Win or lose, Week 1 won’t define Bears QB Mitch Trubisky’s season

SHARE Win or lose, Week 1 won’t define Bears QB Mitch Trubisky’s season
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Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky throws a pass against the Broncos. | Dustin Bradford/Getty

When Bears coach Matt Nagy sees quarterback Mitch Trubisky writing quickly, he knows it’s time to press the pause button.

Regardless of how comfortable Trubisky might be in the Bears’ offense, it’s a reminder that he’s still in his second season and in a new scheme.

‘‘He’s one of those kids that — we’re noticing and we’re learning this — if you’re talking and you’re installing and he’s taking notes, you better stop talking,’’ Nagy said Tuesday. ‘‘Because he’s not hearing one thing you’re saying. He’s very lasered in to what he’s doing. Everything he does is that way.’’

That’s not a criticism but a compliment. Trubisky wants to do everything right and do so right away. Nagy called him a perfectionist, but his quarterback-intensive offense doesn’t work that way.

It’s why Nagy preached patience during his thorough explanation of his decision to sit Trubisky and others starters in the Bears’ preseason game against Chiefs. It continued this week with the Bears’ starters preparing for the Packers. But it’s not a message Nagy thinks is a difficult one to share. To him, it’s simply the truth.

‘‘I know where he’s at; I know where our offense is at,’’ Nagy said. ‘‘I feel good knowing this is the time we were given [and] this is where I’m at. I do not expect to roll into this thing with five years’ worth of this offense. That’s unrealistic expectations. But with where we’re at and what we have, I’m very excited for our opportunities.’’

From firing Marc Trestman to benching Mike Glennon, devastating losses to the Packers have prompted major changes by the Bears’ brass in the past. But the opener this season is different. It’s the first game of what the Bears think ultimately will be a turnaround, but it’s still only the start. According to most listings, the Packers are eight-point favorites — and 25 or 30 snaps against the Chiefs wasn’t going to change that.

That’s not to say the Bears can’t leave Lambeau Field victorious Sept. 9. Trubisky might not play great, but he still can be good enough to win.

The Packers still have quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but how many Super Bowl contenders undergo the kind of changes they did this offseason?

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The Packers brought back Joe Philbin as their offensive coordinator after he left to coach the Dolphins in 2012. After failing to lure Vic Fangio away from the Bears, the Packers hired Mike Pettine as their defensive coordinator. He spent last season as a consultant for the Seahawks after sitting out the 2016 season, which followed his awful two-year run with the Browns.

The Packers also changed general managers, replacing Ted Thompson after 13 years with Brian Gutekunst. It ushered in a new reporting structure, ending one that reportedly had been in place for nearly three decades. Gutekunst, executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball and coach Mike McCarthy (who received only a one-year extension through 2019) all report directly to president Mark Murphy.

But this isn’t about the Packers and all of their changes. It’s about Trubisky, who deserves time to adjust to his own development by playing in games that actually matter. He won’t be the same quarterback in Week 8 and in Week 16 as he is now.

The Rams’ Jared Goff and the Eagles’ Carson Wentz had their own hiccups in their second seasons. Wentz didn’t have a passer rating higher than 100 until Week 5. Goff had a three-game stretch in which he had two touchdown passes, three interceptions and passer ratings of 48.9, 86.2 and 75.8

Despite playing 53 snaps in the preseason last year, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady opened with a dud against the Chiefs. Brady completed a season-worst 44.4 percent of his passes and finished with a 70.0 rating. He still went on to be named the NFL’s most valuable player and reach another Super Bowl.

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton began his MVP season in 2015 with back-to-back passer ratings of 71.3. Of course, it’s unfair to compare Trubisky to Brady and Newton. But the Bears could lose to the Packers, then reel off three consecutive victories against the Seahawks, Cardinals and Buccaneers. A lot will happen this season, good and bad. It’s what the Bears expect with Trubisky in his first full season as a starter.

‘‘Ultimately, you have your goals that you have in mind for this team, the talent we have and what we all kind of see coming to fruition,’’ Trubisky said. ‘‘It’s one step at a time, but big picture in mind at the end. [It’s] just realizing it’s a process.’’

Whether it’s taking notes or rebounding after a Week 1 loss to the Packers, Trubisky’s drive to be perfect counts for something, too.

‘‘Nothing is ever good enough,’’ he said. ‘‘I think just having that mentality every day, coming to work and trying to make it as perfect as possible — but knowing it never will be — that just allows me to get better every single day and continue to grow and develop.’’

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