One of the bigger controversies of the NFL offseason is the release of the Madden 2020 player ratings. More than a few stars around the league feel like they got hosed including Akiem Hicks who came away with a mere 87. This despite a Pro Bowl campaign and widespread adoration by noted football people. Yet one guy who got laughably disrespected more than most was Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
Here’s someone who went into the 2018 season with a 74 overall rating. Not a surprise given his uneven rookie year. He then proceeds to win 11 games, account for over 3,700 total yards and 27 touchdowns while winning a division title. He gets elected as an alternate to the Pro Bowl and sets a franchise record for single-season passer rating and most yards passed in a playoff game.
One would think this would’ve been enough to spike his rating a bit. Maybe into the low 80s. It was here Madden once again proved their lack of groundwork, handing him a 75. Just one point higher than the start of last season. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk found that number ridiculous.
“The folks at Madden don’t believe in Trubisky, slapping him with a 75 rating. He’s clearly much better than that; he completed 66.6 percent of his passes, he threw 24 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions, and he averaged 7.4 yards per attempt. He added 421 rushing yards, averaging 6.2 per run.
Ultimately, the question for 2019 will be whether Trubisky is good enough to elevate the entire offense, to complement (and boost) the defense, and to play the foundation for not just another home playoff game but maybe a bye week — and maybe a postseason victory. Opposing defenses will have had a full year’s worth of film to digest and dissect; Nagy’s ability to counter that and Trubisky’s ability to execute that plan becomes the key.”
Mitch Trubisky has the best chance yet to silence the doubters
The fact is Madden is hardly a barometer of understanding great quarterbacks. This is the same game franchise that gave Rex Grossman an 85 rating for their 2007 edition. Why? Probably because he played in the Super Bowl. Whether they admit it or not, the ratings are too often tied to team success rather than individual capability. The 2018 Bears were known best for their suffocating defense. Trubisky, fair or not, was viewed as a passenger.
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This coming season will be his opportunity to prove this was not the case. His head is no longer spinning from the complexity of the offense. He has a firm connection with his top receivers. Best of all, he’s far more confident after finishing so strong last season with his tremendous playoff performance. Trubisky knows he can play in the NFL. Now it’s about working to take his game to the next level.
