Good vibes have been on the rise with each positive progress report we received regarding Mitch Trubisky’s throwing shoulder. And with the Chicago Bears quarterback being cleared to play on Sunday, those positive feelings are suddenly inescapable.
But in case you weren’t all the way there just yet, perhaps Nagy’s words on how Trubisky has looked in the last three days of practice will put you over-the top.
“He put together three really good days in practice. I thought the velocity on his throws was good,” Nagy said during his Friday press conference. “His decision-making, just getting in and out of the huddle, that part was easy. The main thing really for us was seeing – conditioning wise – being able to see can he hold up and he did well.”
VELOCITY. That’s the key word I’ve been looking forward to hearing this week from the Bears’ head coach.
When injuries to throwing arms pops up, my first concern is whether the quarterback can put the same zip on the ball he did before the injury. Nagy calmed my fears by addressing it in a way that instills the necessary confidence I need to feel good about Trubisky heading into Sunday. Words matter. So to hear Nagy talk about velocity, which is something you see when a quarterback’s throwing shoulder is at full strength, it left a positive mark on me.
As a starting quarterback on a division-leading team, there are certain tough throws you have to make that need to be thrown with precision, accuracy, and a little bit of oomph. Trubisky returned to throwing the Friday before the Bears’ Week 13 game against the Giants, then reportedly looked good in a brief throwing session Sunday morning before the game. But after stringing together some strong throwing sessions in practice this week, there are more concrete reasons to feel good about Trubisky’s progression since first suffering the injury 20 days ago.
Nagy feels confident that Trubisky can get it done. And if he feels confident, then why shouldn’t I feel the same way?
Of course, there is only one way to know if Trubisky’s arm is all the way back or if his coach is talking up his quarterback. Soon enough, the answers will present themselves before our very eyes on Sunday Night Football.