***CHICAGO, Ill.,***— It wasn't easy, again. But the Chicago Bears got it done at Soldier Field, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28 to move to 8-3 and control first place in the NFC North.
Chicago did so with a slew of injuries as well.
Coming into the game, Chicago was missing its top three linebackers in Tremaine Emdunds, T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell plus Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. On offense, they were without starting left tackle Theo Benedet. But they somehow found a way to get it done, beating the Steelers.
The Bears took advantage of the first mistake of the game. After Nahshon Wright picked off Mason Rudolph, Caleb Williams was able to hit DJ Moore for a touchdown to give Chicago a 7-0 lead. Pittsburgh answered right back, going 95 yards on a drive that featured short throws to tie the game.
Then it was Pittsburgh's turn to take advantage of a mistake.
T.J. Watt was able to pressure Williams and strip sack him in the end zone allowing Nick Herbig to recover it for a score and a 14-7 Steelers lead. Williams looked shaky in that second quarter but Chicago was still able to keep it close. The Bears tied it on a Williams touchdown pass to Colston Loveland and had a chance to get off the field late in the first half.
But Pittsburgh ran a fake tush push that turned into a Calvin Austin 54-yard run that set up the Steelers at the one yard line. A play later, Jaylen Warren found the end zone for a 21-14 lead. Cairo Santos drilled a 47-yard field goal to cut the lead to 21-17 at the break.
The Bears opened the scoring in the second half when Williams found Moore again for a touchdown, this time from 25 yards out. Chicago grabbed the 24-21 lead in the third quarter.
Another touchdown, this time from running back Kyle Monangai in the fourth quarter extended Chicago's lead to 31-21. However, Pittsburgh mounted a comeback. Rudolph led the Steelers on a scoring drive with the quarterback finding Pat Freiermuth for a touchdown. It was a 17-play drive that took up 7:47 off the clock but the Steelers had to have it.
Pittsburgh then forced a three-and-out on the next drive, getting the ball back with just under five minutes to go. But Chicago was able to hold off one last charge as Rudolphs pass was incomplete on fourth down, delivering a big win for the Bears.
Chicago now goes on a short week and will face off against the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday with kickoff on Amazon Prime.