If there’s one thing the Bears can take from watching championship Sunday from home, it’s motivation. Motivation to get back to their winning ways.
That, and a blueprint in how best to ensure a playoff reappearance and a possible Super Bowl run. Look no further than the Titans, who after a 2-4 start to the season are one win away from a Super Bowl appearance.
But if the Titans hadn’t made the decision to bench former No. 2 overall draft pick Marcus Mariota in favor of backup Ryan Tannehill, chances are they wouldn’t be in the position they are now.
Obviously when you draft a quarterback as high as the Titans did in Mariota you’re committed to getting the most out of him. But there comes a time when you have to make the best decision for your team when it comes to winning — and pursuing a championship. So the Titans pulled the trigger and benched Mariota. And since Tannehill took over on Oct. 13, the Titans offense has come to life and are playing in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game.
That’s something the Bears can learn with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who like Mariota is a former No. 2 overall draft pick and there’s been a lot invested in him. Trubisky hasn’t lived up to expectations in his three seasons, especially with his regression in 2019.
While there wasn’t much that went right on offense, including Trubisky, the Bears need to invest at the quarterback position in 2020 so they don’t continue to waste a championship-caliber defense.
The Bears made the right decision in not benching Trubisky in 2019, if only because he gave the team the best chance to win. Chase Daniel, while quite familiar with Matt Nagy’s system, wasn’t the better option. Tyler Bray wasn’t the answer either. Trubisky was the best quarterback on the roster.
But the Bears can’t rehash history in 2020, which makes this offseason an important one. They need to bring in competition for Trubisky — a veteran in free agency and then possibly a young prospect in the NFL Draft.
One of three things can happen in 2020.
- Trubisky turns things around in Year 3 of Nagy’s offense and, with the help of a dominant defense, lead the Bears back to the playoffs.
- Trubisky continues to struggle and is replaced by a viable backup that, who knows, might do enough to help the Bears make a return to the playoffs. Or, at the very least, inject some life into the offense.
- Trubisky struggles and is benched, and his replacement doesn’t fare much better. Although considering the changes made with the coaching staff, things shouldn’t be similar to what they were last season on offense.
While obviously Bears brass are banking on the first option, there’s no guarantee that a struggling Trubisky is going to magically put it altogether in Year 4. So having a veteran waiting in the wings isn’t the worst idea in the world.
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