On third-and-four from the Vikings’ 30 in the last three minutes of the Bears’ 25-20 victory Sunday night, quarterback Mitch Trubisky faced pressure and appeared to throw the ball away in the direction of running back Tarik Cohen in the right flat.
On the next play, kicker Cody Parkey made a 48-yard field goal to help secure the win.
But was there more to Trubisky’s low throw to Cohen?
It came three plays after Vikings safety Harrison Smith received an unnecessary-roughness penalty for his late hit on Trubisky, who had slid to end his option run.
Trubisky braced his slide with his right arm before the impact of Smith’s helmet-first hit forced his right shoulder to the ground.
When running back Jordan Howard came to help, Trubisky didn’t offer his right hand. Instead, Howard pulled Trubisky up by his left. He clearly was ailing.
So was Trubisky’s pass to Cohen a throwaway while under pressure from two defenders? Or did his shoulder affect the throw?
“No,” coach Matt Nagy said Tuesday. “I think it was just a throwaway.”
That’s good news for the Bears.
Trubisky didn’t take part in the team’s walkthroughs Tuesday, and he likely will miss them again Wednesday. But by all accounts, it doesn’t sound as though Trubisky is dealing with a serious shoulder injury. That’s the vibe from Nagy — who said Trubisky won’t require surgery — offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, backup quarterback Chase Daniel and other teammates.
Still, the prudent decision for the Bears is sitting Trubisky and starting Daniel on Thursday against the Lions at Ford Field.
“I’m saying ‘cautiously optimistic,’ but I can’t make any promises,” Nagy said. “I hope he does [play]. But it’s a day-to-day thing for us. He wants to play. I know that.”
Outside linebacker Khalil Mack wanted to play against the Jets and Bills, too. But the Bears sided with caution and sat him because of his sprained right ankle. The same applied to wide receiver Allen Robinson, who missed the same games with a groin issue.
Nagy said Trubisky is in a similar situation. If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be surprising if Trubisky is a spectator on Thanksgiving.
The Bears were confident that they could beat the Jets and Bills without Mack, their best player, and Robinson, their best receiver. But are the Bears confident enough to sit their quarterback in an NFC North game?
Resting Trubisky against the erratic Lions is a gamble worth taking on a short week.
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At 7-3 and coming off a momentous win, the Bears can afford to do it, especially with the Vikings hosting the Packers on Sunday night.
The riskier decision for the Bears is rushing the future of their franchise back to action and exposing him to further damage. If this were a typical game week, Trubisky might have enough time to recover. But it isn’t. Trubisky only has three full days to receive treatment on his shoulder.
“He’s in pain, which is normal,” Nagy said.
When it comes to injuries and the Bears’ key players, Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace have maintained a long-term outlook, and that certainly won’t vary with Trubisky. The Bears have a playoff run this season and more to consider.
Besides, the Bears can still compete — even beat — the Lions without Trubisky.
They won’t pack the same offensive punch minus Trubisky, who completed 23 of 30 passes for a career-best 355 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-22 victory against the Lions on Nov. 11.
But Mack and Co. can lead the way in the rematch. The Bears’ defense intercepted Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford twice and sacked him six times in the first meeting.
“[We’re] just trying to figure out exactly where [Trubisky’s] at, how he feels,” Nagy said, “and what’s best for him and the team.”
