Foles Favored To Be Bears Starting Quarterback In Week 1

Even as the Chicago Bears said that Mitchell Trubisky was the unquestioned starter heading into 2020, everyone in the NFL knew that the Bears would bring in a veteran to push him. The question is whether the acquisition of quarterback Nick Foles was to motivate Trubisky or to replace him completely?

BetOnline has posted odds on which of the two will be the starter in Week 1. At this point, given how Trubisky performed last year and the money they’ll be paying Foles, it seems like the decision will be an easy one. Let’s take a closer look at the two quarterbacks and the betting lines to see who’ll end up as the Week 1 starter.

NICK FOLES
ODDS TO BE STARTING QB IN WEEK 1: -150

It is true that Chicago really wants Mitchell Trubisky to succeed, which is a great argument in favor of Trubisky being the Week 1 starter. However, the Bears also have to win as their head coaching staff is starting to feel a little heat. That might mean going with Foles, the veteran, at the start of the season before giving Trubisky a chance later in the season.

Foles is a winner. He will always have the Super Bowl championship over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and he had a solid 2018 season as well, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs and to a postseason victory. He has a knack for clutch performances in the fourth quarters of late-season games and he typically does really well on third downs – something both the Bears and Trubisky struggled with last season. As a team, Chicago was 25th in third down conversions on offense, which led to a lot of short, discouraging drives.

Foles wasn’t healthy in Jacksonville with the Jaguars and is getting a fresh start now with the Bears. Even in his bad days he’s still been a better quarterback than Trubisky on his best. Given Foles’ pedigree, his 65.7% completion rate on third downs last season and his contract, he’s likely to have the edge as we move through offseason activities.

MITCHELL TRUBISKY
ODDS TO BE STARTING QB IN WEEK 1: +110

The argument for Trubisky is not based on an expectation of performance in training camp; if you are convinced Trubisky is the mediocre quarterback many people think he is, nothing will convince you that Trubisky will start in Week 1. However, if you think Foles – who did not do well in Jacksonville – won’t definitively seal the argument and soundly defeat Trubisky in the quarterback competition, you might still think Trubisky can win this derby. Trubisky is still just 25 years old; Foles is 31.

Remember that the Bears said that the job is Trubisky’s to lose. Of course, that might just be empty words as they’re trying to say the right thing but they might actually start with Trubisky, see if he’s improved and if not, turn to Foles. That’s your mindset here if you’re betting on Trubisky in this prop.

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