Louis Riddick was as vocal a supporter of Mitch Trubisky in 2018 as anybody in the media could be. He genuinely felt the Chicago Bears quarterback was capable of being a star, especially after what he saw in the second half of the playoff game against Philadelphia. So one can imagine how heartbroken he was watching the kid flounder so badly through the first half of this season. It got so hard to watch that Riddick admitted he was wrong about Trubisky.
Then things started to shift. From the second half of the New York Giants game, Trubisky just seemed to start executing better. He scored five touchdowns between that game and the win on Thanksgiving over the Detroit Lions. Still, people weren’t impressed. Riddick even said that those performances were merely traps to lure people back into thinking he might have finally figured things out.
Then the Dallas Cowboys game happened. Trubisky was a one-man show all night, throwing three touchdown passes and running for another. Chicago racked up 31 points and stunned the NFC East leaders. All anybody could do watching was stare in disbelief. Riddick included. After the game, he appears on ESPN Get Up to discuss what happened.
His reaction tells the whole story.
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Louis Riddick is right to question where that Mitch went
There are plenty of theories as to where exactly that version of Trubisky disappeared to the first two months of the season. Some think it was the shoulder injury he suffered against Minnesota. He was just starting to gain some momentum with a good game in Washington and then got hurt. That may have affected his confidence somewhat. Others think the disappointing loss to Green Bay on opening night where he looked completely lost at times was the big factor. On a night where the world was watching and the hype was sky high, he failed to deliver.
Then some just thought defenses had figured out how to play him.
Yet something has changed. Trubisky isn’t just back to playing as he did in 2018 when he was running around making plays. He’s executing with more efficiency than he ever has. Riddick is correct. What stands out the most is the throws he’s making from the pocket. Something that was a constant struggle not just for the first half of this year but throughout most of his career. It feels like the 25-year old has figured something out. Whether that continues moving forward is the big question.
Riddick, like all of us, is anxious to see what happens.
