Real Deal? Why Matt Nagy Sees New Mitchell Trubisky

Bears coach Matt Nagy never gave up on Mitchell Trubisky, as much as he simply put him off to the side for a while.

So after three games in Trubisky's return, and with playoff hopes and possibly coaching jobs resting on it, Nagy says he is sure he sees real growth by his much-maligned quarterback and it isn't merely the product of facing weak defenses.

"I think it's real," Nagy said Monday, after the Bears ended a six-game losing streak by beating Houston 36-7.

The benching in Week 3 when the team went to Nick Foles as starter served as a turning point for Trubisky according to Nagy.

"And when we made the move to Nick, again at that point in time it's really hard to accept for Mitchell," Nagy said. "But I do believe that for a lot of different reasons that's going to end up really helping him out in his career.

"What it's done is enable him to take a step back ad see where we're at and now these last thee games we're feeling an identity in this offense and he's a big part of that."

The haters have been awfully quiet https://t.co/4GS5ctcfuA
— Barstool Chicago (@barstoolchicago) December 14, 2020

The change is an entire process, though, and includes the offense playing better to the strengths of players they have. It was a requirement after last year when they lost four straight and went on to finish 8-8, and this year they've failed again at this but once again have come around near season's end.

"You see some of the stuff that we're doing with the nakeds and the movements and he's changing his arm angles, he's making good decisions where he's looking downfield and if it's not there he's getting the ball down to the backs and the tight ends and they're making plays," Nagy said. "It's hard to defend when you do that."

Blended with a running game, it's let the Bears discover their offensive identity.

"But I've mentioned the identity part the last couple weeks and we feel that way and the guys are playing with confidence and I do believe that's real for Mitchell right now and I like where he's at," Nagy said. "He's just kind of staying in his own lane and he's being a leader and making plays and that's what's important."

Trubisky is single-minded and focused not on the past but continued improvement.

"We just want to keep finishing with touchdowns and keep continuing to get better," Trubisky said.

Since returning as starter, Trubisky owns a 100.02 passer rating with seven touchdowns, two interceptions on 76 of 113 for 776 yards.

Of course, he also fumbled twice and both of those proved huge. The first helped trigger an avalanche of Packers scoring and the second cost them a come-from-ahead lost to Detroit.

On Sunday the offense wasn't perfect behind Trubisky.

"I thought we could've locked in a little more in the second half and finished some more drives off with touchdowns instead of field goals, but that's something to build off this week," Trubisky said.

What the Bears seem to have done is become resigned to the fact Trubisky isn't going to be as good at reading defenses quickly as they'd like. They've taken the realistic approach and given him half a field to read with the bootleg passes and rollouts to one side of the field. There are deeper drops and then throwbacks into space to create running room for receivers.

A 12-yard pass play to Cole Kmet on Sunday impressed passing game coordinator Dave Ragone.

"He's taking the check-downs and those check-downs have gotten him positive yardage," Ragone said. "In the naked game obviously he's a really good athlete but what makes him special on the edge is his ability to be a threat running the football or being able to change his arm angle like he did on Sunday.

"Now he's completing, and some of those 5-yard completions, 3-yard completions are going for 10 and 12 yards, the degree of difficulty is high on those completions."

The plays spread out a defense and Trubisky then has taken advantage and when they adjust Trubisky has taken advantage with darts to Allen Robinson.

They've also put Trubisky in as much up-tempo offense as possible. If it's not going without a huddle, it's getting in and out of the huddle as quickly as possible so he can take a longer look at the defense at the line of scrimmage.

This was something Nick Foles wanted but wasn't granted enough.

"It helps declare the defense, what they're in faster," Trubisky said. "We can either snap the ball right away or we can check to something else.

"I think it's just a mechanism to us and I think I really dials our guys in because there's no dilly-dallying necessarily or anything. You've got to get out and get to the line, know your assignment and the defense has to get in their assignment, either, because there were a couple times where we can get them out of position by using that tempo.

"That's something we need to continue to emphasize. Using our tempo in and out of the huddle. Changing it up. Keep the defense off balance but continue to stay balanced within ourselves."

If this is all true of Trubisky, he's sure waited until late in the process to show it. The Bears in May rejected his fifth-year option and he'll be a free agent after the season.

"Every player in this league has their own story and we don't know where Mitch's story is gonna end up, but all's we can do right now is focus on where he's at right now at this moment," Nagy said. "And when you talk about a kid who has been through a lot—putting it out there, he's been through a lot in three years, four years—for him to be able to get where he's at right now the way he's doing it, that's a credit to him."

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven