Mitch Trubisky disappointed a lot of people last Thursday night. The expectations were off the charts. Here’s a quarterback in his third year. He’s coming off a Pro Bowl alternate season where he had the highest single-season passer rating in Chicago Bears history. It gave people so much hope that they might finally have the franchise guy they’d been hoping for since Harry Truman was president. Instead, they got an uncomfortable flashback to darker times.
Trubisky was off his game all night against the Green Bay Packers. He missed a number of opportunities, looked uncomfortable in the pocket and managed just three points, tying for the lowest of his young career. He finished with 228 yards and an interception. It’s certain he came off lucky. It easily could’ve been four interceptions if the Packers defenders could actually catch the ball consistently.
For many, it was a damning moment. Once again on primetime television against a good opponent, Trubisky was unequal to the task. It was a sign that he isn’t what the Bears had hoped he’d be. Just another failed draft pick who wasn’t equal to the task. It’s easy to understand such an emotional reaction after years of quarterback ineptitude at the position in Chicago.
However, there is something to keep in mind here. Something that might ease fears about where Trubisky is, and where he might still be headed.
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Mitch Trubisky is notorious for slow starts
Knee-jerk reactions say Trubisky hasn’t changed at all. This is true, just not in the way people think. If one followed the young quarterback for long enough, they’d realize that he is actually rather notorious for slow starts to a season. This goes all the way back to his days in high school. For those who followed his draft coverage, they’ll remember that he was named Mr. Ohio Football as a senior in 2012. A tremendous accomplishment and well-deserved.
What people might not remember is how that year started. In his first game, Trubisky threw for just 197 yards including two interceptions. Thankfully he threw two touchdowns and ran for another to make up for it. The next week? He had 400 yards passing with three touchdowns.
College? Same deal. Trubisky opened his one and only season as the starter for North Carolina against Georgia at home. There were no signs of the future #2 overall pick that day. He managed just 156 yards on 24-of-40 passing with a rushing touchdown being his lone highlight in a 33-24 loss. The next week he went 19-of-24 for 265 yards with two touchdowns throwing and two rushing against Illinois.
Catching onto the trend yet?
Now comes 2017. His rookie debut against Minnesota on Monday Night. He manages 128 yards with a touchdown and an interception with a 61.0 passer rating. The next week, on the road in Baltimore, he throws for 113 yards and a touchdown including the decisive completion in overtime to set up the game-winning field goal.
Onward to 2018. Against the Packers at Lambeau, he posts a pedestrian 171 yards and a rushing touchdown. He also fumbled twice. The next week against Seattle he had two interceptions, but threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns, completing over 73% of his passes. This paints a fairly clear picture. Trubisky is not a sprinter. Fast starts aren’t his strength. He’s more of a marathon runner, somebody who finds his groove as the race goes on.
If nothing else, this is proof that the best thing to do is wait and see. There are 15 games left. Plenty of time for the young quarterback to find his footing and start playing as many expected him to this year.
