Williams, Bears offer no apologies for tight wins, see room to improve with Eagles up next

CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears weren’t offering any apologies.

They pulled out a win, even if it was yet another tight one, and that’s what mattered most. They know they have room to improve, too.

“We’re an 8-3 team in the National Football League,” Williams said. “We feel good where we’re at, but we do got to get better. I would say, yeah, we don’t feel like we’re the same old Bears. We pull through for each other when it matters most.”

The Bears hung on to beat Pittsburgh 31-28 on Sunday with Chicago’s old nemesis Aaron Rodgers sidelined by a broken left wrist, after rallying in the final two minutes the previous three weeks. With their eighth win in nine games, they maintained a slim lead in the NFC North over Green Bay (7-3-1) and Detroit (7-4).

The Bears will try to keep the momentum going when they visit defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia on Friday.

“As a coaching staff, we always try to have the right messaging for whatever that week entails and the path to victory, team building, things of that nature,” coach Ben Johnson said Monday. “I think it’s come along really well, but it’s really those veterans that I just can’t sing their praises enough. They lead the charge there in terms of how that locker room responds each and every week.”

What’s working

Takeaways. The Bears had two more takeaways, boosting their league-leading total to 24, and converted both into touchdowns on Sunday.

Cornerback Nahshon Wright picked off Mason Rudolph’s first pass when he made a leaping grab along the sideline on a deep ball intended for DK Metcalf. That led to a 5-yard touchdown catch for DJ Moore. It also vaulted Wright into a tie with teammate Kevin Byard for the league lead in interceptions with five.

Montez Sweat strip-sacked Rudolph with the Bears leading by three in the third quarter. That led to Kyle Monangai scoring from 2 in the opening minute of the fourth to make it 31-21.

What needs help

Williams’ accuracy. Though he settled down after a shaky start and threw for three touchdowns, Williams still struggles with accuracy.

Coming off a shaky outing at Minnesota, he consistently overthrew receivers in the early going Sunday before settling down in the second half and finished 19 of 35 for 239 yards. He also was strip-sacked by T.J. Watt in the end zone early in the second quarter when he could have thrown the ball away, and the Steelers’ Nick Herbig recovered the fumble for a touchdown.

Williams ranks 27th among qualifying leaders in completion percentage at 59.2 and is one of just three below 60%, along with Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence and Tennessee’s Cam Ward.

Stock up

Sweat. After a slow start, the veteran defensive end is on pace for his second double-digit sack season. Sweat had two more sacks against Pittsburgh, giving him 7 1/2 this season. All but one have come in the past six games. Sweat had a combined 12 1/2 sacks for Washington and Chicago in 2023.

“I think I am just taking advantage of my opportunities,” Sweat said. “Early in the season I felt like I was playing good ball, but the stats are starting to come through for me.”

Stock down

LT Theo Benedet. Benedet missed the game because of a quad injury after starting the previous seven. Second-round draft pick Ozzy Trapilo started in his place, and it’s not hard to envision the Bears sticking with the Boston College product after a strong showing.

Trapilo more than held his own against a pass rush featuring Watt and Herbig. Trapilo began training camp competing for the left tackle job and was quickly moved to the right side. Braxton Jones opened the season as the starting left tackle before getting benched in Week 4 for Benedet and currently is on injured reserve.

Injuries

Johnson had no update on LB Ruben Hyppolite (shoulder), CB Tyrique Stevenson (hip) and DL Dominique Robinson (concussion protocol), who all exited Sunday’s game.

Key number

5 — Six of the past eight games have been decided by five points or fewer, and the Bears have won each of those six games.

Next steps

The Bears go for their fifth straight win when they visit Philadelphia on Friday. The NFC East-leading Eagles blew a 21-point lead against Dallas and lost 24-21 to the Cowboys when Brandon Aubrey kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired.

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