Here's What We Learned In Bears QB Mitch Trubisky's Debut

When the news broke that Chicago Bears coach John Fox pulled the plug on the Mike Glennon experiment and was rolling out prized rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky, the countdown to Monday Night Football officially turned into an eternity. I hadn’t been this excited for a game since Week 17 in 2013 against the Green Bay Packers. Sure, opening days are always exciting, but this was the first true nod to the future in years. Trubisky is the first rookie quarterback since Kyle Orton to start a game for the Bears. Of course, if Fox had his way, Mike Glennon starts tonight, and every other game this season. But thankfully he already blew his chance. And we moved to the future, starting tonight. Sure, circumstances were suboptimal. Throwing a rookie to a solid Minnesota Vikings defense under the bright lights of Monday Night Football is tough, but the reality is there was never going to be a perfect time to roll him out. He had to start somewhere.

The Bears ended up losing a heartbreaker to the Vikings. Here's what we learned in Trubisky's debut.

1. Mitch Trubisky looked fantastic on his opening drive. He made some incredible throws, including a big play on a rollout to Tre McBride that was negated by a holding penalty. Mike Glennon couldn’t have made many of the throws Trubisky did on just the opening drive, never mind extending plays with his feet. Chicago is able to resemble an NFL offense with Trubisky taking snaps.

2. I noted last week to expect the Bears defense to come out with some extra juice tonight. And they started the game on fire. They forced two 3-and-outs to start the game, and certainly got help from an inaccurate Sam Bradford. And then Leonard Floyd sacked Bradford in the end zone for a safety on drive three, despite good pass protection. The adrenaline was certainly showing early on. They have a real reason and quarterback to play hard for, and you can expect similar efforts the rest of this year, because this season has meaning.

3. The Bears commit so many penalties, it’s insane. That’s a sign of a poorly coached team. That falls on John Fox’s shoulders.

4. With that said, sorry, but the refs single-handedly killed a Bears drive. Holding on Markus Wheaton was questionable, at best. The OPI on Tre McBride? There was nothing there. Every ref misses a play. But on back to back plays? Come on. This game looks so much different if those plays stand. As they should have.

5. Circling back to Fox, what the hell was that fourth down sequence on the second drive? Facing 4^th-and-2, the Bears clearly hadn’t decided whether they were going for it. Then they got the play call out late. Then they called timeout. And then they continued to look stupid and got called for a delay of game. Unacceptably horrendous coaching from John Fox. And I don’t care how well the Bears do the rest of the season, they can’t allow Fox back next year. He wore out his welcome with his coaching a long time ago.

6. The Vikings offense looked completely different with Case Keenum under center to start the second half. I’m not sure whom the Bears prepared for this week to be under center for Minnesota, but it was clear they were on their heels against Keenum.

7. John Timu left the game with a horrific injury in the third quarter. He was playing a terrific game before that, flashing his strong instincts and playing great run defense. Wishing Timu a speedy recovery, but this team is snake-bitten with all of its injuries, just at inside linebacker alone. It’s unreal. We saw that on Jerick McKinnon’s 58-yard touchdown run. It’s a good thing Danny Trevathan returns from his suspension next week.

8. The Vikings left a spy on Trubisky on many plays as the game went on. They weren’t about to let him beat them on designed rollouts and bootlegs and let those plays develop too far downfield. Mike Zimmer is one smart play caller on defense.

9. Who had Pat O’Donnell throwing the Bears’ first touchdown pass of the game during Trubisky’s debut? Nobody. For all the shit I gave John Fox above, that was a heck of a call. Well done. You’re still not a very good coach though.

10. Trubisky’s athleticism is amazing. The way he’s able to extend plays with his legs and run is refreshing after watching a statue the first four games. It was an underrated part of Jay Cutler’s game; it’s been emphasized for Trubisky. And he showed it.

11. Tarik Cohen is great and all. But the kid needs to be decisive. He danced and ran backwards way too many times during this game. He’s an exciting as hell player, but he needs to be smarter and learn that not every play has to be a home run.

12. Sure, the Bears got lucky on Trubisky’s first career touchdown pass. It was tipped and likely should have been intercepted. I’ll take it, but how about that play call on the two-point conversion? Incredible. Very creative and executed perfectly. Great call.

13. Using a timeout right after the Vikings called a timeout in the fourth quarter? For what? Why aren’t you ready? Come on, Fox.

14. Trubisky’s interception with 2:20 remaining was a crushing blow. It wasn’t a good decision, and as it is, the throw needed more air. Great play by Harrison Smith to come down with it. But that’s okay. This is an interception that Trubisky will learn from. It’s “worth it”. If Glennon had thrown that … woof.

15. Another bullshit penalty on third down, this time called on Leonard Floyd, guaranteed a Bears loss. This ref crew was bullshit.

16. Overall, Trubisky played like a rookie. He made some insane throws, got lucky on one, and made a bad decision on another. But I’d say he passed his first test against a tough defense. No, he didn’t win. And that’s the ultimate result. But it was a good first step. It doesn’t get much easier against the Baltimore Ravens defense next week, but his first road test will be another fun one to watch.