The Pittsburgh Steelers’ trip to the Windy City ended in a narrow but painful loss to the Chicago Bears. Without Aaron Rodgers on the field, Mike Tomlin’s team failed in key moments, mistakes that ultimately tipped the scales in favor of Ben Johnson’s squad.
One could say that Rodgers’ absence on the field could have been a major blow for the team. However, the Steelers faced issues in multiple areas, and Tomlin delivered a strong self-critique regarding their performance.
“I thought we started the second half slow. I think we had two three and outs on offense. I thought our defense could have smiled in the face of adversity better. In the first half in particular, I think we got stopped on fourth down. They scored a touchdown. We turned the ball over, they scored a touchdown, and I think if we’re going to be good, you’ve got to make people settle for field goals or less under those circumstances.
“And so, we’re all responsible. We know that. That game is an illustration of that. It’s just tight when it’s good-on-good and we didn’t make enough plays and enough sequences as I mentioned to be successful,” the HC said via the team’s official website.
The Pittsburgh Steelers.
Rudolph counts on Rodgers’ support
Aaron Rodgers’ wrist injury forced Mike Tomlin to make a crucial decision ahead of the game against the Bears, naming Mason Rudolph as the team’s starting QB. After the loss to Chicago, the former Oklahoma State quarterback expressed his gratitude for the support he received from Rodgers.
“I think he knows this isn’t my first time doing it, so he wasn’t talking my ear off,” said Rudolph. “But he provided some support and some extra setup. Veteran, awesome eyes, on the sidelines. Supportive of me and supportive of the offense.”
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Staying in the hunt in the AFC North
The Pittsburgh Steelers face a brutal and defining three-game stretch, hosting the Bills, traveling to the Ravens, and then welcoming the Dolphins. Amidst all the external noise—including recent speculation that necessitated Mike Tomlin clarifying the team’s quarterback strategy between Rodgers and Rudolph—this run against three powerful AFC contenders will ultimately test the stability of the roster and determine Pittsburgh’s playoff fate.
Bouncing back from Chicago
The Steelers‘ narrow 31-28 loss to the Bears highlighted critical flaws that demand immediate correction, especially with a brutal schedule ahead. Offensively, the team struggled with ball security, committing two crucial turnovers (an interception and a lost fumble by QB Mason Rudolph) that directly led to 14 Bears points.
Defensively, they allowed Chicago’s offense to rack up 423 total yards and convert 80% of their red-zone attempts into touchdowns. To survive the upcoming AFC gauntlet, Pittsburgh must drastically improve its turnover margin and red-zone defense.
