The Steelers didn’t just lose their crucial late-season battle; they actively threw it away. The 27-24 loss to the Chicago Bears was a systemic breakdown driven by inexplicable coaching decisions and the kind of boneheaded mistakes this team simply cannot afford.
No play loomed larger than Mike Tomlin’s decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the Bears’ 31-yard line in the first half. With the chance to go up by 10 points midway through the second quarter, Tomlin pass on a chip-shot 48-yard field goal attempt by Chris Boswell for a failed “tush push” with Connor Heyward. On second effort it looked like it succeeded and the whistle blew after they went forward, but for whatever reason the play was not challenged. Three points loomed large all day.
Tomlin’s post-game justification was admirable but not challenging, was questionable. When you have one of the game’s best kickers giving up points is hard to explain. The lost points and momentum were palpable for the rest of the game.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith had a terrible game and the play calling once again was inexplicable. On the very first drive, Smith called a pass on 2nd-and-1, which resulted in Mason Rudolph’s interception to DK Metcalf. The Bears immediately scored, seizing early control.
Despite the Bears missing all three starting linebackers, a setup that screamed for old school Steelers football, Smith unnecessarily put the ball in jeopardy. The Steelers were able to move the ball on the ground, and racked up 186 total rushing yards, but given the circumstances, that number should have been north of 200+.
Even with a 21-17 lead in the second half, Smith called for a pass on 2nd-and-4. Rudolph was sacked, forcing a punt and killing a drive that could have extended the lead.
The Steelers’ running back tandem of Kenneth Gainwell (122 yards from scrimmage, including a 55-yard tush-push scamper that led to a TD) and Jaylen Warren (68 yards, one TD) were incredibly effective, but their 34 combined touches were simply not enough on a day tailored for the ground game.
Mason Rudolph, filling in for an injured Aaron Rodgers, showed what he is capable of and what he is not. He had a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance. After a disastrous interception on his first pass, he went 10-for-10 to lead two TD drives and a 21-17 halftime lead. However, the second half saw several crucial mistakes. Rudolph held on to the ball for too long. On one occasion, he was stripped and fumbled from behind when the Steelers were driving for a potential go-ahead score in the third quarter.
Rudolph must demonstrate better pocket awareness, as the offensive line has struggled to protect for lengthy periods all season. The Steelers haven’t shown an ability all season to protect for lengthy periods of time. Rudolph should have thrown the ball away. While he didn’t lose the game, he certainly didn’t win it despite being given several opportunities.
The receiving corps offered Rudolph zero help and passing over the middle is non-existent. With DK Metcalf hobbled by an ankle injury (finishing with just 5 catches for 22 yards), no one stepped up. Calvin Austin III’s 36 yards led the team, and the lack of a field-stretching threat is becoming a critical and frustrating issue.
The defense had the usual unspectacular day that has doomed them all season.
The defensive line and edge rushers vanished after the first quarter. T.J. Watt’s early strip-sack and Nick Herbig’s recovery gave the Steelers a 14-7 lead, the defense recorded zero additional sacks. Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer, splitting time for the injured Alex Highsmith, combined for only four tackles. The interior pass rush was ineffective, giving Bears QB Caleb Williams all day to operate. Cam Heyward, appearing on the injury report Friday with an ankle ailment, was quiet with just two tackles and was double-teamed on nearly every play.
Williams had a field day against the revamped defensive backfield, which appeared to have reverted to its mid-season issues. Williams finished with 239 yards and three touchdowns, highlighted by the now standard Steelers blown coverage, a 25-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore where there wasn’t a Steelers defender within 10 yards. Kyle Duggar dropped an interception that would have thwarted the Bears late first half field goal.
Allowing receivers to run free over the middle has plagued this team all season. The run defense was solid, but scrambles by Williams allowed the Bears to gain 99 yards on the ground. The only bright spot was Yahya Black, who forced and recovered a fumble from D’Andre Swift.
Finally, the special teams had their worst performance of the season, costing the team crucial yards and points. A holding penalty on Ben Skowronek negated a Corliss Waitman punt to the Bears 10-yard line. The re-kick was awful and landed around the 40-yard line. The Bears easily converted the mistake by Skowronek into a go-ahead touchdown. Waitman had by far his worst game as a Pittsburgh Steeler. The Bears racked up 134 yards on kickoff returns to the Steelers’ 63. That’s a back-breaking field flipping statistic for a game decided by three points.
Coach Tomlin indicated that Aaron Rodgers is likely to return next week against the Bills. If the Steelers have any hope of salvaging their season, they must clean up the coaching and mental errors that cost them this game, or we could be headed to a second season in a row collapse.
Beer We Go Steelers, Beer We Go!
My “GAME BEER” goes to: Kenny Gainwell, who had an outstanding day on the ground running for 92 yards on only 10 carries. Also Considered: T.J. Watt who moved ahead of his brother J.J. Watt in sacks, it was one of the only bright spots for the defense.
Beer of the Game: I went with Yuengling Golden Pilsner, KGB skipped beer this week.
“Steel the Snacks”: We went with Steelers snacks, we were traveling this week and had a bevy of great snacks including two different flatbreads, a kick ass dip with crackers and vegetables and we eventually moved onto a Thanksgiving type spread.
My stat of the week: This number is mind boggling to me, the loss in Chicago wasn’t just a tough defeat; it was a continuation of a truly cursed historical trend. For some ungodly reason, Soldier Field has always been the single toughest venue for the Steelers in the league, 1-13 all-time against the Bears in the Windy City, is an embarrassing, inexplicable anchor on this franchise’s history. KGB and I went for one of the hottest games in Chicago history, when the Steelers tanked last time, they were in town.
My thoughts on next week: The Steelers are walking into a buzzsaw with the Buffalo Bills coming off a tough defeat on Thursday Night Football. The Bill will have ample time to get ready with the extra days to prepare and the way the secondary is performing this could be a long day.
Jersey of the Week: I went outside the box and wore my Steelers Baseball jersey, there is no number, but it is adorned by BWGSTEELERS.