The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the field Sunday for the eleventh game of the 2025 regular season when they traveled to play the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Steelers were losers in the contest, but that doesn’t mean every player had a good or bad performance.

Players who play well can be considered ‘Winners’, while those who left a lot to be desired can be called ‘Losers’. It may sound harsh, but it is the crux of this exercise.

Let’s check in to see who fell on which side of the ledger after the latest game…

Winners

Kenneth Gainwell
Stat Line: 10 carries, 92 yards, 9.2 ave., 0 TD, 55 long / 6 rec., 30 yards, 5.0 ave, 0 TD, 13 long, 6 targets

I have been outward in my disagreement with the Steelers usage of the running backs on the roster, but at this point my only concern is when/how they use some of their backs. At this juncture, I think they have a great stable of running backs, and Gainwell has continued to impress every week. This week he accounted for 122 yards from scrimmage, and was the Steelers best offensive player. He was a winner in Week 12, and has been for most of the season.

T.J. Watt
Stat Line: 5 tackles, 2 solo. 1 sack, 1 QB Hit, 1 TFL, 1 FF

Watt’s sack was the only sack for the defense Sunday, and if that were the end of the story Watt wouldn’t be on the winner list. However, this sack resulted in points, and that was the strip sack which was recovered in the end-zone by Nick Herbig for the touchdown. It’s the second week in a row the defense has put points on the board themselves, and Watt’s play was a sign of what fans expect from him on a weekly basis. Sadly, it was the only big defensive play in the game…more on that later.

Takeaways
Stat Line: 2 total, 1 TD

The Steelers needed to take the ball away, it is the linchpin of their winning formula, and they did that twice in this game. They were able to get the strip sack for a touchdown, and also Yahya Black somehow came up with the football in the middle of a scrum, giving the Steelers two takeaways. The defense got the ball back against an offense which doesn’t turn it over that often. Sadly, they didn’t win the turnover battle.

Losers

Mason Rudolph
Stat Line: 24/31, 171 yards, 5.5 ave., 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks for 12 yards, 86.9

There might be some readers who follow this article and see the stat line and think there have been games with Aaron Rodgers having a similar stat line and didn’t wind up on this side of the docket. Fair enough, but Rudolph disappointed me in many ways in this game. He was too slow to leave the pocket, didn’t have much pocket awareness, and his deep ball accuracy was as bad as I’ve ever seen it since he was drafted in 2018. Nonetheless. Rudolph needed to make just a hand full of plays to win the game, and he wasn’t able to do it.

Pass Rush
Stat Line: 1 sack, 1 QB Hit

I talked a lot about Watt’s strip-sack in the winners section, and that sack/QB hit was the only one the defense had the entire game. Not Nick Herbig, Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton or any number of inside linebackers. The pass rush didn’t show up, and it showed up in a big way with how the defense performed.

Turnovers
Stat Line: 2 killer turnovers (1 INT and 1 Fumble)

The Steelers got two takeaways on defense, but also coughed up the ball twice. One was the second play for the Steelers when Mason Rudolph’s deep pass was intercepted, and the other was a strip-sack of Rudolph. Both turnovers equated to Chicago TDs. This isn’t counted as an official turnover on the stat sheet, but the failed tush-push which resulted in another turnover on downs resulted in yet  another Bears touchdown. So it wasn’t just that the Steelers turned it over, but also the fact the defense allowed the Bears to turn all those into points.

Pass Defense
Stat Line: 19 catches, 239 yards, 12.6 ave., 3 TD, 25 long

The Steelers went away from the two-high safety look which saw them have a lot of success vs. the Bengals last week, and instead of trying to duplicate that success the defense went back to their zone and single-high looks. The result were Bears pass catchers running wide open on more than one occasion. This defense continues to be a one step forward, and two steps backwards on a weekly basis.

Red-Zone Defense
Stat Line: CHI 3-3

Entering the game the Bears red-zone offense ranked tied for 20th in red-zone offense, converting possessions into touchdowns on 54.2% of their trips. The Steelers red-zone defense ranked 6th, allowing touchdowns on 51.4% of their opponent’s trips. In Week 12 in Chicago the Steelers defense allowed the Bears to convert on all three of their red-zone trips. So much for bend, don’t break defense.

Injuries
Stat Line: More added to the list

Another week, and more injuries to key players. Here is the rundown, according to Mike Tomlin after the game:

Broderick Jones (stinger)
Joey Porter Jr. (hip flexor)
DK Metcalf (ankle)

The hope is some, if not all of these players, will be able to return to the lineup in Week 13, but it also might be the green light for the team to get Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Asante Samuel Jr. promoted to the active roster next week.

Corliss Waitman
Stat Line: 35.3 yard ave., 39 yard long

Waitman is a really solid punter, but he does have a stinker in there from time-to-time. Waitman’s bad game last season was in the blizzard in Cleveland, and his game Sunday in Chicago would fall into that category. At times when the Steelers needed to have some field-flipping plays, they got a 39 yard punt as his longest of the game. Not an above-the-line performance by Waitman.

Penalties
Stat Line: 6-for-41 yards

I’ve said it before, and will keep saying it, but good teams aren’t highly penalized. And while the Bears had more penalties than the Steelers on Sunday, the way the Steelers went about their business left a lot to be desired. Two penalties killed the team, and I’m using them as examples. The holding call on Ben Skowronek which negated a Bears drive starting at their own 5-yard line. Instead, the re-kick saw them starting at their 40. Also, the illegal procedure penalty on the Mason Rudolph scramble is just mind-numbing. Good teams don’t make those mistakes seemingly every week.

AFC North Lead
Stat Line: It’s gone

Well, if you were a fan who was talking trash to Ravens fans when they were 1-5 and the Steelers were sitting atop the AFC North, you might want to lay low for a bit. The Steelers’ lead in the division is gone, and there is little hope it will return any time soon. A lot can change, but at this juncture it seems safe to suggest the Steelers are playing for a Wild Card playoff spot, at best. And if you look at the NFL Playoff Picture, it is highly unlikely there are two playoff teams coming out of the AFC North. I feel like we’ve lived through this before…welcome to Groundhog Day.

If you want a more detailed look at the above list, check out my “Let’s Ride” podcast in the player below where I outline each Winner and Loser, and MORE!