It is not what Mike Glennon did, it is what Mike Glennon didn’t do

Nothing Mike Glennon did can be blamed for the loss. At the same time, nothing Mike Glennon did could have been credited for a win either.

Whether or not Mitchell Trubisky could do better than what Mike Glennon is currently doing will be the talk of the week for every Bears loss. While the last second loss is not nearly Mike Glennon’s fault; the receivers went down like flies and did not help him, nor did his offensive line. There were still moments where he could try to make a play and he did not.

Glennon averaged 5.3 yards per attempt. He was checking down at every stop. His receivers were not giving him the best chances down the field, but he also was not giving the defense the idea that he would be a threat down the field. It got the defense creeping in, and is in part as to why he was sacked four times. He had one close attempt down the field to Tarik Cohen, but he threw the ball short and had it tipped away by a chasing linebacker.

Trubisky showed in the preseason that he is not afraid to move outside of the pocket. That idea alone cleans up the mess in the middle that had Glennon struggling to find anything down the field.

This is the issue. On paper, the defense held their ground and gave the offense a chance to win. One big splash play, one long bomb in the passing game was needed or at least respected to give the Bears this game over a respected opponent.

Next: Good and Bad news from week one

Sure, you cannot blame Mike Glennon for this loss. He did not throw the game losing interception. He did not make the costly mistake late in the third quarter when he decided to go for it all. Still, he did not lead the comeback, and he mostly relied on others to get himself in the position that he was in. There is a floor that this team can hit with Mike Glennon. On the other hand, there is a ceiling this team can hit with Mitchell Trubisky. Why not shoot for the ceiling?