Another biggest game ever for Mitch Trubisky

Another Bears game already?

With the toxic combination of the extreme disappointment of a 10-3 loss to the Packers after an offseason of Super Bowl-level anticipation, a Thursday-night opener and the almost-suffocating onslaught of Bears talk on social media, the internet and one too many podcasts, this has been the most interminable gap between regular-season Bears games seemingly ever.

Actually, it’s the most drawn-out period of in-season Bears angst since the dreadful bye week in 2014, when the team was coming off a demoralizing 51-23 loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Coach Marc Trestman promised a week of self-scouting would fix the problems, then the Bears laid an even bigger egg at Lambeau Field. They fell behind 42-0 in the first half en route to a 55-14 loss to the Packers that sealed the fate of Trestman and, ultimately, general manager Phil Emery.

Unlike tough times in that era and, before that, under Lovie Smith, there wasn’t much of a bunker mentality last week at Halas Hall. The Bears generally weren’t on the defensive. They accepted culpability for a poor performance like an adult team and didn’t bristle at pointed questions. If they’re using the sharp response of criticism and sudden doubt from ‘‘the outside’’ as fuel for their game Sunday against the Broncos, they’re not making it a public thing.

They didn’t make any promises, either. There was a notable absence of defiance and bravado at Halas Hall, which is either a sign of a businesslike team that will let its play do the talking or an indication that the Bears’ offensive issues against the Packers were so mystifying that even they don’t know what the problem was.

And, not surprisingly, third-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky is the focus. He is expected to take a significant step forward this season, but the first step was so significantly backward that it raised a particularly large red flag.

There are many strains of Trubisky belief among Bears watchers, ranging from Trubisky on his way to becoming the best quarterback in franchise history; to Trubisky becoming an Alex Smith-like facilitator of an efficient offense; to

Trubisky not being the guy the Bears thought he was when they traded up for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft to get him, bypassing Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes in the process.

There’s still a long way to go this season, but the last 10 days have added credence to the doomsday scenario more than any other — on and off the field. A year ago, Trubisky was establishing himself as a confident leader, even setting a team standard by swearing off social media during the season. This year, he’s misinterpreting cues from the media-relations staff about what he should or shouldn’t say and acknowledging a ‘‘long, weird weekend’’ after the loss to the Packers.

The candor is appreciated. But like everyone else at Halas Hall, Trubisky looked and sounded like a guy who hopes things will get better rather than one who knows they will. Someday, this scenario might turn into Trubisky’s R-E-L-A-X moment. But now is not that time. On the contrary, teammates and coaches were making sure Trubisky was keeping his head in the game and not letting the poor performance get the best of him.

Maybe it’s just a case of scrutiny run amok, but Trubisky’s status as the Bears’ franchise quarterback seems more fragile than ever heading into the game against the Broncos. It’s a bigger game for him than it should be. Even Halas Hall seems a little anxious to see how it turns out.