PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mike Tomlin sat down, smiled and let out a sarcastic chortle.
“Had ’em all the way, suitable?” the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers mentor reported right after his staff slipped earlier Chicago 29-27 on Monday night.
Not specifically.
Not after a 10-position fourth-quarter lead turned into a a person-level deficit subsequent a fumble by punt returner Ray-Ray McCloud and a flash of brilliance by Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who place Chicago in front with a 16-lawn strike to Darnell Mooney with 1:46 to go.
Steelers rookie tight finish Pat Freiermuth barely appeared rattled. Positive, the Bears had the guide. But the Steelers had Ben Roethlisberger.
“I wasn’t anxious at all,” claimed Freiermuth, who caught a pair of landing passes. “Ben’s been executing this for a long time. We’re all self-assured in every single other. I was pondering in my mind when they scored, ‘It’s as well much time (remaining).’”
And there was.
Roethlisberger guided the Steelers 52 yards in seven performs — abetted by Chicago’s 12th penalty of the night time — to set up Chris Boswell’s 40-garden industry intention with 26 seconds left, and Pittsburgh gained its fourth straight after a 1-3 commence.
“We’re locating means to gain the match,” Roethlisberger reported. “Played effectively sufficient. Not good. But offensively talking, we’re just executing more than enough appropriate now.”
Roethlisberger done 21 of 30 passes for 205 yards and the two scores to Freiermuth even though pulling off the 50th game-winning travel and 38th fourth-quarter comeback of his 18-calendar year career. Rookie jogging back again Najee Harris identified the finish zone for the fifth straight match and Boswell manufactured 3 area objectives — which includes two from above 50 yards — into the open up end at perpetually windy Heinz Subject.
“Boz is a serial killer,” Steelers defensive finish Cam Heyward stated. “He’s also serene.”
Boswell may possibly have been the only 1 peaceful right after the Steelers frittered absent a seemingly relaxed lead when McCloud gave the ball up on a punt return halfway via the fourth quarter that DeAndre Houston-Carson returned 25 yards for a touchdown to pull the Bears inside of 3.
Things got odd from there. Chicago…
