Week 12 Preview: The Chicago Bears look to stay atop the NFC North, taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bears and Steelers haven’t met since 2021, when the Bears lost in a game that ended 9-27. The Bears have a 19-8-1 record against the Steelers. They hope to extend that to 20 wins while they continue to push into the playoffs. Yes, this is not a drill: the Bears are legitimately in a prime position for a playoff spot, currently the 3rd seed in the NFC.

Both teams are coming off critical divisional wins: the Bears beat the Vikings (19-17), and the Steelers beat the Bengals (34-12). If you look back at my Week 11 Preview article, you saw how much emphasis I put on that Bears matchup and what it meant for the division. It proved correct. For the first time since 2020, the Bears sit atop the NFC North in first place. The Steelers are also in first place in the AFC North. A loss by either team could mean losing that top spot, raising the stakes a bit more.

No Aaron? No Problem!

Mason Rudolph took over for the Steelers midway through the game in Week 11, and despite his notorious history, he ran the offense considerably well. He went 12/16 passing for 127 yards and a passing touchdown. This offense is designed for the short-to-intermediate passing game, with a shotgun-based offense that can involve the run game. Regardless of who plays quarterback in Week 12, the Bears have to continue to press hard against the receivers and to apply pressure. That includes Nahshon Wright, who recorded his 4th interception last week against the Vikings. Wright is the Bears’ best corner right now and looks to shut down guys like D.K. Metcalf and Calvin Austin III.

Can the Receivers Get Going?

Recently, the Bears’ receivers have been lackluster. Not to say the passing game has been terrible, but we haven’t seen consistency from these receivers, especially Rome Odunze and DJ Moore. Caleb Williams is still attempting on average above 30 pass attempts per game, but hasn’t had more than 20 completions since Week 8, when they played the Ravens and lost. The Bears need to emphasize getting their receivers more involved to beat this Steelers team, which boasts a solid defensive line that could cause problems on the ground.