What’s fair in comparing Mitch Trubisky and Patrick Mahomes? Matt Nagy stresses time in offense

Compare the stats lines through two games of the two quarterbacks, both 2017 first-round draft picks, both students of Matt Nagy.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes: 2-0 record, 38-for-55 passing for 582 yards, 10 touchdowns, no interceptions, 39 rushing yards and a 143.3 passer rating.

Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky: 1-1 record, 48-for-69 passing for 371 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, 56 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, one lost fumble and an 80 passer rating.

Compare highlights of the players’ two starts to the season, and the difference is more pronounced. There’s Mahomes lofting a perfectly placed ball to fullback Anthony Sherman for a 36-yard touchdown pass against the Chargers. And then he’s firing a laser to tight end Travis Kelce in the middle of three Steelers defenders as Kelce tumbles into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown. And so on.

After Mahomes stepped into the spotlight with his NFL record of 10 touchdown passes in the first two weeks, it was inevitable the comparisons to Trubisky would lead to some upset stomachs among Bears fans. After all, the Bears drafted Trubisky at No. 2 last year, while the Chiefs made Mahomes the next quarterback taken at No. 10.

But take a couple of deep breaths and consider what’s fair when it comes to the comparison.

That’s what Nagy was asked to do Tuesday after Trubisky’s uneven performance against the Seahawks in a 24-17 Bears victory Monday at Soldier Field. Nagy has a better perspective than anybody on the matter. He guided Mahomes’ apprenticeship in the Chiefs offense behind Alex Smith last season before taking over the guidance of Trubisky when the Bears hired him in January.

“What’s fair to compare is you have one, in Patrick, who has had a full year in this offense to understand it,” Nagy said. “Regardless of playing in it, he’s had more than a year to sit behind it and learn and understand and watch tape with those quarterbacks last year and get to see all the talk. All the discussions of where you go on this play and that play.

“Whereas Mitchell hasn’t had that. He’s being forced into this thing right away, and so that’s where these growing pains are going to occur. That’s where, I just want to make it clear to him and to everybody, if you’re realistic about it, it does take a little bit of time.”

There is nothing new about what Nagy said. He has been advising patience for weeks. Though Trubisky has 14 career starts to Mahomes’ three, Nagy has been open about the time he believes it takes to fully absorb his offense.

One probably can forgive Bears fans for getting ahead of themselves after seeing the Khalil Mack-led defense produce 10 sacks, four turnovers and two touchdowns in two weeks. Just imagine what a fully functional offense would mean for Chicago if combined with that defense. (Cue visions of Carson Wentz and the 2017 Eagles.)

Nagy understands why the comparisons are out there, too, but his mission is to make sure Trubisky keeps his growth process in perspective.

Nagy stresses a “next-play mentality,” which may be cliche but also appeared to be necessary for Trubisky on Monday.

He threw two second-quarter interceptions to Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin, one on an underthrown attempt to Allen Robinson and another on a tipped pass. The Bears also stalled on consecutive third-quarter drives. But they finally reached the end zone a second time when Trubisky darted to his left and found rookie wide receiver Anthony Miller on a corner route for a 10-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.

Afterward, Nagy had a conversation with Trubisky on the sideline about seeing results from that mentality.

“What I thought was growth (Monday) was the fact that he didn’t let a bad play, for instance an interception, affect his next play or his next series,” Nagy said. “He’s going to understand he can’t be perfect. There are going to be times where there’s going to be a mistake or you make a poor throw or poor decision, but as long as we don’t repeat that thing, then we’re growing.”

Trubisky’s tunnel vision also could apply to the outside chatter about measuring up to his quarterback contemporaries. Nagy believes he can block that out.

“I don’t think that’s fair to Mitch to be put in that position, and so I know Mitch doesn’t put that on himself,” Nagy said. “We certainly don’t do that. Hopefully in the end both of them have great, long careers in this type of offense.”

ckane@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ChiTribKane

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