Week 9 of the NFL season comes to a conclusion on Monday night when the Pittsburgh Steelers play host to the Chicago Bears. In a week that’s been full of surprise results, Pittsburgh will try to avoid adding to the list of favorites to lose. The Steelers are favored by seven points at home with an over/under of 39 points.
Pittsburgh has done a great job of shaking off a rough start by winning three in a row. However, they still have a lot of pressure to win on Monday and keep pace in the AFC North, a division in which every team has a winning record. At 4-3, the Steelers need a win on Monday to stay within one game of first-place Baltimore.
As for the Bears, they are moving in the opposite direction with three straight losses after a promising start to the season. All five of Chicago’s losses have come by at least 10 points, which is a sign that the Bears are trending in the wrong direction. At 3-5, the Bears are running out of time to get things turned around and keep themselves in the playoff race.
Playing the Field
As expected, there have been growing pains with rookie quarterback Justin Fields. He’s completed less than 60% of his passes this season with three touchdowns and seven interceptions, including five interceptions in his last three games. However, Fields was a little more active in the running game last week, leading to a solid performance with running back Khalil Herbert, also helping to give the Bears a steady running game.
Meanwhile, the Chicago defense is starting to break after playing well for most of September and early October. The Bears have allowed a total of 71 points over their last two games, which isn’t a winning formula for a team averaging the second-fewest points in the league. Plus, some of Chicago’s impact players are battling injuries, with Eddie Jackson and Khalil Mack unlikely to play on Monday.
Slow and Steady
Despite the three-game winning streak, the Pittsburgh offense isn’t exactly clicking at the moment, scoring just 15 points against the Browns last week. Ben Roethlisberger looks limited in how far he can throw the ball down the field, so he’s dependent on being able to complete a high volume of short passes. At the same time, running back Najee Harris is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, in part because defenses don’t have to respect the deep ball.
Of course, the Pittsburgh defense is helping to lead the way, giving up 20 points or less in three straight games. The Steelers have been solid if unspectacular against the run, doing just enough to avoid getting overrun. At the same time, T.J. Watt’s 8.5 sacks are helping to lead a pass rush that can do damage when the Steelers are playing with the lead.
More Madness?
It’s clear why the Steelers are favored in this game, although it’s important to remember that they are winless this season when they allow more than 20 points. The Bears should have enough success running the ball to keep the Steelers from getting a comfortable lead, given their offensive shortcomings. Bet on Chicago to beat the seven-point spread on Monday night.
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