Forged In Steel Times (#39) – Steelers Drop Road Clash to Bears, But Ridder’s 1st Quarter Injury Not Serious

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Steelers walked into Soldier Field for their Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears with confidence, momentum, and a chance to continue climbing the AFC playoff ladder. But when the final whistle blew, they walked out humbled. A 55–33 defeat served as a cold reminder that in the Premier Madden League, execution matters on every snap, no matter the name on the jersey or the weather outside.

What began as a promising afternoon quickly unraveled into a frustrating one, marked by injuries, inconsistency, and missed opportunities on both sides of the ball.

A Rough Start and a Sudden Shift

Quarterback Desmond Ridder, who had been red-hot under head coach DK LaFleur, did not even make it through the first quarter. After throwing one touchdown and one interception, Ridder was sidelined with an injury, forcing the Steelers to turn to veteran Aaron Rodgers for relief duty. Wide receiver Calvin Austin only made matters worse with a 1st quarter fumble that resulted in six the other way, which made it 21-7 at the time.

Rodgers, who had not seen meaningful action since Week 3, was called upon to steady the offense and rally the team. But while his stat line of 266 passing yards and three touchdowns on 19-of-33 passing sounds respectable, the tape told a different story. The future Hall of Famer missed several routine throws, often just out of sync with his receivers. His completion percentage sat at 57 percent, and two interceptions marred what could have been a comeback performance.

The most frustrating sequence came late in the game. Rodgers threw a to DK Metcalf on what looked like a routine one-on-one situation, only for the defensive back to somehow come up with the interception while not even looking directly at the ball. It was that kind of night.

LaFleur did not mince words after the game. “We had opportunities,” he said. “We left too many plays on the field. Aaron knows it, the receivers know it, and I know it. That one just got away from us.”

The Bright Spots

Despite the loss, there were flashes of brilliance that reminded fans of the talent this roster holds. Rookie running back Nate Carter was one of the few offensive players who looked unstoppable when he had the ball. On just nine carries, Carter racked up 118 rushing yards and a touchdown, including an 82-yard run that briefly reignited hope. His burst and vision continue to be a bright spot for the Steelers, and LaFleur has repeatedly praised his growth.

“He’s special,” LaFleur said. “Every time he touches the ball, you feel like something good is going to happen. We just need to make sure we give him the opportunities to get going.”

Tight end Jonnu Smith also had a career night in black and gold. The veteran erupted for 10 catches, 172 yards, and three touchdowns, becoming the focal point of the passing game after Ridder’s injury. His route running and physicality made him nearly impossible to cover for stretches, and he showed exactly why the Steelers brought him in to add another layer to their offense.

“Jonnu gave us everything he had,” LaFleur said. “He was dominant. That is what you want from your veterans when adversity hits.”

Wide receivers Calvin Austin and Alec Pierce also made their presence felt. Austin hauled in five catches for 76 yards, while Pierce added three catches and a touchdown, continuing to develop chemistry with both quarterbacks.

The Defensive Dilemma

If the offense had its ups and downs, the defense had more downs than ups. The 55 points allowed told the story of a unit that simply could not get off the field when it mattered most. While there were moments of solid positioning and smart reads, a few blown coverages and missed assignments turned manageable drives into backbreaking scores.

Veteran cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay were vocal after the game, acknowledging that while the defense was in the right spots schematically, the execution fell short. “We were there on a lot of plays,” Slay said. “We just did not finish. You cannot play 95 percent of a play and expect to win in this league. We need to close.”

Ramsey echoed that sentiment, saying, “We had opportunities for takeaways and stops, but we let them slip. Communication and finishing have to be better. No excuses.”

Up front, the Steelers did get some production. T.J. Watt tallied another sack, continuing his push for double digits on the year, and Patrick Queen had an all-around performance with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and relentless pursuit of the football. But the unit as a whole simply did not meet its own standard.

Accountability at the Top

After the game, LaFleur made it clear that accountability begins with him. “This one falls on me,” he said. “We were not prepared enough to execute when things got tough. The Bears capitalized on our mistakes, and that is on me as much as anyone else.”

Still, the head coach remains confident in his group’s resilience. “We have the right guys in this locker room,” LaFleur said. “We are going to clean it up. We have been through tougher stretches than this, and I know how they respond. We will be better.”

Moving Forward

The loss drops the Steelers to 6–5 on the year, but they remain in the playoff picture and 5–3 under LaFleur’s leadership. The focus now turns to regrouping and rediscovering the discipline that fueled their earlier success. The message inside the locker room is clear: fix the little things, and the big picture will take care of itself.

For a team built on grit and accountability, Sunday’s defeat in Chicago was a hard pill to swallow. But as the season enters its defining stretch, the Steelers believe the lesson will prove valuable.

They have been here before. And if history is any indication, it is not about how many times you fall in Pittsburgh, but it is about how you respond when you do.

Final score: Bears 55, Steelers 33.

– Forged In Steel Times