Mitch Trubisky is a perfectionist. He wants every throw he makes in every practice or game to be crisp and on target. That’s the way a quarterback must be in the NFL. The fact that Matt Nagy has to pull him aside at times and say it’s okay to make a mistake is a good thing. It means Trubisky is striving for greatness and setting the bar high for himself. The higher he reaches, the more the Chicago Bears are bound to accomplish.
That was his goal in 2018. If he couldn’t be perfect, strive to get better. That is what he did. After a rough rookie season, he ascended with an all-around good second year including 3,800 total yards and 27 touchdowns. This earned him Pro Bowl alternate status and an 11-3 record as the starter. Over that span, he made plenty of impressive passes.
The deep shots to Taylor Gabriel in Miami. That back shoulder gem to Anthony Miller against the Jets. The drop in the bucket to Allen Robinson in the playoffs to set up the ill-fated Cody Parkey field goal. All were excellent, but none of them was his personal favorite. According to Nick Greene of Chicago Magazine, that honor was reserved for a special one.
Trubisky’s favorite pass from last season is a prime example of the former. It came in the 14th game, against the Packers, when he hit tight end Trey Burton on a corner route in the fourth quarter for a touchdown and the lead. “I feel like I ripped that one. I just threw it so decisively,” he says. “We knew we were going to win after that.” The victory clinched the Bears’ first NFC North title in eight years.
Mitch Trubisky again shows his appreciation for Bears history
Trubisky has good taste. In terms of the throw being highlight-reel material, it ranks lower on the totem pole. From a pure football perspective, it was merely a well-executed play. Trubisky took the snap, hit his back step and turned it loose to Trey Burton who was open for a touchdown. A good play by all. It showed how much the quarterback had progressed in terms of his mechanics and ability to deliver in the clutch.
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Where that pass gains far greater traction is in who it came against. Trubisky knew about the Green Bay Packers shadow. It had hung over the Bears since the moment he was drafted. Trubisky proceeded to endure two of the toughest losses in the rivalry’s recent history. First at the hands of the Brett Hundley-led offense in 2017 and then the furious 20-point rally in the 4th quarter at Lambeau Field last year.
That pass gave the Bears the lead and ultimately won them the division. Beating Green Bay to do it made it extra special.
