The Chicago Bears will only go as far as QB Mitch Trubisky takes them in the 2020 NFL playoffs. And let’s be honest, it’s pretty surprising Trubisky has even led them to the wild card round to begin with. But here we are.
The Bears backed into next Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints thanks to an Arizona Cardinals loss in Week 17. They didn’t ‘earn’ it, in a traditional sense, by defeating the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on Sunday.
Chicago finished the year 8-8 — the same mark they ended 2019 with, which wasn’t good enough in the six-team playoff format to qualify for post-season play. And while it feels like a dazed and confusing reality to think the Bears are actually in the playoffs, Trubisky is in a good place — a good mental place — entering Sunday’s showdown against Drew Brees.
“I feel good. I feel like I’m in a good mental space,” Trubisky said after falling to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. “Obviously I’d like to do some things differently [Sunday] to give us a better chance to win. I feel like I’ve gotten better over these last couple weeks.”
Yes, Trubisky’s play has improved. But even an improved Trubisky doesn’t feel like enough to put the Bears over the top and into that contender bucket.
Trubisky completed 33-of-42 passes for 252 yards and one interception in Chicago’s 35-16 loss to the Packers in what amounted to a below-average performance from a player who’s universally viewed as a below-average starter.
But, again, here we are. The Bears, led by Trubisky, live to play another day. And they’re entering another week of preparation with similar talking points despite being in that good mental place Trubisky referred to after the game.
“The ball control part of it was good — staying on the field and converting first downs,” Trubisky said of the Bears’ offensive performance. “And where we can take it to the next level when you’re controlling the ball … is not settling for field goals. When we get to the red zone the most important thing for us is [scoring] a touchdown. So we’ve got to look at this game and see what we can do better this week.”