Week 9 closes on Monday night as the Chicago Bears travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. In week 8, the Bears defense allowed seven consecutive scoring drives and lost to the 49ers, 33-22, falling to two games under .500 at 3-5. This past weekend, the Steelers beat their long time AFC North division rival Cleveland Browns 15-10, pushing their record to 4-3. Chicago is averaging a dismal 10.5 points per game on the road, while the Steelers are scoring 19.5 points per game at home.
The Bears are the first team since the Tennessee Titans in 2008 to have fewer than 200 passing yards in each of their first eight games of the season. While Pittsburgh is allowing 345.7 total yards of offense to their opponents in 2021, ranking the 11th in the NFL.
The Steelers are a 6.5-point home favorite this week. The Bears 3-5 against the spread in 2021; 1-3 on the road.
Monday night against Chicago, which is allowing the 10th-most yards per play and seventh-most yards per possession so far this season, there should be plenty of matchups to exploit. But there’s also one the Steelers might do well to avoid.
Second-year cornerback Jaylon Johnson has been a bright spot in an otherwise ineffective secondary that’s allowing 12.6 yards per catch, fourth-worst in the NFL. He’s not the biggest at 6 feet, 195 pounds, but Johnson’s quickness allows him to mirror receivers with the best of them. Johnson has just one interception this season but has given up just two touchdowns and 8.4 yards per target in coverage on a 48.8 completion percentage.
The Steelers’ defensive roster construction is primed to beat the Bears’ offense. There is a better chance Justin Fields looks like his Week 7 self than his Week 8 self. With T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Cameron Heyward rushing the passer, it will not be a fun week for the rookie quarterback playing behind an invisible offensive line.
Steelers are in a 3 games winning streak, while Bears are in a 3 games losing streak. This game is time for the changes for Bears. We predict a close one.
Prediction: Bears +6.5