The good: Quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who was lifted late in the loss to the Rams last Sunday because of a hip pointer, made a near-miraculous recovery to be a full participant in practice this week and is expected to start this Sunday against the Giants at Soldier Field.
The bad: Quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who was lifted late in the loss to the Rams last Sunday because of a hip pointer, made a near-miraculous recovery to be a full participant in practice this week and is expected to start this Sunday against the Giants at Soldier Field.
The ugly: Did we mention Trubisky is expected to start Sunday?
Let’s get to it ...
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Offense: Bears Won’t Ditch Mitch
Even though the Bears scored just one touchdown in their loss to the Rams last week, coach Matt Nagy referred to QB Mitch Trubisky’s “incremental improvement” as a positive. That’s not saying much if you’re comparing him to his dreadful performance against the Eagles, Jason Lieser writes. Meanwhile, FOX analyst Chris Spielman detects a crisis of confidence in the young QB.
Did you know?
- We’ve reached the point where it’s a real debate whether Trubisky or the Giants’ Daniel Jones sets up his team better under center. Who would you rather have?
- WR Allen Robinson leads the Bears in receiving this season with 57 catches for 633 yards and three TDs. Of his 57 catches, 34 (60.0 percent) have gone for first downs.
Defense: Mack Attack, Please Come Back
Not that Khalil Mack isn’t used to facing difficult matchups each week, but the absence of Akiem Hicks has allowed opponents to stack up double- and triple-teams on the Bears’ star pass rusher. As a result, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano knows he must get more creative to prevent the kind of underwhelming performance we saw from Mack last week, Patrick Finley writes.
Did you know?
- LB Roquan Smith leads the Bears with 78 tackles this season. He has 32 tackles in his last three games.
- LB Khalil Mack showed up nowhere in the Bears’ stat list after the loss to the Rams.
Special Teams: Eddy Pineiro Keeps It Cool
Considering what K Eddy Pineiro went through to get the gig as Bears’ kicker during the summer, it shouldn’t be surprising that those around him say he’s not letting his recent misses get to his head. “I don’t see any bugs in there or snakes in his head that I’m worried about,” special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said this week.
Did you know?
- Tabor also reported that Pineiro made 21 of his 23 attempts while practicing at Soldier Field this week.
- Even the mayor called out Pineiro this week, telling the kicker to “find your leg again.”
What They’re Saying
- Giants running back Saquon Barkley vows to get back to what made him Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018: “That is who I am and that is what I’m getting back to these last six weeks. I’m going to go out there and just ball and have fun and go out there with my brothers and whatever happens, happens.”
- While many in Chicago are ready to run Mitch Trubisky out of town, the Giants evidently are drinking the Kool-Aid cooked up by Matt Nagy. The New York Post polled the Giants’ locker room and found nothing but kind things being said about Trubisky.
From Our Notebooks
- A favorable matchup fosters some optimism from our experts. Check out their Giants-Bears picks.
- The Bears held tight end Adam Shaheen (foot) and linebacker Danny Trevathan (elbow) out of practice Thursday. Neither is expected to play Sunday.
- The Bears will wear 1960s-era helmets with a white “C” and gray facemasks this Sunday. The white “C” made its debut in 1962 and was last worn in 1972.
- The Bears and Giants will be meeting for the 60th time, with the Bears owning a 33-24-2 advantage. The Giants have won the last two, including last season’s 30-27 overtime victory at MetLife Stadium.
What’s Next?
The Bears won’t have much time to rest after the Giants game with a Thanksgiving matchup against the Lions four days later. They also play on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 14.
On the Podcast
In the latest edition of Halas Intrigue, the hosts discuss Mitch Trubisky’s ongoing injury saga and more.
Also, got any questions for the Bears? Email us or tweet at @suntimes_sports and we’ll see if we can get them answered in one of our next newsletters.
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