And the streak goes on!
The Chicago Bears beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, 31-28. The victory was their fourth in a row and their eighth in nine games.
Sunday’s contest was a test of grit and resilience in the face of mounting injuries that saw them without a single starting linebacker in addition to a decimated defensive line and secondary.
In a back-and-forth thriller at Soldier Field, the Bears found themselves trailing 21-17 at halftime after a sloppy start, punctuated by an early strip-sack touchdown that shifted the momentum.
However, a surging second-half performance fueled by quarterback Caleb Williams, a key defensive takeaway from Montez Sweat, and a game-sealing pass breakup by Jaquan Brisker kept the Bears entrenched atop the NFC North.
The Bears continue to make a statement loud and clear: despite missing bodies, they have the toughness and mental acuity to remain competitive in any contest and find ways to pull off the win in the end.
First Half: A Back-and-Forth Battle with Turnovers
Although the Bears offense began the game with a three-and-out, much to the dismay of the home crowd, the team made a big statement early on.
Cornerback Nashon Wright, having a terrific season as a fill-in for the injured Jaylon Johnson, picked off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph on the second defensive play of the game.
Quarterback Caleb Williams wasted no time capitalizing, connecting with veteran wide receiver D.J. Moore for a quick touchdown to make it 7-0.
But the Steelers weren’t going to roll over easily. Their offense quickly found its footing, answering back with a 13-play, 95-yard drive, chewing up a whopping 7:58 of game clock. The drive culminated with a 6-yard rushing touchdown from wide receiver DK Metcalf.
The pivotal moment of the half, however, was a defensive highlight for Pittsburgh and a costly mistake for the Bears.
Steelers star T.J. Watt executed a devastating strip-sack on Williams deep in the Bears’ territory. The loose ball was scooped up by Nick Herbig in the end zone for a defensive touchdown.
And just like that, to go from a 7-0 early lead to being down, 14-7, in the blink of an eye was a glaring wake up call.
The Bears, however, managed to stop the bleeding before the break.
A solid drive late in the second quarter set up kicker Cairo Santos for a 47-yard field goal as time expired, ensuring the deficit remained a single score heading into the locker room at 21-17 Pittsburgh.
Second Half Surge: 17 Unanswered Points
The third quarter was a sloppy one in general as the Steelers punted twice and fumbled on their third possession. The Bears scored a touchdown on their first possession of the half, a 25-yard strike from Williams to Moore again. That gave them a 24-21 lead, which they held into the fourth quarter.
On the second play coming out of the quarter break, the offense scored again on a Kyle Monangai 2-yard touchdown plunge. It was the Bears’ 17th unanswered point, firmly swinging the momentum in their direction as they took a 31-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Nail-Biting Finish: Holding On Tight
The offense did its part. It scored 31 points and provided a two-score lead. Now, the defense had to step up.
Unfortunately, the best it could do was stall the Steelers offense long enough to drain the clock.
The Steelers answered the Bears’ early fourth-quarter touchdown with an astounding 17-play, 73-yard touchdown drive that ate up half of the fourth quarter. A 3-yard touchdown pass from Rudolph to Pat Freiermuth cut the Bears’ lead to 31-28.
The tension only ramped up from there.
The Bears’ offense couldn’t manage to run out the clock on their ensuing drives, forcing their exhausted defense back onto the field.
With 1:29 remaining and the ball at their own 20-yard line, the Steelers began their final, desperate march to either tie the game with a field goal or win it with a touchdown.
Rudolph drove the Steelers across midfield and into Chicago territory. However, with the clock ticking down and a crucial fourth down play coming up, the defense got a big play from one of its young stars.
Jaquan Brisker, playing near the line of scrimmage, leapt up to deflect a Rudolph pass, sending it incomplete and securing the victory for the Bears.
Key Takeaways and Season Implications
• Much-needed victory: The first obvious takeaway from Sunday’s win is that it was a much-needed victory for a Bears team that is trying to make a playoff run, but whose schedule gets so much tougher moving forward. Besides the Cleveland Browns coming to town on December 14, there are nothing but tough matchups from here on out, beginning with the defending champion Eagles on Black Friday.
• Williams’ Mental Toughness: Caleb continues to struggle with his downfield passing and it’s a little concerning, to say the least. While it didn’t ultimately cost them the game on Sunday, he might be asked to make some big time throws in big time games and if he can’t connect on those, the Bears will be in trouble. Nonetheless, Caleb has the mental toughness you want from a competitor and quarterback and it showed with his drive to lead the Bears to 17 unanswered points against the Steelers.
• The Turnover Kings (and the 14-Point Swing): The Bears just continue to be the turnover kings in the NFL. They added two more to their league-leading total, picking off Rudolph once and recording a strip sack on him as well. While the defense continues to battle through injuries, these takeaways are pivotal to their success.
• D.J. Moore’s Impact: D.J. Moore has had a quiet 2025, particularly for a player earning as much money as he is. Sunday proved to be a much-needed breakout day as the veteran wideout hauled in 5 catches for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns. His go-ahead score in the third quarter was the catalyst for the team’s rally.
• Staying Power in the NFC North: The Bears remain ahead of both the Packers (7-3-1) and Lions (7-4) in the race for the North, and are still third in the conference seeding. They play the Eagles this Friday where a win could move them up to the No. 2 spot.