Chicago Bears’ Quarterback Saga Continues

Newly acquired quarterback Nick Foles is the next iteration in a long line of leading men for the Chicago Bears, as he recently took over for former 2017 2nd overall draft pick Mitchell Trubisky. Foles is the 24th quarterback to start a game for the Bears since 2000.

Quarterback Nick Foles during his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles (Wikimedia Commons)

Foles’ prior working relationship with Chicago’s Head Coach Matt Nagy is what led him to the Bears during this past offseason, as they spent time together in Philadelphia and Kansas City under the direction of Andy Reid. Foles and Trubisky entered the 2020 Training Camp in a battle for the starting quarterback position, which was ultimately won by the incumbent.

Through the first two weeks of the 2020 NFL season, Trubisky led Chicago to an undefeated record. He helped earn victories against the division rival Detroit Lions, as well as the New York Giants. Trubisky started in the Bears’ third contest against the Atlanta Falcons, but it was clear early on that Chicago’s lifeless offense needed a spark in the second half if it had any chance of winning the ball game. After throwing a lackadaisical interception, Trubisky was relieved of his starting quarterback duties, and replaced by none other than Nick Foles.

Foles has procured a reputation throughout his career as a remarkably reliable backup quarterback, with the ability to perform at a high level when stepping in to replace the injured starter. Most notably, he led the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl victory after starting quarterback Carson Wentz was sidelined due to injury. In this case, Foles was called to action because of Trubisky’s lack of adequate execution on the football field. Staying true to form, Foles managed to lead the Bears to a 30-26 victory over Atlanta, after being down 16 points going into the fourth quarter.

Some fans were genuinely outraged when Head Coach Matt Nagy made the switch to Foles midgame. I surveyed several die-hard Chicago Bears fanatics about the quarterback transition.

“Nagy has jerked Trubisky around far too many times in his short career,” said Michael White of Rockford.

Other fans were able to recognize the human elements of being a quarterback in the NFL.

“It’s not fair to diminish the confidence of a young quarterback at every turn,” said St. Louis University student Eric Adamany.

These individuals provided unique perspectives on the human aspects of being a quarterback in the NFL, but usually fans are just happy with another tally in the W column when it comes to their beloved team.

Foles’ comeback performance against the Falcons was enough to propel himself into the starting position moving forward, which has left Trubisky’s future in the NFL up for question, as his contract in Chicago expires after the current season ends.

Since Foles has become the starting quarterback for the Bears, they have won two out of three games, and sit comfortably atop the NFC North standings with a 5-1 record. Not every win since the transition to Foles can be attributed to offensive success, as Chicago’s strongest performers reside on the defensive side of the ball. The Bears have held opponents to an average of 19.3 points per game this season, which is among the league’s best defensive statistics.

Nick Foles may not be a long-term solution for the quarterback position in Chicago, but he is currently performing well enough to have secured the starting spot for what looks to be the remainder of the Bears’ 2020 campaign. His numbers don’t jump off the page and launch him into the stratosphere of elite quarterbacks, but he is capable of committing less mistakes than Mitchell Trubisky has throughout his young career in Chicago. The Bears have always relied on defense to carry the team into postseason play, and with a competent enough quarterback in Foles, they are firmly on the path to a second playoff berth in three seasons.