The Chicago Bears (8-3) fended off the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) in Week 12, earning a key win as they prepare to face three divisional opponents in their final six regular season games.
It was not the easiest win the Bears have picked up this season, but the offense was able to end the game in victory formation rather than on a game-winning drive, thanks in large part to a three-phase effort that overcame a team with playoff aspirations. To learn exactly how the Bears tacked on their fourth straight win, check out the following three stats from their 31-28 win:
3
It was a back-and-forth first half in Chicago on Sunday, due in large part to the three total turnovers over the first 18-ish minutes of game time.
The action started early for the Bears' defense, as Nahshon Wright's acrobatic interception on the Steelers' second offensive snap gave the ball back to a Chicago offense that had just gone three-and-out to open the game. Unfortunately, the next two turnovers of the half came from the Bears' offense, a normally protective unit that ultimately kept the Steelers in the game by giving the ball away.
On his own goalline, Caleb Williams dropped back into the endzone and failed to avoid edge rusher T.J. Watt, who not only took down the quarterback but forced the ball out of his hands. Linebacker Nick Herbig recovered the fumble for a touchdown, and on the ensuing drive, the Bears again fumbled, this time near midfield, which gave the Steelers the ball up seven points.
The Bears' offense entered the weekend with the second-fewest giveaways, but their inability to protect the ball in the first half kept the Steelers in the game. The defense would ultimately add another takeaway in the second half to tie the total 2-2 thanks to a Montez Sweat strip sack, but the first half serves as a good reminder for the Bears that if they fail to dominate the turnover margin as they have throughout the majority of the year, they may not yet be a consistent enough team to overcome such mistakes.
17-0
After the two aforementioned giveaways, the Bears' offense seemed to flip a switch near the end of the first half, where they went on a 17-0 scoring run to virtually put the game away.
Cairo Santos knocked in a 47-yard field goal as time expired to cut Pittsburgh's halftime lead to four. After the Bears shut down the Steelers' offense to open the second period, the Bears strung together two 50+ yard touchdown drives in three possessions, including a 25-yard touchdown to DJ Moore on a free play and a two-yard score from Kyle Monangai.
This run was crucial for the Bears, as it gave them a 10-point lead with 14 minutes left, a lead that proved insurmountable for a Steelers offense that found little success pushing the ball down the field with Mason Rudolph at the helm. The Bears' defense also made some timely adjustments, stepping up against the Steelers' heavy sets, which often featured three tight ends and/or an extra lineman.
The Bears have been clutch in key situations, especially in late-game scenarios, but their ability to win going into and coming out of halftime was a key factor in their eventual victory. Sunday was a step in the right direction in terms of finding ways to win outside of the final seconds of a game, and if they can build upon their success in the pivotal drives before and after halftime, they may be able to avoid the cardiac-arrest-inducing contests that they have found themselves in as of late.
87
It was a full-team effort for the Bears to earn their eighth win of the season, but the team will certainly spend the time before their next game evaluating the rushing game plan -- both on offense and defense -- where they were outgained by 87 yards.
Offensively, the Bears couldn't find much success on the ground, finishing with 99 yards on 25 carries, which accounts for a solid 21 yards from Williams on four rushes and a 15-yard spurt from Luther Burden III. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai averaged a collective 3.15 yards per carry en route to recording less than 100 yards for the fourth time this season, and the second since their bye week.
The defensive performance was perhaps the worst, as the Bears allowed 186 yards on the ground, the second-highest total by the unit this season. Granted, with Aaron Rodgers out and an offensive identity in the trenches, it wasn't shocking to see the Steelers' game plan be so run-heavy, especially considering the Bears' injuries at the linebacker position.
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Perhaps the game was a one-off for a defense that has generally been able to tread water until it makes a big play, but the Steelers indeed identified and exposed the weakness in the Bears' defense. As the season winds on, more talented offenses than Pittsburgh's will try to test Chicago's run defense, and they would do well to improve up front and prevent teams from pounding the rock against them.