Most people are ready to leave Mitch Trubisky for dead at this point. It’s not hard to see why. He has five touchdown passes in half an NFL season. His passer rating is far below what it was last year and it seems obvious from every vantage point that his confidence is at rock bottom after a four-game losing streak. Fans have had it. Not just with him but head coach Matt Nagy too. It was his job to turn Trubisky into a viable NFL starter and instead they get some of the most disappointing quarterback play seen in years.
Yet in spite of all that, there are still eight games to go. Anybody who has watched football for a long enough time knows a lot can change in eight games. It may be too late for the Bears to salvage their playoff hopes, but it’s not too late to rescue Trubisky. Sometimes all a guy needs is one really good performance to snap out of his funk. It looked like things were heading that way after the Washington win but he injured his shoulder the next week.
Nothing is certain with Trubisky, but if he ever had a prime opportunity to dig himself out of this hole, it will be Sunday. Why? The Detroit Lions are coming to town. While divisional games are never easy, Trubisky has actually loved playing the Lions at Soldier Field. In two games against them, he’s thrown for 434 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He also added a rushing touchdown.
Adding to this is the fact Detroit comes into this game with the 31st ranked pass defense. They’re also tied for the fifth-fewest sacks in the league. They’ve been great medicine for struggling quarterbacks all year.
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Mitch Trubisky won’t get a better chance to change his narrative
Rest assured, this is the last and best chance Trubisky will have to get himself off the mat. If he can build some momentum off this game, he’ll have the Rams (19th) and Giants (25th) pass defenses in quick succession. That might just be enough to get him rolling into December where he can hopefully finish strong. Maybe then the Bears fandom can be backed off the ledge and endure giving him one more chance in 2020. This would certainly ease the pressure on GM Ryan Pace who could save valuable resources to retool the roster around him.
One thing is for sure. If he delivers another clunker as he did in Philadelphia against this defense? It will only reinforce the beliefs around the country that he’s a lost cause. There is no reason for him to play poorly other than his own self-doubt. If he truly believes he can still be the guy, this is a game he has to take over and win. It may not save the season, but it might just be a critical step toward saving his career.
