How young QBs Mitch Trubisky and Sam Darnold lean on their veteran backups as a valuable support system
CHICAGO - Concern barged back into the big city Monday morning. The frustration of an error-filled home loss was still raw. The highly touted, young quarterback had struggled against a superior opponent.
Multiple turnovers. Too many missed throws.
Naturally, the line for the megaphone exploded with agitated fans and alarmed analysts all wanting to offer a complaint. Or a diagnosis on what went wrong. Or a verdict in a trial that barely has passed the opening statements.
Was this latest Sunday snapshot another warning sign of a player ill-equipped to climb the NFL mountain? Or was it simply a 3 1/2-hour illumination of a bumpy growth process?
The head coach, of course, came to the kid's defense.
"We struggled running the ball," the coach said. "At times we had trouble protecting him. And at times we had trouble getting the ball downfield."
Yes, Chicago. You have company.
These very things were happening in New York this week, with Jets rookie Sam Darnold able to empathize easily with Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The two passers will return to the stage Sunday at Soldier Field - against one another and in similar spots.
Both need to overcome sloppy performances in disappointing defeats. Both are trying to do so with fan bases eager for them
