-45 pass attempts for 228 yards and 1 interception. Don't get us wrong, Trubisky he did throw some good passes during the game, showing that he does indeed have an arm.
Yet, the former 2017 second overall pick showcases a lack of awareness on who's open on plays, as he's focused on one target. In one particular moment, he was scrambling toward the left sideline and had a receiver wide open past the first-down marker-- but he didn't even see him.
Instead, he ran out of bounds for a minimal gain.
I said this before the start of the season & I’ll say it again. No excuses for Trubisky anymore. Plain & simple.
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) September 6, 2019
He either figures this shit out soon or Ryan Pace better figure out how to not blow a competitive window due to an inadequate QB. #Bears
In all, Trubisky targeted Allen Robinson 13 times, Tarik Cohen 10 times, and Mike Davis 7 times. Six other receivers were targeted five times or fewer. The Packers saw what was happening and put up a suffocating effort.
Tramon Williams said “we knew if we could get Mitchell Trubisky to play quarterback we could win.”
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) September 6, 2019
On deep passes, Trubisky was far from accurate. On throws greater than 10 yards, the Bears quarterback completed just 5-of-18 attempts, as illustrated by NFL Next Gen Stats.
So, Trubisky was 5-for-18 on throws of 10 yards or more? Yikes. pic.twitter.com/NcZIkxpi75
— Justin Carter (@juscarts) September 6, 2019
A lot of Trubisky's inefficiencies on Thursday night may ultimately be attributed to head coach Matt Nagy refusing to play him in preseason action. The QB doesn't have to be in the game for a lengthy amount of time; just give him handful of snaps, coach.
Trubisky was rusty, and it was evident in this national football showcase.
What was also evident: you can’t just cancel preseason games when you are either learning a new offense or a QB like Mitchell Trubisky.
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 6, 2019
The teams that can get by without it are the exception, not the rule.
It’s also important for coaches, decision making and clock management. pic.twitter.com/Q3SKi1F3Hc
Mitchell Trubisky simply has to succeed this season given all the talent surrounding him on both sides of the ball. There's still plenty of time for him to get the rust off, but if these trends continue throughout the season, the Bears' hopes of making the Super Bowl will vanish.