Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints: Offensive Grades

Quarterback: B

In the end, it’s another game and another chance for Trubisky to learn at the NFL level. And you can point to a few key moments where you can see the development happening.

Specifically, I loved his 46-yard scramble and his scramble a few plays later, though it didn’t net him much, because he made a clear decision to run against man-coverage. If teams are going to blitz and play man, he should absolutely punish them with his legs.

Plus, throws like the one he made to Miller are exactly the kind of thing the Bears envisioned. Very few quarterbacks could’ve made that throw, even if the touchdown was overturned.

But though the Bears are clearly better with him, we have to adjust our expectations about what to expect from him from now on.

Part of that is because of his supporting cast, especially now that Miller’s season is over. Aside from McBride’s big game, no other receiver gained more than 23 yards through the air. Gentry and Shaheen, who now must play bigger roles, got a target each but no catches.

Another part is due to the coaching staff’s hesitance to let him play unrestricted/lack of understanding about how to call plays for him consistently.

People talk about Deshaun Watson as if the Bears made a mistake in not drafting him. To that I say: get a grip. And aside from a better supporting cast, you know what else Watson has that Trubisky doesn’t? A coach that lets him play unhindered and make mistakes if need be. John Fox will never give that to Trubisky.

The Bears did mix things up occasionally, especially early on, with a few play-action plays on first or second-down. But the key word there is “occasionally”.

Next: What we learned from the Chicago Bears' loss to Saints

But the other part? He’s just a rookie on a mediocre-at-best team. He can’t save this team this year or make this offense score like the New Orleans Saints.

Give him time to keep learning, even if that means he throws more picks like he did at the end of the game. It’s not about this year, even though the division seems open for the taking. In the end, it’s about the future.

As frustrating as it is to watch Trubisky doing his best to struggle through the tough times, I believe this adversity is good for him. It won’t break him. He’ll be better next year, and so will this offense.