The Chicago Bears went to Mile High Stadium to face the Denver Broncos Sunday, hoping to redeem themselves after a truly awful debut against Green Bay. They left the building with a wee bit of redemption and a 1-1 start. Former Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was out-dueled by Bears coach Matt Nagy in a low scoring contest dominated by defense.
Bears All-Pro Kyle Fuller made a clutch fourth quarter interception in the red zone, and the defense played well again, but it all came down to late game heroics by Eddy Pineiro:
.@EddyPineiro 53 YARDS FOR THE WIN! #Bears100 #CHIvsDEN
While Pineiro’s clutch kick was the main story coming out of the game, several other things happened the Bears and their fans should keep their eyes on. Here are the top five storylines that emerged for the Bears against the Broncos:
How Serious is the Bilal Nichols Injury?
GettyBilal Nichols and Khalil Mack of the Bears. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Defensive end Bilal Nichols left the game at halftime with a hand injury, and he did not return. Nichols had missed some time this week in practice due to a knee injury, and he has been a key member of this talented young defense. Nichols had a solid rookie season last year, and was hoping to build on it this year.
The severity of Nichols’ hand injury is unknown, but hopefully it won’t be too serious.
Mitchell Trubisky Didn’t Look Good
GettyChicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who came into the game one of the more scrutinized quarterbacks in the league, did nothing but add to that scrutiny. Whether coach Matt Nagy called nine straight rushing plays on a drive that totaled nine plays because of Trubisky’s limitations, or because it was part of his game plan is unknown, but Trubisky averaged just 7.5 yards a throw–a total that was helped drastically by the Bears final possession.
The Bears defense was clearly fatigued late in the fourth quarter, and it showed. Had Trubisky been able to extend one of his final two drives, it could have made a huge difference. In low-scoring defensive battles like these, the Bears need to be able to rely on their quarterback to sustain drives that allow his defense some much-needed rest. Trubisky didn’t do that near enough against Denver late in the game, when it counted the most. He did, however, come with a clutch throw to Allen Robinson when it counted most, so all is definitely not lost. There just wasn’t enough improvement to encourage fans.
This Defense is Just as Good as it Was Last Season
Chicago Bears safety Eddie Jackson (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
The defense notched two sacks against Joe Flacco in extremely harsh conditions. Kyle Fuller had a clutch red zone interception. The heat and altitude were obvious factors:
@AaronLemingNFL It’s not just the thin air & altitude. It’s supposed to be in the 90s out in Denver.
Still, Chuck Pagano’s defense looked strong despite giving up a late touchdown on an excellent catch and two-point conversion, both by Emmanuel Sanders. Had the defense had more help from the offense, this game would have looked very different.
The Bears Have a Running Game–and David Montgomery Has Emerged
GettyDENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 15: Mitchell Trubisky #10 of the Chicago Bears hands off to David Montgomery #32 in the second quarter of a game at Empower Field at Mile High on September 15, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
The Bears rookie running back had a solid second game, scoring his first career touchdown and leading the team in carries. Nagy also had Trubisky hand Montgomery the ball late in the fourth quarter when the Bears needed to eat clock in order to secure the victory
Eddy Pineiro Is the Hero
GettyBears kicker Eddy Pineiro nailed the game-winning 53-yard field goal to beat Denver. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Pineiro was the epitome of clutch against the Broncos, going 3-3 from 40, 52, and the game-winning 53-yards. He also nailed his PAT.
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Mitchell Trubisky’s Play Among 5 Bears Storylines Against Denver