John Fox can no longer hide behind throwaway clichés to protect Mike Glennon.
After his starting quarterback turned the ball over four times in Thursday night's 35-14 beatdown at Lambeau Field -- including two overthrow interceptions, a sack-fumble in which he held the ball too long, and a botched snap fumble that ricocheted off his knee -- Fox has 11 days to prep Mitchell Trubisky. If he's willing to make the switch.
"We need to make a lot of changes," Fox said after the game, via the team's official website. "We'll evaluate everything. We've got a lot of work to do here before we line up against Minnesota on Monday night and we're going to look at everything."
On an offense lacking playmakers in the passing game, the Bears started Glennon in part because they hoped his experience would help him avoid turnovers and manage the game. The fifth-year pro has done the exact opposite. His eight turnovers this season are tied with rookie DeShone Kizer for the most in the NFL heading into Sunday.
Glennon being tied in turnovers with a second-round rookie many expected unready to start the season is poetic.
For a "game-manager," Glennon does a pretty awful job managing the game. He waffles between holding the ball too long and pulling the trigger too soon before a receiver gets out of his break. His lack of mobility doesn't allow the Bears' offense to move the pocket, making him a sitting duck every pass play. And while he can mix in some nice throws, he's far too often off the mark to move the chains consistently.
Despite the stacking evidence against Glennon, and an extended period to get his rookie ready, Fox was noncommittal on making a quarterback change.
"We have to fix some things on our football team," he said. "We have more issues than quarterback."
The Bears do have other issues, but none more glaring than the signal-caller.
If Fox didn't have a No. 2 overall pick who flashed pinpoint accuracy and exciting mobility in the preseason sitting on the bench, there would be no choice to make. But he does. And it's time to make a move.
Yes, Trubisky will have his struggles along the way, but his mobility will help a Bears' offense that is becoming stale in the passing game. His accuracy will aid the cavalcade of second and third fiddle receivers the Bears employ. And his youth and exuberance will inject life into a team that looks on the verge of mailing it in four games into the season.
With an extended timeframe to prep the rookie, Fox has the chance to pull the trigger. Doing so might ultimately be the only way to save his job.
