With their third straight win in the books, the Chicago Bears turn their attention to another predatory defense in the Pittsburgh Steelers, much like the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants before them.

“They’ve got some werewolves on the outside that shows up,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “Between 56 (Alex Highsmith) and 90 (T.J. Watt), I mean (they have) some of the best first steps I think you’ll see in this league.

“So when you have both sides that you’re concerned about, that’s where you’ve got to be pretty creative as a play designer to make sure that they don’t affect the game in a negative fashion.”

For Caleb Williams, that means resisting dropping back too deep in the pocket “because they (Watt and Highsmith) can run around tackle in a hurry,” Johnson said.

Watt (6) and Highsmith (5½) are second and third on the team in sacks. Watt has a special incentive to get to Williams on Sunday: If he does, he will pass brother J.J. in career sacks — T.J. has 114, J.J. 114.5 — and J.J. is calling the game for CBS.

“Yeah, they’ve got some guys on that side of the ball,” Williams said.

He counted sack leader Nick Herbig (6½), cornerback Jalen Ramsey, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward and linebacker Patrick Queen among the playmakers who keep the Steelers in contention season after season.

“You see why they’ve been where they’ve been for the past I don’t know how many years, why they haven’t really had a losing season in a bunch of years,” Williams said.

Wide receiver Rome Odunze said the Steelers will be another among several tough defenses they’ve faced, with more to come.

“We need to tighten the screws a little bit,” Odunze said. “Understand this next half of the season is definitely going to be one where we’re facing great opponents.”

Here are four things we learned at Halas Hall on Wednesday.

1. Are the Minnesota Vikings chewing on sour grapes?

Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels looks on during warmups before a game against the Bears on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2024, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. (John Autey/St. Paul Pioneer Press)

Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels gave the Bears some bulletin-board material — two days after the game.

The Vikings squandered a 17-16 lead with 50 seconds left Sunday when Devin Duvernay broke off a 56-yard kickoff return to help put the Bears in range for Cairo Santos’ game-winning 48-yard field goal and a 19-17 victory.

“No disrespect or anything, a lot of respect for what the Chicago Bears, their unit, Devin Duvernay, all this and that, but I mean, it could have been anybody,” Daniels said Tuesday. “If you’ve got a son or anybody, like, all he did was just catch it and run back to the field and everybody just kind of got washed inside.”

Daniels said his players “got greedy” by trying to be the one who made the tackle and losing containment.

“It wasn’t anything that they did, more so than a lack of us maintaining our leverage and keeping the football inside shoulder,” Daniels said.

When asked Wednesday if he heard Daniels’ comments, Duvernay reared his head back and smiled.

“At the end of the day, it’s on the players and coaches to be prepared for all situations, and whether they were prepared or not,” Duvernay said. “I mean, I’m just doing my job, just trying to make a play when opportunity presents itself.”

Added long snapper Scott Daly: “All I know is that Dev made an amazing play, (Josh) Blackwell made an amazing block. When our number was called in the end, we were able to put ourselves in position to make the game-winning kick.”

Duvernay said he chose to brush the comment aside, laugh it off and chalk it up to a difference of opinions.

“That’s what he wants to believe, wants to go by, then whatever helps him sleep at night,” he said.

2. Luther Burden III ‘steadily’ has earned more involvement.

Bears wide receiver Luther Burden III (10) runs for a 16-yard gain on a reception in the third quarter against the Vikings on Nov. 16, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)

Burden ran 21 routes and was targeted five times against the Vikings on Sunday, both season highs for the rookie wide receiver. He converted them into three catches for 27 yards — not his biggest game but a sign of progress nonetheless.

Burden played 33 snaps in each game against the Vikings and New York Giants, which represented 44% and 49% of the offense’s snaps, respectively. Burden was inactive against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he played 11 offensive snaps (17%) in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens.

“You get what you earn,” Johnson said. “He’s earned the increased snaps.”

Coaches evaluate Burden throughout the week.

“He’s steadily climbed,” Johnson said. “It’s the route-running detail that (is) showing up, the consistency and making sure his alignments are right, his assignments. He’s doing a real good job with that.

Burden credits the extra time he has put in with Williams.

“Him and me outside the facility, I’m in here real early,” he said.  “Me working with (receivers coach Antwaan Randle) El. I’m over here at 6 in the morning every day going over the game plan with El. And shoot, just pretty much keep my head down and working every day and proving this is where I belong.”

3. Cairo Santos goes solo once again.

Cairo Santos pumps his fist after kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired against the Vikings on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The Bears won 19-17. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

The Washington Commanders signed Jake Moody off the Bears practice squad Monday, meaning all field-goal duties once again fall squarely on Santos.

“I was super fired up for Jake,” Daly said. “He came in and did a great job. He was coming off the situation in San Francisco where I think he just needed a fresh start.”

The 49ers released Moody on Sept. 9, and the Bears signed him to the practice squad three days later.

When Santos had a right thigh injury last month, Moody learned that he would be filling in for Santos during the weekend leading up to the Oct. 13 “Monday Night Football” game against the very same Commanders. He booted the game-winning field goal.

Santos had a game-winner himself Sunday against the Vikings.

“Moody came in on short notice and handled business — wins that game for us,” running back D’Andre Swift said. “Cairo’s been doing that on a consistent level for a long time.”

Johnson said it says a lot that Santos was voted a captain.

“We had a number of really good special teams players and yet he was the one that got the most votes to be special teams captain,” he said. “And when you see how they react in the locker room to him receiving a game ball (in Minnesota) or making one of those game winning kicks, I think it’s pretty special.

“When he talks, they listen.”

4. Injury updates.

The Bears’ top 3 linebackers — T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds and Noah Sewell — all sat out practice Wednesday. Edwards has missed the last two games because of hand and hamstring injuries. He also missed three games at the start of the season with the hamstring injury. He has appeared in five games this season.

Sewell (elbow) has started seven games and has been the second linebacker with Edwards sidelined. Sewell had 10 tackles Sunday.

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Edmunds (groin) has started all 10 games and has four interceptions. He appeared in all 17 games last season and has been a steady presence in the middle for the Bears defense. Edmunds played every defensive snap in the win over the Vikings.

Additionally, safeties Jaquan Brisker (shoulder) and Kevin Byard (rest), and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (rest) sat out practice Wednesday.

Center Drew Dalman (knee), running back Travis Homer (hamstring/knee), cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (hip/calf), running back D’Andre Swift (hip) and right tackle Darnell Wright (pec) were limited in practice.

Stevenson and Brisker had a pretty violent collision during the game Sunday, but both later returned to the game.

Additionally, cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (groin) and Kyler Gordon (calf) were limited participants, but both still technically remain on injured reserve. The Bears opened Gordon’s 21-day practice window Wednesday, five days after they did the same for Johnson.

The two would need to be added to the 53-man roster before they can appear in a game.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/19/chicago-bears-devin-duvernay-luther-burden/