The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't throw in the towel and surrender to the critics when they started the season with a 1-3 won-loss record.
They did something about it in the best way they could. They won games.
A four-game winning streak has lifted the Steelers to 5-3 and put them back in their familiar spot as contenders in the AFC North.
The Steelers are looking to stretch their streak to five games in Sunday's home game against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field.
Their 29-27 win over the Chicago Bears Monday night was typical of how the Steelers have put together their streak.
All four games were close: 27-19 over the Broncos; 23-20 over the Seahawks in overtime; 15-10 over the division rival Browns and the win over the Bears on a field goal with 36 seconds left.
View photos of the starters for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
![Head Coach: Mike Tomlin
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Canada
Defensive Coordinator: Keith Butler
Special Teams Coordinator: Danny Smith](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ryrrgdxwzddsa5x7dkde.jpg)
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Canada
Defensive Coordinator: Keith Butler
Special Teams Coordinator: Danny Smith
![WR James Washington
Backed up by Ray-Ray McCloud](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/nggqdvagnkpvdxdejnl1.jpg)
WR James Washington
Backed up by Ray-Ray McCloud
![WR Diontae Johnson
Backed up by Cody White](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/rhqsnfkwtzjh9vdjg0px.jpg)
WR Diontae Johnson
Backed up by Cody White
![WR Chase Claypool
Backed up by Cody White](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/est1en9p2reejl7zwoq6.jpg)
WR Chase Claypool
Backed up by Cody White
![LT Dan Moore Jr.
Backed up by Joe Haeg](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ofsl87z3s0jikhtxxirw.jpg)
LT Dan Moore Jr.
Backed up by Joe Haeg
![LG Kevin Dotson](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/q2bzrj9mbxttgoj3ahtd.jpg)
LG Kevin Dotson
![C Kendrick Green
Backed up by J.C. Hassenauer](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/jgphohxusym8diibosdm.jpg)
C Kendrick Green
Backed up by J.C. Hassenauer
![RG Trai Turner
Backed up by B.J. Finney](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/gojmhatrqpblp4vfeixm.jpg)
RG Trai Turner
Backed up by B.J. Finney
![RT Chukwuma Okorafor
Backed up by Zach Banner](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/uy0bsaav79fvdsgqr2se.jpg)
RT Chukwuma Okorafor
Backed up by Zach Banner
![TE Eric Ebron
Backed up by Zach Gentry](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ouedkrpw6fdjxpnd1cyc.jpg)
TE Eric Ebron
Backed up by Zach Gentry
![TE Pat Freiermuth
Backed up by Zach Gentry](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/cfetum1yt1rrqvu21gp8.jpg)
TE Pat Freiermuth
Backed up by Zach Gentry
![QB Ben Roethlisberger
Backed up by Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/rip7xjshhjuxwphibmmk.jpg)
QB Ben Roethlisberger
Backed up by Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins
![RB Najee Harris
Backed up by Benny Snell Jr. and Kalen Ballage](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/oydsjjfrvyg2awpcdlnq.jpg)
RB Najee Harris
Backed up by Benny Snell Jr. and Kalen Ballage
![FB Derrick Watt](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/huc1z8awx05wyqyzoukk.jpg)
FB Derrick Watt
![DT Cameron Heyward
Backed up by Isaiahh Loudermilk](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ndqfikxtmhhwp43ciono.jpg)
DT Cameron Heyward
Backed up by Isaiahh Loudermilk
![DE Chris Wormley
Backed up by Carlos Davis](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/pqcsw8frcio7uhh0egnv.jpg)
DE Chris Wormley
Backed up by Carlos Davis
![NT Isaiah Buggs
Backed up by Henry Mondeaux](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/m22ne66zswleph6i1omi.jpg)
NT Isaiah Buggs
Backed up by Henry Mondeaux
![LOLB T.J. Watt
Backed up by Taco Charlton and Derrek Tuszka](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/la7vcifsvgk7hv5zxtad.jpg)
LOLB T.J. Watt
Backed up by Taco Charlton and Derrek Tuszka
![LILB Devin Bush
Backed up by Marcus Allen and Ulysees Gilbert III](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/pcnkaey5iic7yjiasbwr.jpg)
LILB Devin Bush
Backed up by Marcus Allen and Ulysees Gilbert III
![RILB Joe Schobert
Backed up by Robert Spillane and Buddy Johnson](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/tkjhavcggakvisvpdt1i.jpg)
RILB Joe Schobert
Backed up by Robert Spillane and Buddy Johnson
![ROLB Alex Highsmith
Backed up by Taco Charlton and Derrek Tuszka](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/aelgjujanap5dloxmdmw.jpg)
ROLB Alex Highsmith
Backed up by Taco Charlton and Derrek Tuszka
![LCB Joe Haden
Backed up by Justin Layne and Ahkello Witherspoon](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/gqlxhgv2dp3tv29rhlv2.jpg)
LCB Joe Haden
Backed up by Justin Layne and Ahkello Witherspoon
![RCB Cameron Sutton
Backed up by James Pierre and Arthur Maulet](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/qga884jnkt6qlxc3swdt.jpg)
RCB Cameron Sutton
Backed up by James Pierre and Arthur Maulet
![SS Terrell Edmunds
Backed up by Miles Killebrew](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/bwpbgarrphc6z20m7a0v.jpg)
SS Terrell Edmunds
Backed up by Miles Killebrew
![FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
Backed up by Tre Norwood](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/qdjkhchijwpllmeic19j.jpg)
FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
Backed up by Tre Norwood
![K Chris Boswell](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/tpovrittuxq8688pqlsm.jpg)
K Chris Boswell
![P/H Pressley Harvin](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ansqthqo4fbuyzo64dmz.jpg)
P/H Pressley Harvin
![LS Christian Kuntz](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/kfetknzjl1tjexdzxfls.jpg)
LS Christian Kuntz
![PR Ray-Ray McCloud
Backed up by Diontae Johnson and James Pierre](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/lqwbk3xelyyp1jhp7fsj.jpg)
PR Ray-Ray McCloud
Backed up by Diontae Johnson and James Pierre
![KR Ray-Ray McCloud
Backed up by Benny Snell Jr. and James Pierre](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/phwx22gbauofmute3nhw.jpg)
KR Ray-Ray McCloud
Backed up by Benny Snell Jr. and James Pierre
All in all, it was a satisfying night for the Steelers, despite the drama and the ups and downs.
The Bears, led by rookie quarterback Justin Fields, rallied back from deficits of 14-0 in the first half and 20-6 in the second to take a 27-26 lead on Fields' TD pass to wide receiver Darnell Mooney with 1:46 left.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did what he has done throughout his 18-year career. He led the Steelers on a 57-yard, 7-play drive to the winning field goal.
Veteran cornerback Joe Haden told the media he had no doubt Roethlisberger would lead the Steelers to a victory.
"We have a Hall of Fame quarterback," Haden said simply.
"I was just hoping he'd get it down the field.
"We work on the two-minute all the time in practice. He gets it down the field on us."
Key players came through for the Steelers, as they often have over the years.
Roethlisberger has 10 TD passes against four interceptions for the season. That's far off what he routinely produced in his prime.
But in the winning streak, he has six TD passes without an interception.
Outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who has 11.5 sacks for the season, was a dominating force against the Bears. He had three sacks, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits.
And two young players who are showing signs of being future stars made their presence felt.
Running back Najee Harris, a first-round pick, rushed for 62 yards and a TD.
Tight end Pat Freiermuth, a second-round pick, had five catches and two TDs.
Regardless of what happens, at least the Steelers have put themselves in position to be competitive.
It didn't seem that way when they were 1-3, but that turned out to be a pivotal moment in their season.
"Our goal going into the bye week was to get to .500," linebacker Joe Schobert said after the Steelers had beaten the Browns.
"Keep this momentum running. That's what playoff teams do.
"We have to keep this train rolling and get the wins."