THE RISE AND FALL AND RISE OF MITCH TRUBISKY
Bears’ offense has had weapons all along, but it didn’t find its identity until Trubisky found his — now everything is clicking
The Bears are convinced they have an offensive identity for the first time in Matt Nagy’s three seasons. And while it’s not quite the offense Nagy envisioned when he was hired in 2018, it works for him.
With a consistently productive running game behind David Montgomery, improved first- down production, an efficient if not prolific quarterback in Mitch Trubisky and an emerging tight end in rookie Cole Kmet, the Bears have averaged 30.5 points per game and 6.1 yards per play in four games since Trubisky replaced Nick Foles at quarterback.
Bears fans have been fooled before, and the offense has a lot to prove — such as whether it can produce like this against a defense that doesn’t rank in the bottom half of the NFL.
But Nagy feels as if he has something to work with. He has spent three seasons installing an offense, molding Trubisky in the vision of his offense, awkwardly trying to integrate a running game with a back who didn’t fit the prototype of the Andy Reid offense ( Jordan Howard) and one who does ( Montgomery). He spent most of last year trying to run Reid’s offense without a tight end — a near- impossible task.
Before, they were running an offense. Now, they feel they have an identity.
“You love when you can use that word and feel good about it,” Nagy said. “Between our players … and the scheme of what we’re doing and then making it go in motion and having it produce points on game day — when you have all three of those clicking, you are able to use a little more of the word ‘ identity’ and have more confidence.”
The whole identity thing might seem like balderdash or coach- speak to some, but to coaches such as Nagy, it’s invaluable because it helps create the kind of infectious confidence that helps make success — and progress — self- perpetuating.
So what’s the next step? It’s time for the Bears to take their newfound identity out for a spin and see just how far and how fast it can go. This is where legitimate offenses keep defenses off balance and stay one step ahead. For the first time in Nagy’s three seasons, he’s working from strength. This is where he shows what he’s got.
“It’s hard finding that identity,” Nagy said. “When you find that identity, it starts clicking. Instead of searching, trying to figure out what that identity is, you build off it.
“And here’s the other thing — you can feel the players in practice; you can feel the players on game day; you can feel the energy. You can feel it with the coaches. Everybody is in the same line of thought. We’re all thinking the same. We’re all speaking the same language. If a bad play happens, there’s no negativity. It’s positive vibes. And that’s what has helped.”
Against a Jaguars defense that ranks 32nd and last in the NFL in yards and 30th in points allowed, the Bears and Trubisky have an opportunity to do something good offenses do — impose its will. Zig when the defense zags. Toy with somebody as the good teams do. They’re finally in the right spot to do that. It’s time for all of Nagy’s cherished clichés to bear some fruit.
“It’s the mentality of the players, too. They’re in a really good place mentally,” Nagy said. “There’s a huge togetherness with them. And that was a struggle for a lot of this year.
“We were searching. But again — persistence over resistance from the coaches to the players to find solutions. We feel like we’ve found that, and all we can do is continue to keep doing that in these next two weeks and see what happens.”