The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Chicago Bears 31-28 on Sunday, falling to 6-5. Mike Tomlin's squad had Mason Rudolph at the helm, but still put together a late-game comeback to give themselves a chance. After falling short, Tomlin said that he anticipates Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will return from his wrist injury in Week 13.
“Mike Tomlin said he anticipates Aaron Rodgers will be ready to play next week,” Mike DeFabio of The Athletic reported.
Rodgers had a slight break in his left wrist after a Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Reports surfaced that he was pushing to play, and Rodgers even took a lap before the game, flipping off some cameras in the process. Rudolph played and held his own against a tough Bears defense. Now, the Steelers are in must-win situations moving forward
The Steelers and Ravens are now tied for the AFC North lead heading into Week 13. The Ravens face the Bengals on Thursday night, with Joe Burrow potentially returning for Cincinnati. On Sunday, the Steelers host the Buffalo Bills, hopefully with Rodgers under center.
The Steelers avoided more injury updates as DK Metcalf returned to the game after limping off in the first half. Despite the loss, there were positives for Tomlin's squad. TJ Watt made a huge play, stripping Caleb Williams on a sack that turned into a Pittsburgh touchdown. Both Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren had productive days, and Rudolph was solid.
However, the reality for the Steelers is that they have let slip a division they should have secured by now. The Ravens were 1-5 with a cavalcade of injuries on both sides of the ball. Now, Derrick Henry is finding his way while the defense is dominating again. The Steelers have their backs against the wall, and Rodgers will need to dominate to get them in a better position.
