Matt Nagy Sees "Better" Model of Mitchell Trubisky
Mitchell Trubisky version 2.0, or possibly 3.0, seems ready to roll out on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers.
It's not official because Bears coach Matt Nagy is trying to play games and keep the Green Bay Packers guessing, but Nick Foles was unable to practice on Wednesday for the second straight time and Trubisky is handling the first team in his absence.
Two plus two still equals four, even at Halas Hall, so figure on No. 10 not No. 9.
"So right now for me and for us, it's literally day to day for Nick as to where he's at," Nagy said.
The glute/hip injury is holding Foles back and Trubisky's right shoulder injury suffered Nov. 1 either isn't severe enough to keep him sidelined or has healed.
"But for sure it has to start with availability, and that's kind of where we're at with the day-to-day stuff with Nick," Nagy said.
Nagy acknowledged the advantage it gives his team, although with Foles not practicing it's difficult to see why the Packers would even care about preparing to face him.
"You look at your opponent, regardless of who it is and the history you have, they are two different style quarterbacks," Nagy said. "So, no matter who you are as a (defensive) coordinator, there are some things you have to be prepared for with one and with the other that are different."
Trubisky is the mobile passer and Foles the pocket passer, but there hasn't been much of a pocket lately for him and it's why he left the last game on a cart.
The final announcement could come any time, and Nagy isn't really one to worry about whether his other players on offense—backs, receivers or their few healthy linemen—are in sync with Trubisky this time around. After all, they've all started with both quarterbacks.
"They don't really get into that too much," Nagy said. "That's not something that they ask questions about. They just kind of roll."
What would be different is Trubisky himself, Nagy maintained.
It's been said before, but Nagy wasn't above saying it again: Trubisky is a changed quarterback. In the past, he said it when he believed Trubisky had evolved into a passer to handle the 2.0 level of his offense.
Trubisky wasn't ready, hence Foles for the last seven games.
Now, watching for the first time since Week 4 of the 2017 season, Trubisky is a changed quarterback according to his coach.
"My belief is that Mitchell has used these weeks to make himself a better overall NFL quarterback," Nagy said. "And I don't know, whenever and if ever he gets that chance, where and when he does, but I do believe in my heart of hearts that he has grown from this situation and I believe that he will be a better player because of it."
There is nothing more being offered to indicate the change from Mitch 2.0 to 3.0 or whatever number model this is.
"There's just, I feel like there's a different focus and a different attitude and a different mindset," Nagy said. "And for me as a coach being able to see the significance of that, you appreciate that. You know?"
Nagy seems determined to find something in a quarterback many wrote off last offseason, the earlier version who has led the Bears to a 1-4 record against the Packers.
"I know who he is as a person, and as a player to see growth with him is what's exciting," Nagy said. "And then so we'll see.
"I'm spending time on that because there's a lot of emotional attachment and you care and when you see stories like this it can become very interesting."
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