Chicago Bears

Mitchell Trubisky works on sliding technique, not passing

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:56 p.m. ET

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky found a flaw in his game while trying to be patient and sit out with an injured right shoulder.

Trubisky discovered he needs to slide better.

It was while sliding late in a 25-20 win Nov. 18 over the Minnesota Vikings that Trubisky suffered the injury threatening to cost him a second straight start Sunday against the New York Giants.

"I've been told I've got to work on my slides a little bit, maybe pick one or stick to one," Trubisky said.

Trubisky slid awkwardly and was hit by Minnesota's Harrison Smith on the left side, resulting in the shoulder injury to his right side that led to Chase Daniel's start against the Detroit Lions in a 23-16 Bears win on Thanksgiving.

"Throughout a play I never know whether I'm going to slide forward, get down sideways or just go straight and give myself up early," Trubisky said in his first comments to reporters since the injury occurred. "That's something that I've just got to continue to be better with, and it also makes it hard for the defense because they don't know if I'm going to continue to pick up yards or I'm going to go down.

"That's why defenses are continuing to be aggressive. That's just me practicing that, being smart and taking care of myself."

Trubisky called the play when he was injured an awkward one. Smith was fined and penalized for the hit.

"It was just an awkward landing, and then I got hit, and my arm got caught underneath me the wrong way," Trubisky said. "It was really just a freak play and I didn't know what happened at the time. Luckily, I was able to finish out the game and, more importantly, we won."

Trubisky is considered "day to day" by coach Matt Nagy and practiced Thursday for the second straight day, but only on a limited basis. Daniel continued to work with the first team.

"I feel good," Trubisky said. "I'm definitely not worried about it, and the good news is it's not something that's going to prevent me in the long term. So, we're just making sure it's right, 110 percent, and when I can come back I'll be what this offense and what this team needs me to be."

Caution and safety are the key words the Bears are using in regards to Trubisky's possible return. No one is suggesting he'll be able to play this week and an NFL.com report said they've already made a decision to sit him.

"I'm going to do as much as they'll let me," Trubisky said. "So I'm just trusting what they tell me to do out on the field and then come in and do what I've got to do, and then just be out there and make this team better any way we can. And make sure everyone's locked in during practice and we take care of business."

Nagy said Trubisky hasn't thrown yet in practices, but wouldn't necessarily call this critical to starting this week.

"For us, we feel like timing-wise with the guys, with where he's at, he's good there," Nagy said. "Mentally, just staying in the playbook, he's good there.

"It's just the fact that he's not throwing."

Trubisky's frustration with not preparing like he's going to play is obvious.

"He's a competitor, he wants to be out there,' Nagy said. "And so, again, just our communication with every player that we have we've always been upfront and said, 'OK, here's the plan.' And so, I think it's very natural for any player to want to have that competitive nature and be out there, and he's definitely like that."

When Trubisky does return, he anticipates running like he had in earlier games. He led the NFL in rushing yards by quarterbacks before his injury and has 363 such yards.

"I would say I've done a real good job of getting yardage for this team, creating positive plays and causing trouble for the defenses while also protecting myself," Trubisky said. "Nothing's going to change when I get back."

The one exception is he might make more defined slides to end his runs.

NOTES: DE Akiem Hicks missed a second straight practice due to Achilles tendon soreness. Nagy said he considers it a precaution. Hicks has been a vital part of a defense ranked second against the run. He first mentioned the injury on Wednesday morning before practice.