Things could be a lot worse for the Chicago Bears, even if it doesn’t feel that way. They’re 5-3, have one of the NFL’s best all-around defenses, and are only one game behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.
Still, it doesn’t feel like this team is capable of competing with this year’s likely playoff field. The offense just isn’t good enough, and it starts at quarterback where veteran Nick Foles has failed in his attempt to provide stability and an uptick in production.
Sunday’s overtime loss to the Saints was, essentially, the worst-case scenario for the Bears’ quarterback dilemma. It became abundantly clear early in the game that Foles’ statuesque pocket presence was a liability for Chicago, and his failures as a passer throughout the game left fans wondering if Mitch Trubisky would get another shot behind center.
Trubisky’s ability as a runner certainly would’ve helped the Bears’ painfully bad offensive line and would’ve at least kept New Orleans’ pass rush honest because of the threat he presents with his legs.
But the change never came, and while Foles did heat up late in the game and managed to keep the Bears alive for an extra period of play, the bad part of his career resume — five teams in nine years — was easy to understand.
Before we go rewriting history, it would be unfair to ignore the fact that Trubisky had more than a fair opportunity to prove to the Bears and their fanbase that he was ‘the guy.’ He had 44 starts. And he was more bad than good during that stretch. But at a critical point in the 2020 season, it’s now or never; if Trubisky will ever be the guy, it’s now.
And Bears fans are eager to see if he can do it.
I ran a poll on Twitter Sunday night that asked Bears fans who they want as the team’s starting quarterback moving forward. More than 500 faithful responded, and the results were overwhelmingly in Trubisky’s favor:
Should the Bears go back to Mitch Trubisky as the starting QB?
— Bryan Perez (@BryanPerezNFL) November 2, 2020
Sure, this isn’t a scientific poll, and any question that’s asked after a bitter defeat requires context. But these results aren’t close; the fans want Trubisky back in the lineup.
Your move, Nagy. Your move.