It’s clear Matt Nagy is serious when he plans to use the preseason to make a big roster decision. The Chicago Bears head coach hasn’t hidden the fact he isn’t the biggest fan of August football. He’d much rather focus on keeping his starters healthy than getting them some extra snaps in meaningless games. However, after a sloppy 2019 season, he seems to have changed his tune. Especially with the quarterback competition between Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles set to begin.
Nagy has preached the Chicago Bears plan to conduct a fair battle. That means the preseason will be the likely battlefield. Coaches will get to see both QBs is game conditions. Of course, that could prove a challenge if the NFL shortens the preseason as many expect. Even so, whatever games are played could prove vital to Trubisky or Foles swinging momentum their way.
That raises an interesting question. Does either player have a tendency to play well in those types of games? After examining the past three seasons between the two, that is a definite yes.
Mitch Trubisky has much more preseason success than Foles
Let’s just say the preseason has not been kind to Nick Foles in the past three years. In 2017, he didn’t play a single game in August due to an elbow injury. Since then between his stints with Philadelphia and Jacksonville, he’s gone a combined 22-of-36 for 219 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.
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Trubisky? He seems to have handled such games far better. Between 2017 and 2018, he went 47-of-71 for 458 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Most know that he wasn’t allowed to throw a single pass last year. Yet the discrepancy is already obvious enough.
A big reason for the difference is Trubisky’s improvisational skill. His ability to create plays on his own using his legs, buying extra time. This is not a luxury afforded by Foles. He needs good structure and steady protection to be at his best. Two things that aren’t always in ample supply during the preseason.
He better hope that trend doesn’t continue this year or his hopes of unseating Trubisky could be foiled.