Is there a more scrutinized young quarterback in the NFL than Mitch Trubisky. It certainly feels that way to most who follow the Chicago Bears.

While other guys like Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen continue to garner significant praise the past few weeks despite not exactly showcasing crisp passing skills, the national stance on Trubisky seems fixed on “doomed to fail.” That or merely a puppet of head coach Matt Nagy. Is that fair? No, it isn’t. This young man has done plenty to help his team win, and not just as a runner as some would like people to think.

He’s coming along fast as a passer. His operation within the pocket has shown noticeable improvement since the beginning of the season with the footwork and mechanics all much cleaner. Granted he’s far from perfect but things are trending in the right direction for sure. What makes it all the more impressive is how he’s managed to do it given adverse circumstances.

Not only has he tried to learn a complicated new offense this year, he’s had to do so against stiffer competition than anybody else.

Mitch Trubisky has faced a slew of top pass defenses

People always like to go to the numbers when digging on Trubisky. All things considered, they aren’t bad at all. He’s thrown for 3,060 yards with 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for a 96.0 passer rating. That’s with missing two games due to a shoulder injury. A ton of previous Bears quarterbacks haven’t even sniffed those numbers. What makes it even more impressive? The string of defenses he’s had to go against.

Trubisky has played more top pass defenses in 2018 than any other prominent member of his draft class including Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. Including the Vikings this Sunday, he’ll have played eight of his 14 games this season against a defense ranked 12th or higher against the pass this season. That’s a total of 57.14%. Watson will end up playing five in 16 games with the finale against Jacksonville (31.25%) and Mahomes six in 16 (37.5%).

This isn’t even including the game Trubisky missed in Detroit which would’ve made it nine games. The point is that people are so quick to judge the player for not being as prolific as others. This is without considering the possibility he might be facing a tougher slate of opponents than his peers. Given what the 24-year old has had to go through this season, he’s actually played well above expectations.