No one is smiling bigger than Ryan Poles after his rookie class steps up during the Bears win over the Steelers in Week 12
The rookies delivered when called upon on Sunday.
Chicago pulled off another late-game thriller against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and to everyone’s surprise, the Bears ended things on defense despite dealing with multiple injuries all over the unit.
The Bears entered the game without their top two cornerbacks and three of their top linebackers, while losing two more linebackers and another cornerback during the game. It was a gutsy way to win and continues to build more momentum going into the final stretch.
While Chicago had multiple unsung heroes step up to secure the team’s eighth win of the season, no one is smiling bigger than general manager Ryan Poles after Week 12.
Bears GM Ryan Poles should feel all the validation after win over Steelers
Looking at the box scores, the play of wide receiver DJ Moore (64 yards and two touchdowns) and defensive end Montez Sweat (two sacks and three tackles) tells the whole story. Both players were the top additions during the team’s general manager’s tenure, so it has to feel nice to see those two step up and carry this game.
But the play of the rookie class was the hidden story worth telling after this game, and Poles should feel really proud of his young players as well.
To start, second-round offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo was asked to make his first career start on short notice at left tackle after the team listed Theo Benedet as inactive. From what I could tell, the rookie held up strong against a stout Steelers defensive front.
The same goes for sixth-round interior offensive lineman Luke Newman, who was thrust into the game during the first half when right guard Jonah Jackson left the game with an eye injury before returning. With Newman in the game, the offense didn’t miss a beat, and he made some key plays down the field.
Yet, the best value player from this rookie class continues to be seventh-round running back Kyle Monangai. Monangai led the team with 48 yards on the ground, averaging 4.0 yards per carry, while scoring a touchdown for the third consecutive game.
Not to be overlooked, tight end Colston Loveland found his way into the end zone as well, while adding 49 yards, and second-round wide receiver Luther Burden III totaled 61 yards on four touches.
The rookie we didn’t get to see as much of as we would have hoped was linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II. With Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell out, Hyppolite was called upon to start on Sunday and had two tackles before leaving the game with a shoulder injury.
Poles got a lot of flak for the lack of involvement from this rookie class earlier in the season. The majority of those selections were always expected to be depth players with high upside this year, and they delivered when it mattered most when their names were called.