A vintage defensive performance from the Chicago Bears and a complete lack of trust in their rookie quarterback were enough to soundly beat the Carolina Panthers today, 17-3. Chicago achieved a win with a pair of Eddie Jackson defensive touchdowns, while QB Mitchell Trubisky threw only seven passes, completing four.
Cam Newton put together a few solid drives in the first half, but he was thwarted in enemy territory twice for the game-changing plays. First, some butterfingers from Curtis Samuel on an option play gave Jackson a 75-yard fumble return TD.
Then, Jackson once again found himself in the perfect spot, as he swooped in to catch a pass tipped high into the air, bringing it back into the end zone for an ever-so-slightly longer 76-yard pick-six.
Because of their defense, all the Bears needed from Trubisky was for him not to fuck up, and he didn’t. Trubisky handed the ball off to Jordan Howard 21 times and completed two passes in each half, including this lone Bears offensive highlight, a longball to Tarik Cohen.
Most importantly, he never turned the ball over. Trubisky’s offense could not even manage a single first down in the second half*, but that didn’t matter. He’s a winner.
*Correction (4:51 p.m. EST): They got one in their very last, clock-killing drive, off a run from Jordan Howard. My bad.