Fans Don't See How Significant the Bears Win in Cincinnati Was

The Chicago Bears win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday was a welcome relief from weeks of depression. Most people felt that this December was going to be a death march to the finish with nothing more than watching a team go through the motions. Instead fans were treated to an early Christmas present as their beloveds absolutely demolished a playoff hopeful in their own building 33-7. The Bears moved to 3-0 against the AFC North this season, a baffling record given they're 1-9 against the rest of the teams they've played. Either way it was one of those games that sort of came from nowhere. After the disheartening loss to San Francisco, most felt the desperate Bengals were going to roll over a listless and depleted team. Instead the Bears seemed to have run out of craps to give and just went on the attack all afternoon. Cincinnati's defense had no answer for their balanced, and shockingly creative offensive attack. Even worse an offense featuring Pro Bowlers like A.J. Green and Andy Dalton were shut down by a defense missing almost half its original starters. Yet people still aren't quite seeing the big picture of what that win represents.

Mitch Trubisky performance caught the eye of prospective coaches

Much of it has to do with the young Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky. For the first time this season the #2 overall pick was the one who took charge of the game. From the opening snap he was in full command of the offense. Chicago marched up and down the field all game long. Trubisky was at the center of it, delivering impressive throw after impressive throw. [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.sportsmockery.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Mitchell-Trubisky-Leads-His-Team-to-a-Big-Win-vs.-Cincy-Bears-vs.-Bengals-Wk-14-Player-HLs.mp4"][/video] He finished the day with 271 yards, a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown. It was his best performance of the season. Cold weather? Road environment? No playoff prospects? None of that deterred him from doing what he did and the timing couldn't be better. Everybody knows the Bears are likely to be in the market for a new head coach come January. One thing that attracts the best candidates, more than lots of money, is the opportunity to have a quality quarterback in place. Especially a young one. Trubisky already has a reputation as a leader and tireless worker. Now he's starting to put it on film, and that will open doors for the Bears to almost any candidate they may wish.

Road win in Cincy is usually a sign of things to come

Now for the superstitious fringe of Bears fandom there's an extra nugget to take home. In the history of the two franchises, Chicago has played in Cincinnati a total of five times. They've won three of those games. Each of those wins could be called a harbinger of future success. In 1986 they stomped the Bengals 44-7 and would make the playoffs four of the next five years. In 2001 they shut them out 24-0. That year they won the division and a few seasons later began their climb to the Super Bowl. Will that trend of future good fortune continue?