SAFETY FIRST
Mitch a mixed bag vs. Broncos with fumbled snap in end zone, TD pass and interception
DENVER — The Bears wouldn’t have started their second series at their 5-yard line Saturday night if returner Cre’Von LeBlanc had let the punt bounce instead of calling a fair catch.
They wouldn’t have moved backward toward their own end zone if Jordan Howard had not been tackled for a loss of four yards on first down.
The running back gained two back on second down, but right tackle Bobby Massie negated the gain with a false start on the next play.
That’s why, in the first quarter of a 24-23 preseason victory against the Denver Broncos, quarterback Mitch Trubisky stood in the middle of his end zone, waiting for a snap on third-and-13.
And how, despite Cody Whitehair’s snap hitting him in both hands, the quarterback dropped the ball and had to corral it in the end zone for a Broncos safety.
Trubisky’s bobble did no favors to friend Whitehair, who, with second-round pick James Daniels focusing on second-string center, continued to struggle with accurate snaps all week. His snap Saturday was certainly catchable.
“It was right on target,” coach Matt Nagy said. “You can see it. If you look at it in slow motion, [Trubisky] pulled his eyes away.”
The safety ended the ugliest series in a preseason game that will be best-remembered because of injuries to tight end Adam Shaheen and linebacker Leonard Floyd.
After losing their first two preseason games, the Bears had plenty of blame to go around in their third. Their defense allowed the Broncos’ offensive starters to score a touchdown and a field goal, totaling 150 yards on 21 plays before quarterback Case Keenum sat down.
The most important developments were the gains — and mistakes — during the first extended look that Trubisky and his starting offense were granted this preseason. The Bears wanted to see progress from their first-team unit after it totaled four yards over two series the week before. The Bears leapt over that low bar, fumble and all.
Nagy said that his goal was to make sure his offense got into rhythm.
“For the most part, I thought Mitch and those guys did a pretty good job,” he said.
Making his preseason debut, running back Howard gained 32 yards on nine carries, appearing to feel as at home in a spread offense as he was in college at Indiana.
Tight end Trey Burton looked every bit the team’s top tight end, catching a 19-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second quarter and finishing with 45 yards on four catches.
Even receiver Kevin White, who was still on the field in the second half, showed flashes of creativity when negotiating yards after the catch. White helped draw a 37-yard pass-interference penalty in the first quarter when, after running open behind cornerback Isaac Yiadom, he fought back toward the ball when Trubisky underthrew him.
The flag led to Burton’s touchdown, which capped Trubisky’s most impressive drive of the night: a five-play, 75-yard march.
The second-year quarterback was sharper than he was the week before, when he went 2-for-4 for four yards. He completed 9-for-14 passes for 90 yards, one touchdown and one interception that wasn’t entirely his fault.
A better cut from running back Tarik Cohen over the middle, and Broncos safety Justin Simmons doesn’t cut underneath him to pick off Trubisky on what would be his final throw of the night.
“[Cohen] was going to cut inside, and, for whatever reason, he felt the defender cut in front of him, he stopped,” Nagy said.
Trubisky’s final test — the league’s “dress rehearsal” — comes Saturday against the Chiefs at Soldier Field.
“Just gotta go back to work, continue to get better,” Trubisky said. “We’re still hiding a bunch of good stuff, too.”