There were a lot of heroes on Sunday that sparked the Chicago Bears’ incredible 17-point rally in the 4th quarter to stun the Detroit Lions. Mitch Trubisky was at the heart of it. He threw the three touchdowns over the final 15 minutes. Anthony Miller made the sensational catch to get the lead. Kyle Fuller had the interception leading to the go-ahead score. Jaylon Johnson knocked away the final Lions attempt to steal back the win. So how does Nick Foles factor into this?
He was part of the quarterback competition. It was close but he ended up losing to Trubisky. It’s hard to understand how he could’ve influenced the outcome of that game. This is where all the stuff Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy said about his unique personality came into play. Foles from the beginning said his primary goal was to help the Bears win football games. If that meant starting? Great.
However, if that meant being the backup and helping Trubisky in any way possible? He’d do that too. Peter King of NBC Sports revealed that Trubisky told him how vital Foles was in that comeback at Ford Field.
“I was quiet, but I was happy. Really happy. Playing in the NFL is a dream come true for me. I will never take it for granted. At the same time, I’m totally grateful for Nick. He’a an amazing teammate. Here we are, in this competition this summer, and he’d say to me out on the field, ‘Wow, great throw! Awesome! You’re trusting it now, you’re seeing it.’ He’s given me so many enlightening points. He’s a guy I want in my corner.”
Trubisky did seem to channel Nick Foles late
Perhaps the biggest influence Foles had on the 26-year old showed up late in the game. It seemed like the more time ticked down, the better Trubisky executed. He got hotter as the game grew tighter. That is a common trademark of Foles across most of his career. He found ways to maintain calm and poise even when he struggled. Trubisky embodied that mentality in the 4th quarter.
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Perhaps nothing exemplified their relationship better than their first meeting in the locker room after the win.
Minutes after Bears 27, Lions 23, Nick Foles found Trubisky in the locker room. Foles smiled.
“Whew!” Foles said. “What a month we’ve been through!”
That is a mood right there. Two guys who had to endure COVID-19, no offseason activities, and a competition in a limited number of practices. It would’ve been so easy to get off on the wrong foot. Instead, they both pulling in the same direction.