CHICAGO (670 The Score) — Though there's so much that's new about these Bears, they understand what type of history must be rewritten.
It has been five years since the Bears last made the playoffs, seven years since their last winning season, 15 years since their last playoff victory and 40 years since they won the Super Bowl. Through it all, Chicago has seen many disappointments.
Perhaps it's all changing now. The Bears beat the Steelers, 31-28, on Sunday at Soldier Field to improve to 8-3 and remain in first place in the NFC North. It marked Chicago's eighth win in its past nine games.
There’s a turnaround taking place for the franchise, and the Bears feel that.
“It’s just not the same old Bears,” Bears pass rusher Montez Sweat said.
Bears first-year head coach Ben Johnson has a team that keeps finding a way to win even as it has been inconsistent at times. One can poke holes in the Bears' performance and record through 11 games – the competition hasn't been stout, they've had good fortune in key moments, this isn’t sustainable – but there’s no taking away from the results.
The Bears are a resilient bunch. That represents a departure from years past.
“No matter the circumstances, no matter the adversity, we’re going to find a way to win,” rookie running back Kyle Monangai said.
Sunday featured the Bears matching up against Steelers backup quarterback Mason Rudolph rather than nemesis Aaron Rodgers. It was a surprising twist pregame as Rodgers – who took all of Pittsburgh’s first-team snaps in practice Friday – was ruled out due to a left wrist fracture.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams wanted a head-to-head matchup against Rodgers, whom he grew up idolizing as a kid. He didn't get that, but Williams looked Rodgers-like at times Sunday, throwing for 239 yards and three touchdowns.
It was a mixed performance for Williams, who also had a fumble in his own end zone that the Steelers fell on for a touchdown early in the second quarter. That was one of the worst plays of Williams' young career, but he regrouped from there and led the offense efficiently.
The Bears got just enough from their offense and just enough from their depleted defense to hold on for victory. There wasn’t a decisive dagger or one significant play that defined this game. This was a workmanlike win from a Bears team that’s embracing its rise.
The Bears have a 24-year-old in Williams who's making strides toward becoming a franchise quarterback, a defense that makes key plays in the clutch and a budding culture that's the foundation of the success.
Still, the Bears aren't congratulating themselves about anything.
“We still got a lot of football to play and still want to keep improving,” veteran left guard Joe Thuney said. “It’s a journey.”
The Bears' win over the Steelers (6-5) represents their only win of the season over a team that currently has a winning record. In their final six games, the Bears will face just one team that currently owns a losing record.
Even though they're 8-3, the Bears will still face a fight to make the playoffs. They understand that nothing will come easy down the stretch. And for now, the postseason isn't the focus anyway.
With Johnson setting the tone and leaders like Williams and Thuney in charge, the Bears are preaching the need for improvement while also holding an appreciation for the strides they've taken.
A city that believes in its Bears also has that appreciation. Prior to the fourth quarter Sunday, many of the nearly 60,000 fans in attendance at Soldier Field rose to give the team a standing ovation. Thuney, a 10-year veteran with four Super Bowl rings, was struck by that.
Time will tell if the Bears have something special in the making. At the least, it’s a quite different feeling around the organization.
“We don't feel like we're the same old Bears,” Williams said. “We pull through for each other when it matters most."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.