Farabaugh: Mitch Trubisky Should be Trusted After Preseason

The Steelers quarterback situation after the preseason is something they have to be elated about. Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph all played at an extremely high level throughout the three games. While there are plenty of debates ongoing about who should be the starting quarterback, it is expected to be Trubisky when all is said and done.

That is a decision that should be respected for the Steelers. While Pickett did play well and looked poised throughout the games, there was something about Trubisky that was not appreciated enough by the normal fan. Trubisky went out there and played about as well as he could have played given the circumstances.

It was an even playing field, as both experienced the perils of a bad offensive line and some inconsistent play from the skill groups. Even throughout the games, both got their opportunities to operate the two-minute offense and both did so successfully. The opportunities were there for both to carve out their niche in each other’s starting quarterback argument. Pickett certainly did just that, but Trubisky’s performances can not be thrown by the wayside.

In fact, even under duress, Trubisky zagged the ball around the yard as well as he did ever in Chicago. That seems to be a bit of a role reversal from the time he last played with the Bears. However, in the preseason, Trubisky created plays out of structure, snapped the ball around the yard well, and commanded an offense that clearly had confidence in its quarterback. In all senses of the word, Trubisky was solid.

Trubisky, even with a roller coaster ride around him, somehow kept things in order. There never became a scenario where he lost the grip on the offense. In fact, the offense never truly stalled out under his guidance due to lackluster play from himself. It was almost always about the offensive line, and Trubisky overcame even those tough odds at times. Just like the last two-minute drill he executed against Detroit, a holding penalty nearly destroyed that drive. Instead, Trubisky led the Steelers right down the field after the penalty for the touchdown.

Mitch Trubisky deserves to have all the confidence on his side. On his tape, an array of passes to different levels of the field showcase themselves. His poise as a leader shone through time and time again when the times got tough. Knowing pressure was coming, Trubisky often became smart enough to eat the play or find his hot read. Moreover, his accuracy impressed for the entirety of the preseason.

I can not emphasize this enough, he played that way in spite of what the play looked like around him. Trubisky was the victim of plenty of lackluster offensive line performances. The drops for some of Pittsburgh’s skill players reared their head with Trubisky in the game. He rose above the struggles around him. That is the sign of a quarterback who is poised, confident, and ready to lead.

So, if the Steelers go with Trubisky into Cincinnati, there is no guarantee they win. This team carries flaws abound on it in some key areas. Trubisky is not one of those if he plays to the level he did in the preseason, though. The prior years in his career are concerning, but could Trubisky reform himself in one year under Brian Daboll and Josh Allen? He just may have done that, and that should inspire confidence in the likely Steelers starting signal caller.