BREAKING: Four Referees Suspended After Controversial Steelers vs. Bears Game
In a stunning development following the Pittsburgh Steelers' 28–31 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12, the NFL has announced the suspension of four referees who officiated the game. The league's investigation revealed that the officiating crew overlooked several key violations committed by the Bears, significantly impacting the game's outcome and leading to an unfair defeat for the Steelers.
The game, held at Soldier Field on November 23, 2025, saw the Bears capitalize on a series of controversial calls—or lack thereof—that shifted the momentum in their favor, despite the Steelers leading most of the game.
One of the most glaring missed calls occurred in the third quarter when Bears linebacker Roquan Smith appeared to interfere with Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson on a critical 3rd down conversion. The no-call allowed the Bears to take possession, setting up a touchdown that brought them closer to the Steelers' lead, leaving Pittsburgh fans and players questioning the integrity of the officiating.
Additionally, a pivotal moment came late in the game when Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was sacked on a play where Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks appeared to hold Rudolph's legs before the throw. The referees failed to throw a flag, allowing the Bears to gain a critical stop, ultimately leading to their comeback and victory. This no-call deepened the frustration among Steelers fans, who felt that key plays were being missed.
The NFL's decision to suspend the four referees underscores the seriousness with which the league views officiating integrity. In a statement, the NFL emphasized its commitment to ensuring fair play and accountability, noting that these suspensions are part of an ongoing review process aimed at maintaining the highest standards of officiating.
For the Steelers, the loss marks their fifth defeat of the season, dropping their record to 6–5. Despite the setback, the team remains focused on their upcoming matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Head coach Mike Tomlin expressed confidence in his team's ability to bounce back, stating, "We will learn from this experience and come back stronger."
As the NFL continues its investigation into the officiating crew, the Steelers' organization and their supporters await further developments, hoping for accountability and transparency in the league's handling of this controversial issue.
Patriots Defense Made Key Adjustment to Beat Joe Flacco, Bengals
Facing a Cincinnati Bengals team without injured quarterback Joe Burrow and suspended star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase should’ve been a chance for the New England Patriots to feast on defense, but instead the unit needed to make a key adjustment to hold veteran backup Joe Flacco at bay late in Week 12’s 26-20 win on the road.
The adjustment was made on the final drive at Paycor Stadium, when the Patriots finally sent extra rushers after 40-year-old Flacco. As Next Gen Stats, via NFL Pro revealed, “The Patriots did not blitz until the final Bengals drive, in which they blitzed four times, with Joe Flacco completing just 1 of 4 passes (12 yards) against the blitz. Despite their low blitz rate (10.3%, their 2nd-lowest this season), the Patriots still generated pressure on 41.0% of their pass rushes.”
Sending the blitz proved worth the risk when the Pats sent “the house on 4th & 10, K’Lavon Chaisson gets a hit on the QB, and Marcus Jones breaks up the throw to Mike Gesicki,” per Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
The telling contribution by Jones capped a clutch performance from the nickelback, who also scored on a pick-six to help dig the Patriots out of an early hole. Jones’ theft was the result of cleverly disguised coverage, making this game a strong endorsement of the defensive staff led by stand-in coordinator Zak Kuhr.
Patriots Needed Sophisticated Defense
A rare dismal showing from QB1 Drake Maye left the Patriots needing to lean on their defense in Cincinnati. Fortunately, Kuhr had a nuanced plan based around sophisticated coverage concepts and pressure packages.
The layers of disguise in their coverage showed up most effectively when Jones picked off Flacco and went to the house in the second quarter. It happened because “on their first pick-six since the 2023 season (Kyle Dugger vs. Miami), New England plays the early down in quarters coverage with a four-deep, three-under zone coverage,” according to Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar.
This coverage design fooled Flacco, who saw “the deep-zone coverage taking away his downfield routes, and thinks he’s just going to harmlessly check it down into the flat to RB Tahj Brooks. Instead, NCB Marcus Jones was baiting Flacco to throw the check-down the entire time, and jumped the flat for a 33-yard pick-six that was a sweet, sweet play by Jones.”
Changing the picture on the back end was necessary to keep a battle-tested veteran with Flacco’s level of experience guessing. Yet for all the rotations in the secondary, the Patriots still needed a more direct approach to seal the win.
Zak Kuhr Adjusted Core Plan in Key Moment
When Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel hired Terrell Williams to be his defensive coordinator, he hoped for a defense based on getting pressure with only four rushers. Williams has taken a leave of absence to deal with health problems, but Kuhr has mostly stuck to the same blueprint, at least until the waning moments against the Bengals.
That’s when Kuhr pushed the blitz button to great effect. His more aggressive approach worked to unleash edge-rusher K’Lavon Chaisson, while also helping fellow edge Harold Landry III notch the Patriots’ only sack.
Registering just a single sack shows the Patriots still have a problem getting to quarterbacks often enough. The defense has recorded a mere 23 QB takedowns, per Pro Football Reference, because there isn’t a bluechip pass-rusher in the lineup.
It means Kuhr will be wise to continue drawing up elaborate ways to send additional rushers to wreck the pocket. Blitzing can offset the absence of elite talent on the edges, while it will also help the defense compensate for any further below-par days from Maye and the offense.
