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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Mitchell Trubisky's bumpy performance in Week 3 will not silence the critics convinced the Chicago Bears drafted the wrong quarterback in 2017, but the team did achieve an important milestone in its rebuilding effort on Sunday. The Bears won a game they were supposed to win. For a franchise that routinely struggled to handle prosperity under former head coaches Marc Trestman and John Fox, the Bears managed to win back-to-back games for just the second time since 2016. All alone atop the NFC North for the first time since Week 16 of the 2013 season, the Bears can thank their opportunistic defense (four takeaways) and strong rushing attack for erasing a 14-point deficit to beat the winless Arizona Cardinals 16-14. The only drama left in Arizona is chronicling the developing of rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, who mercifully replaced Sam Bradford late in the fourth quarter. The Bears' season, on the other hand, is very much alive, especially after Green Bay and Minnesota suffered unexpected losses on Sunday. However, Trubisky has to play better for coach Matt Nagy's team to be a serious playoff contender. "With Mitch ... there are plays when he played really well ... but we can improve," Nagy said. "There are going to be some growing pains as we do this and it's not going to happen overnight." Trubisky's most impressive throw of the afternoon was a 39-yard, third-quarter completion to Allen Robinson that set up a touchdown, but far too often, the second-year quarterback missed the mark on downfield pass attempts. Those accuracy issues are becoming acute.  The Bears lauded Trubisky's accuracy when they made him the second overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft out of North Carolina, but that passing precision has yet to materialize at the NFL level.
"I just gotta keep getting better. ... It was a good win for us on the road," Trubisky said. "I'm really tough on myself. I know I can play a lot better." Trubisky also turned the ball over twice in the first half, and nearly threw a pick inside the 20-yard line in the third quarter. This comes on the heels of Trubisky tossing a pair of interceptions versus Seattle six days earlier. The good news, according to Nagy, is that Trubisky, "has not flinched at all on the sideline after turning the ball over, that's the best part of this process -- he's getting better -- I'm proud of him." "We can improve but I'm happy with where he's at. ... We're going to continue to work together and continue to keep pushing forward until this thing clicks." Trubisky isn't going anywhere. The fan base can scream all they want about Chicago drafting Trubisky instead of Patrick Mahomes (13 touchdown passes, zero interceptions), but what's done is done. But the city is tired -- and rightfully so -- of watching the defense carry the offense. The Bears need better balance to reach their full potential. And it all starts with the quarterback.
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