UNC Football

Mitch Trubisky may have created a Bear of a problem.

Here’s any easy question that apparently only Carolina fans can answer: Who is best among the Chicago Bears’ quarterback trio of Ms? Mike Glennon, Mark Sanchez or Mitch Trubisky?

Glennon is best known for being the quarterback who forced Russell Wilson to finish his college career at Wisconsin because former N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien thought Glennon’s two years of eligibility were more valuable than Wilson’s one. How’d that work out for everyone?

Sanchez might have led the Jets two a pair of AFC championship games, but he is far better remembered for his famous butt fumble against the Patriots that effectively converted him from a starter to, well, the butt of jokes.

So, the Bears opened their preseason schedule with Glennon and Sanchez playing as the announcers proclaimed the No. 2 draft pick not yet ready for prime time. Then, trailing 10-0, the Bears figured they would put in No. 10 or face the prospect of going 0-16.

Despite a loss caused by Chicago’s suddenly porous defense, Trubisky had his new team ahead and on the verge of victory. How did he look? The same, except for a darker blue jersey. How did he play? He was named player of the game after directing three scoring drives that will undoubtedly put coach John Fox under pressure to start Trubisky and let him learn on the job.

Yes, Trubisky was playing against mostly Denver Broncos reserves. Yes, he needs to get used to bigger, taller, quicker defenders who batted down two of his passes. But Mitch looked like an NFL quarterback to me in his first pro game, especially compared to the mediocre Glennon and Sanchez, who aren’t leading any team anywhere.

Trubisky completed his first nine passes and finished 18 of 25. Playing mostly from the gun, he was clearly comfortable at the next level, not someone who has to sit for a season. After the game, he signed a bunch of autographs on the way to the locker room, as the talking heads were now calling him the Bears’ starter and savior. The pressure is on. Bring it.