Bears QB Mitch Trubisky inconsistent in first half vs. Falcons

ATLANTA — Mitch Trubisky’s third start of the season looks, thus far, a lot like his body of work the rest of the season: inconsistent.

The Bears trail the Falcons 16-10 at halftime after the quarterback went 12-for-20 for 123 yards in the first half.

His final two drives of the frame were emblematic of his ups and downs. Trubisky’s quarterback’s 45-yard scramble with two-and-a-half minutes left in the first half Sunday set up the Bears’ only touchdown of the game, a two-yard pass to tight end Jimmy Graham. On the next drive, though, Trubisky overthrew receiver Anthony Miller, who was streaking down the field and behind defenders, on third-and-2. The Bears were forced to punt.

The Falcons were aggressive from the start. After Bears kicker Cairo Santos pushed a field goal left to end the first drive of the game, the Falcons threw deep to Calvin Ridley on their first play. Sixty-three-yards later, he was pushed out of bounds at the 1. They scored two plays later on a 1-yard Hayden Hurst catch.

The teams traded field goals until, with about five minutes left in the first half, Khalil Mack had a strip-sack negated by a penalty on defensive lineman Mario Edwards, who was ruled to have quarterback Matt Ryan in the head after Mack forced the fumble. The Bears gave the ball back. Three plays later, running back Brian Hill took his fourth handoff of the game and, on third-and-5, ran 35 yards for a touchdown.

Trubisky has proven to be an up-and-down quarterback even though the Bears have yet to lose a game this year. He had a ridiculously good fourth quarter against the Lions and a strong first half against the Giants — and has struggled in the other seven quarters.