Reacting to the Bears' 31-28 win over the Steelers | After the Whistle
The 2025 season rang a bell for the Chicago Bears.
Down their top three linebackers, two of their best cornerbacks and their starting left tackle, the Bears had to find a way to beat a good Steelers team at home.
They did just that, winning 31-28.
Here are our takeaways from the Bears' gut-check win over the Steelers, where Pittsburgh played a replacement-player game and the Bears did not.
‘Full circle’ for Ozzy Trapilo
Earlier in the season, Ozzy Trapilo was in the mix to start at left tackle. He was bumped to the second string at right tackle and became more of a swing tackle.
That is, until Braxton Jones went on injured reserve. That is, until Theo Benedet missed Sunday’s game with an injury suffered in Thursday’s practice.
This week, he had his number called in a full-circle moment.
Trapilo had a thought during the week that he might start. That became reality when Benedet was inactive on Sunday. He had his first-career start for the Bears at left tackle, something he called a full-circle moment.
All the work Trapilo did at left tackle this offseason and in training camp paid off when the snaps meant the most.
"It's come full circle," Trapilo said. "I've had a lot more time to work at left during practice."
The Bears allowed one sack on Sunday. That was a strip-sack that resulted in a touchdown, but wasn’t the offensive line’s fault. Caleb Williams backed away and held on to the ball.
After that, the Bears didn’t allow a sack. Trapilo never got overwhelmed, especially after he started settling in at left tackle and simplified the game in his mind.
"Going in, there were definitely nerves for my first start," Trapilo said. "Those kind of go away right after the first snap is done. So I think at that point you're just kind of playing football, something I've done for a long time."
It was a replacement game for Pittsburgh, not the Bears
The Bears did not have to face Aaron Rodgers. Instead, it was Mason Rudolph and it was clear they didn’t trust him moving the ball vertically.
After Rudolph’s first pass of the game was intercepted by Nahshon Wright, the Steelers moved the ball laterally in the pass game and with their running back duo.
The Steelers didn’t have to have Tremaine Edmunds, TJ Edwards or Noah Sewell. They had to plan for Amen Ogbongbemiga, D’Marco Jackson and Ruben Hyppolite II. Hyppolite II left the game with an injury and didn’t return.
Ogbongbemiga and Jackson stole the show. The two combined for 29 tackles. They held down the fort in an impressive way as the Steelers tried to grind out a win a Soldier Field with replacements.
Ogbongbemiga and Jackson were no replacements on Sunday.
An emotional Ogbongbemiga stood at his locker after the game and the validation took over his face. He said he never had to miss eight games in a season before, which happened when he was placed on injured reserve and activated just a few weeks ago.
"I've been through so much this year – injuries and stuff – I've never really been here in my career, so this one meant a lot," Ogbongbemiga said. "Going into the week didn't get many reps, and as a competitor, that bothers me because I know what I'm capable of. Sometimes you just gotta believe in yourself. Just keep believing in yourself. That's what I did. I stayed locked in and just gave them my all, always staying prepared."
Ogbongbemiga left the game briefly in the fourth quarter and went into concussion protocol. That could have ended his day, but he returned to help finish the game.
He and Jackson settled in and proved to the team and themselves they were ready for anything.
"Anything could happen," Ogbongbemiga said. "And I prepared."
Sweat is hitting his stride
When the Bears have needed pressure on the quarterback, they’ve turned to Montez Sweat. He’s the guy they’re paying over $90 million to do just that.
Last year, it was a struggle. Sweat was never 100 percent.
This year, he’s fitting in nicely on a defensive line that’s been banged up, made in-season acquisitions and is reveling in Sweat’s impact.
With his two-sack game, Sweat has 7.5 sacks on the year. On Sunday, he also had three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
"I think I'm just taking advantage of the opportunities," Sweat said. "I felt like I was playing good ball earlier in the season but now the stats are catching up"
His teammates saw what they’ve usually seen from Sweat: a dominant player that consistently wins when opposing teams try to block him one-on-one.
"Just getting off the ball, winning one-on-one," Gervon Dexter Sr. said. "Being him."
Dexter nearly recovered the fumble that Sweat forced on a sack. He was trying to scoop it and take it the distance for a defensive touchdown.
"Next time," Dexter said.
This was a gut-check win
The Bears won a game on Sunday where they allowed seven points on a defensive touchdown, lost the time of possession battle, were outgained and tied the takeaway margins.
The Bears were also flat as can be in the second quarter. Nothing seemed to be working.
That is, until the Bears manifested momentum with a drive late in the first half. That ended with a field goal but gave the Bears some energy they parlayed into a defensive stop, which they followed up with an offensive drive for a touchdown to take the lead.
"It’s just not the same ol’ Bears," Sweat said.
Every player on the Bears talked about the confidence the team has in their players. That’s what gave the Bears an edge.
The next-man-up mentality meant the Bears expected a high quality of play. That’s what happens when a team has won eight of its last nine games.
The Bears will never apologize for winning. Sunday was their best win yet and it required the Bears to manifest success against a team that’s wired to limit momentum. That’s led to another winning feeling.
"You don't ever get used to winning," quarterback Caleb Williams said. "It's one of the best feelings in the world and so you don't get used to it."
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