The Chicago Bears entered their Week 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with one of the scariest-looking injury reports of the season. Their top three linebackers were ruled out. But the Bears remained composed. And after they ultimately pulled out a 31-28 victory, head coach Ben Johnson opened up about the struggles.

“I knew we were decimated in certain areas, and yet the easy thing is to say, ‘whoa is me’, and our guys didn’t do that. They just stepped up and kept battling through,” he said. “It happens to most teams each season, too, where your depth gets tested, and it just so happens it was this week for us. And so, can’t say enough good things about the linebackers that stepped up in that game.”

It was a bad week for the Bears. Linebacker Noah Sewell sustained an elbow injury during Chicago’s 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings. In the same game, Tremaine Edmunds suffered a groin injury and has since been placed on IR. T.J. Edwards is dealing with hamstring issues while he recovers from hand surgery. All three were ruled out after they missed practice last week.

So, the team turned to linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II. But he went down with a shoulder injury in the first half of the game. In his absence, linebackers D’Marco Jackson and Amen Ogbongbemiga stepped up in a big way. Jackson recorded 15 total tackles, while Ogbongbemiga added 14.

Their performances didn’t go unnoticed. And the coach made sure to give a shout-out.

“D-Jack [D’Marco Jackson] was our starting MIKE, and he called that game. He was the green dot, and I thought he did a great job. We thought Ruben was going to be our linebacker, and he goes down with the injury early in the game, and Amen comes in, and he doesn’t miss a beat for a guy that really hasn’t played a whole lot of football this year,” he said.

Johnson also praised cornerback Nick McCloud, who finished with seven tackles. He was important during the absence of cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Both were full participants in practice, but they are still on injured reserve.

The injury list didn’t stop there for Chicago. Running backs Travis Homer (hamstring/knee) and Roschon Johnson (thumb) were also ruled out. It seemed like the Bears’ defense was up against the wall. Additionally, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (hip), wide receiver DK Metcalf (ankle), and left tackle Broderick Jones (stinger) also suffered injuries in the game.

But despite the absence of their top linebackers, the unit had two crucial turnovers. Cornerback Nahshon Wright made a first-quarter interception, and pass rusher Montez Sweat racked up a strip-sack in the third quarter. Both of those were turned into touchdowns.

So, there was certainly a shift in culture and mindset. Quarterback Caleb Williams even hinted at it after the game.

Caleb Williams has a strong message after the Bears’ win against the Steelers

It has been more than a decade since the Bears won a playoff game. However, this season seems different. The team is on a four-game winning streak after defeating the Steelers and currently sits atop the NFC North with an 8-3 record. That shift is being felt throughout the locker room.

“It’s just not the same old Bears,” pass rusher Montez Sweat said.

Williams also shares the same sentiment.

“We don’t feel like we’re the same old Bears. We pull through for each other when it matters most.”

The Bears have managed to win close games despite all the hurdles. They had a balanced offense and defense that helped them win. But the QB knows that an even more challenging test awaits them in the future. The Bears will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13. So, it will be important for the team to maintain its winning streak if it wants to keep its playoff chances alive.