Fox keeps Bears rookie Trubisky grounded

Oct 19, 2017 - 12:22 AM LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- During the preseason, Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky laughed about handing off nine straight times when he came in against Cleveland.

Trubisky said he didn't expect to do that again in a game.

Two starts into his NFL career, Trubisky is handing off with extreme regularity as the Bears stick with running backs Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen shouldering the load in a throwback attack. It's all starting to look like 30 years ago, when former Bears head coach Mike Ditka once started a game with 20 straight runs.

"This is a combative game, a will-breaking game," Bears head coach John Fox said. "Running the football is not the easy way to do it. You're not finessing people.

"I think it's a little bit like a championship boxing match. Body blows aren't real sexy, but they take their toll in the later rounds. It's a way to, a way to win. Maybe not as flashy, as exciting as knockouts and those kinds of things, but it works."

The Bears will try to KO Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers Sunday at Soldier Field, and it's unlikely they'll change their approach much -- even if it's boring to some.

"I know sports is the entertainment business, but we've still got to win games," Bears guard Kyle Long said. "Right now, the best opportunity we have to give ourselves a chance to win is to pound the rock."

Trubisky threw 16 times in Sunday's win over Baltimore and the Bears ran it 54 times. He has 41 pass attempts in two starts.

"As a quarterback, you want to be throwing the ball, but as a competitor and leader of this team, you're going to do whatever it takes to win," Trubisky said. "And if it's running the ball, if it's passing the ball, whatever it is, that's what we're going to do."

There are good reasons for the Bears to run. With Howard second in the NFL in rushing and Cohen a multipurpose threat, the Bears can't help but like their chances on handoffs.

Still, it's nothing new for a Fox-coached team to turn completely to the run.

During Fox's second year coaching the Panthers in 2003, they finished 28th in pass attempts with Jake Delhomme at quarterback and third in rushing attempts but went to the Super Bowl. In 2008, his Panthers team was sixth in rushing attempts and last in pass attempts and went 12-4 before losing in the first round of the playoffs.

In 2011, with Tim Tebow at quarterback, the Denver Broncos were last in pass attempts (429) but first in rushing attempts (546). They went 8-8 and won a playoff game.

Using a young passer and leaning on the run seem to be the course for Fox this year, as well. Howard had a career-high 167 yards Sunday to help beat a Baltimore defense that tried to confuse Trubisky by playing a lot of uncharacteristic soft zone.

"On film we really didn't see any of that at all, so it was really surprising for them to come out in that two-high shell, and our plan was just to run them out of it," Trubisky said. "And they were trying to box everything in with the (quarterback) keeper game and the outside zone, and we got to the inside zone really quick and we were just able to be effective that way.

"And we're going to do whatever it takes to win the game and if it's running inside zone until they want to get out of their defense or stop it."

The Bears were doing this with Mike Glennon at quarterback, as well. They just fell behind, largely due to turnovers, and couldn't continue running. They rank fourth in rushes (186) and 28th in passes attempted (183).

"When you average 4.5 yards a carry, you can do that," Bears offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. "It's easy to do that there. It's when you're averaging 2 and 3 and then all of sudden, you're putting your quarterback in third-and-extra-long the whole time, you can't play that type game.

"And that type game isn't fun if you don't win the game."

Loggains knows young passers need more attempts to develop. Balance might come later, if the Bears see defenses change their approach against Trubisky.

"He's a team-first guy," Loggains said. "He knows that we are going to do whatever it takes to win a game.

"Sometimes it's throwing 27 straight fastballs. If that's what it is, that is what we are going to do. He also is very aware in his little time in the NFL that there are going to be games -- maybe this week, maybe next week, maybe a month from now -- that we are going to open it up and throw 45 times. Whatever it takes to win the game."

Besides, Trubisky showed coaches positive development by not trying to complete six pass attempts and throwing the ball away.

"You can't get selfish wanting to force in every pass -- that just doesn't make sense," Trubisky said.

He forced one against Minnesota and a fourth-quarter interception in his debut meant defeat.

"So, it's just me trying to play smarter and put my team in the best position to be successful each drive and come out winning games," Trubisky said. "The throwaways are important."

Something else is important, as the Bears go for consecutive victories for the first time since 2015.

"Yeah, winning ... doing the things it takes to win," Fox said.

And in this case, it might mean running the ball again.

SERIES HISTORY: 9th regular-season meeting. Bears lead series, 5-3. Chicago won the last two games in Soldier Field, 34-29 in 2011 and 23-22 in 2012. Carolina won at home in the last game between the teams, 31-24 in 2014. The teams played in 2005 in the divisional round of the playoffs with the Panthers winning 29-21 at Soldier Field when John Fox was their coach.

--Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio knows his group is ascending in statistical rankings, but wants to see one thing before he is convinced they've arrived.

"You've got to be consistent," Fangio said. "Every week is a new entity. I think last year after 13 games we were ranked seventh in some category, and then the dam broke the last three weeks."

The Bears rank sixth in yardage allowed, and feel they are finding an identity now after injuries early slowed their growth.

"Training camp is the time when you try to find out your identity as a defense, but it looks like we're starting to find out our identity now," cornerback Prince Amukamara said. "The name of the game is just being consistent and that's all we need to do."

The personnel is not much different now than last year, but injuries last year may have allowed depth to develop. Defenders feel they know the scheme better this season and have been able to fit in pieces despite key injuries to safety Quintin Demps and linebackers Jerrell Freeman and Willie Young.

Still, the injuries haven't been as numerous so far.

"It got to the point last year, when you're playing with people you've signed after the season (began), that you've gotten off the streets, that weren't in training camp with you," Fangio said. "That takes it to another level, for two reasons. One, they weren't with you, so learning, mentally, everything you like to do. And two, they're on the streets for a reason many times. So we haven't gotten to that point yet."

--Cornerback Kyle Fuller continued earning accolades for his play, especially against Baltimore.

Fuller did his homework for the game with constant video study on an iPad of the Ravens' receivers.

"You have to know what you're doing, but it's really important to understand your opponent and what they do," head coach John Fox said. "I think he probably had the highest logged-in time on the video on the iPads. I think film study, you're going to get out of stuff whatever you put into it and he put a lot into it last week."

--Long and offensive line teammates are in awe of Carolina's Julius Peppers. Long was Peppers' teammate in Chicago one season.

At 37, Peppers doesn't look ready for a rocking chair.

"He looks like he's 25 years old," Long said. "That's just the way he is -- he's a freak show."

Peppers' athleticism at an age when most are retired is what surprises blockers.

"The fact that he can move laterally, and he's still Julius Peppers, he can still run you over," Long said. "You have to be ready for any of those facets."

--Nearly every week center Cody Whitehair has produced poor snaps in shotgun formations, and he acknowledges the need to be better.

"For whatever reason, I dunno why, they've been bad," Whitehair said.

Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had to chase one down in the end zone last week and avoided a safety or worse.

Whitehair earlier in the season had to toggle between guard and center, but isn't using that as an excuse for mistakes.

"I don't think that's it, I just have to focus in on my technique a little bit better and go from there," Whitehair said.

--Long understands Chicago fan excitement over Trubisky, even if the rookie hasn't thrown many passes and isn't being asked to carry an offense.

"I mean, Mitch is a young guy with a lot of talent and this is a town that's hungry for success in their sports, especially football," Long said. "And I think that they see a beacon of hope and light with Mitch Trubisky, and it's my job and the guys around me, their job is to keep that beacon of light nice and shiny and keep him upright."

NOTES: WR Markus Wheaton (groin) did not practice Wednesday and is week-to-week. He is unlikely to play Sunday after missing last week's game. ... DB Sherrick McManis (hamstring) missed practice Wednesday after suffering an injury in Sunday's game and appears unlikely to play. He is day-to-day. McManis' absence would be a huge loss for Bears special teams. Without him on the field they gave up a game-tying punt return for a touchdown Sunday in the win over Baltimore. ... LB John Timu (ankle, knee) missed Wednesday's practice with injuries suffered two weeks ago and is week-to-week. ... RB Benny Cunningham (hamstring) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis and is day-to-day. He has been a key special-teams player in coverage and returns and his absence might leave the Bears using Tarik Cohen on kick returns. ... WR Tanner Gentry (hip) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis after suffering an injury in Sunday's win. ... OL Hroniss Grasu (hand) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis. ... LB Nick Kwiatkoski (pectoral muscle) practiced Wednesday on a limited basis. He had been restricted to scout-team work before this week as he tries to come back from an injury that sidelined him since the second game.