Chicago Bears' Trubisky puts up strong numbers in loss
Rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky threw a career high 35 passes in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Packers, and he finished with a career-best 297 passing yards.
His 97.0 passer rating was his second best, trailing only the 101.8 he had against the Panthers when he threw just 7 passes.
"Statistically and poise-wise in handling situations, his play was probably the best to date," coach John Fox said. "Was it perfect? No, it seldom is. But I was impressed with the young guy."
Trubisky, though, was sacked 5 times by a Packers defense that had just 4 sacks combined in its previous five games.
"I still have to find ways to get better," said Trubisky, who is 2-3 as a starter. "I need to get better on third downs (the Bears converted just 4 of 14), and be more efficient with the ball. I'm eager to watch the film and see what else I can learn and get better from."
Trubisky has been sacked 15 times in his last four starts. Former starter Mike Glennon was sacked 8 times in the first four games.
"It was just me being careful with the ball and holding it," Trubisky said. "I have to get it out quicker."
Making a connection:
On the Bears' final possession, Mitch Trubisky fired a dart to Dontrelle Inman deep down the middle, just inside the Packers' 45-yard line.
But the ball glanced off the hands of the leaping Inman with 42 seconds left. One play later the Bears turned it over on downs.
"It wasn't disappointing at all," Trubisky said of the drop. "He made great catches all game. That was just one of those that we have to make. So on to the next play. I have a lot of confidence in him. It's tough to get here on short notice and learn a playbook, so hats off to him for doing that."
That tarnished an otherwise impressive Bears debut for the former Charger, who led the team with 6 catches and 88 receiving yards, just 17 days after he was acquired in a trade.
Ground and pound:
After the Packers went ahead 10-3 early in the second quarter, the Bears challenged several times, closing in to 10-6 at halftime, then 16-13 early in the fourth quarter and finally trimming 3 points from a 23-13 deficit late in the game.
But the Packers ran the ball 27 times for 95 yards in the second half, not spectacular numbers, but enough to pile up a 21:05-8:55 time-of-possession edge after halftime.
"When we're running downhill, we like our chances," Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari. "Good luck to the (opposing) defense on that."
Back on track:
Kicker Connor Barth was a shaky 7-for-11 on FG attempts in the first eight games, missing from 47 twice, 48 and having a 52-yard attempt blocked.
But he connected on all 3 attempts Sunday, from 45, 44 and 49 yards.
"You'd like him to be perfect," coach John Fox said. "The reality is he missed 4 kicks in nine games. He was good today in tough conditions."
By the numbers:
Before Sunday's game, Green Bay quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers had started in the last 52 meetings between the Bears and Packers.
The Bears have started two quarterbacks against the Packers this year: Mike Glennon and Mitch Trubisky. Brett Hundley started at quarterback for the Packers. Hundley and Trubisky had combined for six career starts, the fewest by opposing quarterbacks in the series since the 1984 game, which matched the Bears' Rusty Lisch vs. the Packers Randy Wright, a St. Charles native.
Questionable injury report:
Sunday's inactives were quarterback Mark Sanchez, linebacker Danny Trevathan (calf), cornerbacks Sherrick McManis (hamstring) and Bryce Callahan (knee), tight end Dion Sims (illness), defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (hamstring) and offensive lineman Tom Compton (ankle).
All six players with injuries did not practice all week but were listed as questionable on Friday's injury report.
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