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Bears’ grades are in. How did they do against the Steelers?

What marks do the Bears get after their 31-28 win against the Steelers at Soldier Field?

QUARTERBACK — B-MINUS

Caleb Williams threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, had his third-highest passer rating (104.3) of the season and, best of all, added another win to his collection. But — lordy — his second-quarter fumble in the end zone, which the Steelers’ Nick Herbig fell on for a touchdown, was as negligent as it gets. Don’t blame right tackle Darnell Wright for getting beat by superstar T.J. Watt. Why? Because Wright didn’t get beat. This one’s all on Williams, who’s a bit too full of himself if he thinks he can scramble around forever and someone as good as Watt isn’t going to embarrass him. Also, there were too many inaccurate throws; Williams is lucky his 60% completion rate didn’t come with a pick or two.

DEFENSIVE LINE — C-PLUS

After a Bears turnover near midfield, with the Steelers ahead 14-7, there was potential for big trouble. But Andrew Billings and Grady Jarrett blew up a tush push — with tight end Connor Heyward under center — on fourth down. Montez Sweat had two sacks, one of them a strip-sack he recovered himself. Alas, the Steelers ran the ball so easily all game — for 186 yards, at 5.2 per carry — the line can’t come away looking too good.

LINEBACKERS — D

Wait, what linebackers? With Tremaine Edmunds, Noah Sewell and T.J. Edwards all out, the guys who were left — D’Marco Jackson, Amen Ogbongbemiga, Daniel Hardy, Ruben Hyppolite II until he got hurt — presumably did the best they could, which wasn’t good at all. Hardy got erased on a handoff out of the tush-push formation to Kenneth Gainwell that went for 55 yards. Jackson let tight end Pat Freiermuth run right behind him over the middle for an easy touchdown catch.

SECONDARY — B

What a game for cornerback Nahshon Wright, who started the day with a highlight-reel interception in front of wide receiver DK Metcalf on Mason Rudolph’s first pass attempt. Can Wright play some offense? Because the way he catches the ball while jumping, twisting, twisting some more and finally remembering to get both feet inbounds is special. Don’t try these maneuvers at home, folks. A nod to safety Jaquan Brisker for recognizing on the Steelers’ last play that his blitz wasn’t going to get home and leaping high in the air instead to tip Rudolph’s fourth-down throw to the grass — really smart.

THE ROOKIES — A-MINUS

First-round tight end Colston Loveland scored a touchdown and continues to catch everything his meat hooks touch. Seventh-round running back Kyle Monangai scored a touchdown and had a solid 48 yards on 12 carries. Second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III pitched in productively — three catches, 46 yards — though he’d probably like another shot at hauling in a high one that bounced off his fingers. In fairness, it should have been a better throw.

AARON RODGERS — SEE ME

No, not really. More like: See ya.

D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga led the Bears in tackles Sunday.
NFL
The Eagles (8-3) are still in good shape to be the first repeat winners in the NFC East since they won four in a row from 2001-04.
The Bears won 31-28 Sunday at Soldier Field.
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