Mitch Trubisky Needing Big Numbers to Win in Chicago is a Myth

The demands on Mitch Trubisky are pretty much centered around his stat line. People won't admit it but they're more interested in his numbers than whether or not he wins football games. Such is the reality of the Madden generation. Nevermind the fact Trubisky was 11-3 last year and a big reason for some of their biggest wins. The fact he didn't put up video game numbers means he's a terrible quarterback and needs replacing.

Look, he's not perfect. There is plenty the guy can improve on. Would putting up bigger numbers help? Sure. That doesn't mean they're an automatic requirement to winning a championship. In case people forgot, football is a team sport. It requires a complete effort from 53 guys on a roster to win a Super Bowl.

The quarterback is the most important position, but that doesn't mean he should do everything himself. His focus should be maximizing the good plays, limiting the bad ones, and keeping control of the football as long as possible. Trubisky did this more often than people care to admit. While other franchises may need the big stats to feel complete, history shows that the Bears don't. All they need is somebody to not suck.

Mitch Trubisky did good enough in 2018 to keep winning

Stop and ponder his numbers for last season: 3,223 yards, 24 touchdown passes, and 12 interceptions. Compared to what Patrick Mahomes did last year, it's a drop in the bucket. However, Mahomes finished with the same record as Trubisky did. It's also worth noting this. None of the top 10 passing seasons in NFL history resulted in a championship.

Yards are fun but Trubisky must focus on another unheralded stat. The touchdown-to-interception ratio. The goal for any quarterback is to throw more touchdowns and fewer interceptions. Those that do tend to win more often. In Chicago though, this is especially true.

Records when QB throws for at least 24 TDs, and less than 15 INTs

• Sid Luckman in 1943: 8-1-1
• Erik Kramer in 1995: 9-7
• Mitch Trubisky in 2018: 12-4

Jay Cutler is the only other quarterback to touch those numbers. He hit the 24 touchdowns mark in both 2009 and 2014. Unfortunately, he threw 44 combined interceptions during those two seasons. Hence why the Bears went 7-9 and 5-11 respectively. Luckman also had 24 TDs in 1947 but threw a remarkable 31 interceptions. The TD-to-INT ratio is one of the most critical stats for a quarterback.

Trubisky has done a fair job adhering to that. He's not perfect. There were a few instances he probably should've been intercepted last season but wasn't. Still, his constant efforts to protect the ball cannot be understated. Six of the quarterbacks who rank in the top 10 all-time for touchdown-to-interception ratio have Super Bowl rings. Two others (Colin Kaepernick and Matt Ryan) played and narrowly lost in the Super Bowl.

Absurd numbers aren't needed in order to win football games. As long as Trubisky can put the ball in the end zone once or twice every week and keeps the interceptions curbed, this Bears team is plenty good enough to win a championship.