LDN - Sports

Bears hope QB Trubisky ready to do more

[November 09, 2017] The Sports Xchange

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears begin the second half of the season with optimism and entertain thoughts of getting back into the playoff chase by beating shorthanded Green Bay Sunday at Soldier Field.

It all centers on whether quarterback Mitchell Trubisky can find a way to improve his completion percentage and consistency.

"I'm pretty anxious and excited about this week," Trubisky said. "I kind of feel like it's a new season in a way."

Certainly one thing is new.

The Bears find themselves the Las Vegas favorite in a game for the first time since 2015, but newfound respect generated by their swarming defense will be short-lived if Trubisky can't do better than a 48-percent completion rate and a passer rating of 66.2. And offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains thinks he knows how this can happen.

"I think throwing the ball down the field is going to help a lot of different things," Loggains said.

The favorite's role has much to do with the Packers being without injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has beaten the Bears in Chicago six straight times.

The Bears think they live up to the status by getting the ball downfield now with recently acquired wide receiver Dontrelle Inman in the lineup for the first time and Markus Wheaton returning from an injury. The idea is chasing opponents off the line to open up the running game and give receivers room to run under coverage.

Facing the Packers and defensive coordinator Dom Capers, Trubisky expects to see what he has seen all year -- a defense trying to take advantage of his inexperience.

"We've just seen that every defense has played us different than what they've shown against other teams," Trubisky said. "We try to get a lot of tendencies on teams going into the game, but the last couple of times we've gone out there they've shown something that we've never seen before."

And Capers has always tried to confuse Bears quarterbacks, whether it was Jay Cutler, Josh McCown or the player Trubisky replaced, Mike Glennon. The Packers last time swarmed Glennon and forced four turnovers, turning it into a rout early.

"Going back to the tendencies on defense, they look at their tendencies and try to mix it up, so they're going to try to throw a twist at us," Trubisky said. "They're really good up front, especially when they're healthy. They mix it up on the back end a lot and they're going to try to confuse us with blitzes and switch it up with man and zone.

"So whatever they throw at us, we've just got to adjust on the fly and just do what we do best: establish the run early, open it up with the pass game and keep them off balance."

Loggains discounts much of the poor pass percentage Trubisky has compiled.

"I think it's something to do with throwing the ball away, being smart," Loggains said. "I think he hasn't forced many balls, we probably have to do a better job in pass protection and separating vs. man coverage to help him out a little bit.

"We've played some good defenses and you have to give those guys credit as well. Obviously, we went through everything really hard during the bye week, and we're pleased with where Mitchell is at and where he's going, overall happy with where he's going."

The bye week let Trubisky work with his new receivers. Wheaton has been targeted only nine times this season, four times by Trubisky in the 20-17 loss to Minnesota. He has just one catch. Inman has worked enough on the offense to be able to come on the field and make an impact, as well.

"I think it's been plenty of time for him," head coach John Fox said. "He's a veteran guy. He's had opportunities to throw live with Mitch and the other quarterbacks. I think he's got a good grasp of what we're doing now and what's expected of him."

Loggains anticipates better play from Trubisky if those around him give him a chance. The Bears are fifth in the league in dropped passes, with 13, according to league statistics. It's just one of the reasons they rank last in the league in passing.

Offensive line penalties have also been a problem.

"Too many penalties, too many negative runs, too many sacks -- that controls three-and-outs," Loggains said. "That controls scoring. More first downs in the game."

When the Bears lost to Green Bay the last time, it was Rodgers burning them once again. With Rodgers out, the Packers will bring in their own inexperienced quarterback in Brett Hundley.

It's an evening-out factor, but the Bears see their own stock improving regardless of Rodgers.

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"I think we're definitely a team on the rise," Wheaton said. "The Packers are in the way."

SERIES HISTORY: 194th regular-season meeting. Packers lead series, 94-93-6. At Soldier Field, the Packers have beaten the Bears six straight times and seven of the last eight. The last regular-season Bears win over Green Bay at Soldier Field was 20-17 in 2010, when Chicago won the NFC North and went to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Packers.

--It almost became laughable considering what the Bears have been through since John Fox became head coach, but he was asked if his team could be overconfident facing the Packers, who have struggled greatly without Rodgers.

"These guys have been pretty good, pretty level-headed," Fox said. "Good and bad, in this league, you're never as good as they say you are; you're never as bad as they say you are. They know how to just come to work every day and work. That'll be no different this week.

"I think we've won a few games where we weren't the favorites. So I mean, it comes down to who executes the best. And this week against Green Bay will be no different."

The Bears are low-keying the Rodgers absence while trying to avoid showing disrespect for Hundley.

"He's very athletic," Fox said of Hundley. "He can make all the throws from a skillset standpoint. I think, again, he's a young quarterback in their system, much like ours is."

Fox said he is familiar with Hundley because he is friends with his former UCLA coach, Jim Mora Jr.

--Wide receiver Tre McBride seems to have been forgotten with the anticipation over Dontrelle Inman and Markus Wheaton playing, but McBride believes he's developing a good connection with Trubisky that could serve the offense in the future.

"I think that the progress that we've made, you can really see it in our stats alone," McBride said. "Before this past game, I had like three career catches or something like that, and then this past game was a breakout (three catches, 92 yards). Unfortunately, it doesn't matter, because we lost.

"But I'm saying, as far as me and Trubisky are concerned, it's getting better, it's progressing as we can see through the numbers."

--Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski hasn't broken back into the lineup since returning from a torn pectoral muscle, but that's been more the result of Christian Jones' development. Now Kwiatkoski could find himself playing this week because of a calf strain to starter Danny Trevathan.

Fox has seen progress in Kwiatkoski on a daily basis since his return.

"I think he's just improving. Obviously, the more he's out there, the better it is for him," Fox said. "I think he made a nice play today in practice on a pass. So I see him getting back to himself, just from getting a chance to get out there healthy in practice."

NOTES: LB Danny Trevathan (calf) suffered a strain against New Orleans Oct. 29 and missed Wednesday's (Nov. 8) practice. Trevathan's availability for Sunday's game with Green Bay is uncertain. ... TE Dion Sims (illness) missed Wednesday's practice, but is expected to be able to play on Sunday. ... G Tom Compton (ankle) missed Wednesday's practice with an injury suffered against New Orleans Oct. 29. His status for Sunday is uncertain. ... DE Roy Robertson-Harris (hamstring) missed Wednesday's practice with an injury suffered against New Orleans and is day-to-day. ... CB Bryce Callahan (knee) suffered an injury early in the game against New Orleans and missed practice Wednesday. He is day-to-day. ... DB Sherick McManis (hamstring) remained out of practice Wednesday with an injury suffered Oct. 15 against Baltimore. The Bears' special teams ace remains week-to-week. ... WR Marcus Wheaton (groin) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis and appears likely to be available for Sunday's game. "I'm feeling good," Wheaton said. "The bye week came in handy for me. I had a good day of practice today and it felt great." ... G Kyle Long (finger) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis after suffering an injury against New Orleans two weeks ago. ... C Hroniss Grasu (hand) went through a full practice for the first time since suffering a hand injury against Pittsburgh in Week 3 and is likely to be available for Sunday's game. ... C Cody Whitehair (elbow) went through a full practice Wednesday after leaving the loss to New Orleans with an injury. Whitehair appears likely to play Sunday. ... LB John Timu (ankle, knee) went through a full practice Wednesday, his first full practice since before the Oct. 9 game with Minnesota. Timu should be available for the Packers game.

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