It was arguably the most eye-catching play of the Bears' 24-23 preseason win over the Broncos on Saturday night, a 19-yard first-quarter completion from Mitch Trubisky to Anthony Miller.
Trubisky, rolling left and throwing across his body, zipped a dart down the left sideline. Miller, with Bradley Roby trailing in coverage and Tramaine Brock dropping back into the play, leaped above both defenders and snatched the ball.
How did Trubisky make that throw, on the move and on the money?
"Great throw," Miller said Monday at Halas Hall. "It was a pretty difficult throw seeing as how he was on the run."
And how did Miller even see the ball with the Broncos coverage as tight as it was?
"I knew Mitch was going to give me a chance," Miller added. "As soon as it was in the air I just attacked it and it stuck."
First down. Go-ahead touchdown drive continued.
Perhaps even more significantly, that sequence offered a glimpse into what could be on the horizon if both Trubisky and Miller turn into the players the Bears believe them to be. Trubisky has long been touted for his accuracy and ability to make what the Bears call "funny body throws." Miller is turning heads with his competitiveness, athleticism and strong hands. On that 19-yard completion, all those strengths were on display.
For now, though, that's merely a snapshot. One pass in one mid-August preseason game. But it's also an indication that the connection between the second-year quarterback and rookie receiver is coming along.
"We're just getting our chemistry down right now," Miller said. "It's not something that's going to happen overnight. Coming this season, it's going to be something to see."
Bears coach Matt Nagy hopes so and is convinced that the talent Miller has shown since training camp began in mid-July is not just a preseason tease. There's something extra, Nagy said, to Miller's natural confidence.
"It's not a cockiness," Nagy said. "It's a confidence in himself and in his skills. A lot of times he knows that if that ball's up there one-on-one _ and as you saw on the one, two-on-one _ he feels like he's talented enough to go up and make a play."
