Bears’ surprise turnaround highlighted by 1 bonkers stats

In a season that once looked headed for more frustration, Caleb Williams and his head coach walked out of Soldier Field talking more about growth than mistakes. The young quarterback put up three touchdowns and a 104.3 passer rating in the 31-28 win over the Steelers, but the play everyone will remember is the wild fumble while being dragged down by T.J. Watt.

Instead of ripping his QB, Ben Johnson brushed it off, noting on the 79th and Halas podcast that no quarterback is perfect and that a couple of loose snaps do not erase the strides Williams has made in year two.

If Johnson is giving his passer grace, it is a lot easier because of what is happening in front of him. As Courtney Cronin pointed out on X, the turnaround along Chicago’s offensive line has been stunning.

Through 12 weeks, the Bears lead the entire league in pass block win rate at 73 percent, and they posted an 85 percent mark against Pittsburgh, their second-best game of the year by that metric. That number reflects how often linemen sustain their blocks for at least 2.5 seconds, and it is exactly the sort of hidden detail that never shows up in a box score but completely changes a season.

Even more impressive, that dominance came with a patched-together front. Rookie Ozzy Trapilo made his first start at left tackle with Theo Benedet sidelined, Jonah Jackson was limited to 45 snaps because of an eye issue, and Luke Newman had to step in at right guard for 20 snaps.

They did it against a Steelers defense that entered the game leading the NFL in pass rush wins (145), while Chicago already sat second in pass block wins (198), according to ESPN Research and Next Gen Stats. Keeping Williams upright has turned his escapability from a desperate survival skill into a bonus.

The quarterback, for his part, keeps insisting that this is not the “same old Bears.” Sitting at 8-3, he has talked about raising standards, embracing ugly wins, and preparing for a brutal closing stretch rather than celebrating what used to qualify as a good year in Chicago.

Put it all together, and the formula is clear. A coach willing to live with the occasional chaotic turnover, a young star demanding more from himself, and a line quietly winning snap after snap.