With just over a week left before their season opener, the Detroit Lions now know which Chicago quarterback to plan for: Mitchell Trubisky, who was named the Bears’ Week 1 starter by coach Matt Nagy on Friday, according to multiple reports.
The fourth-year starter maintained the No. 1 job despite the Bears’ trade for former Super Bowl MVP and Pro Bowler Nick Foles in the offseason. Trubisky completed 63.2% of his passes last season in 15 starts, for 3,138 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He missed the Bears’ Week 5 loss to the Raiders last season after suffering an injury the week before in their win over the Vikings. His backup in that game: current Lions backup QB Chase Daniel.
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Trubisky has actually seen the most success in his career against the Lions, going 3-2 with a 106.3 rating and 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. That includes two three-touchdown games last season vs. Detroit.
The Bears made the playoffs in 2018 with Trubisky, but lost in the first round as their offense sputtered against Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles. Adding to the criticisms of Trubisky are the successes of the two quarterbacks taken after the North Carolina alum went No. 2 overall in the 2017 draft. Patrick Mahomes, selected 10th overall, won the Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs last season; Deshaun Watson, selected 12th by the Houston Texans, has made the AFC Pro Bowl squad each of the past two years.
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