The bad man returns.
Aaron Rodgers gets one more shot at the Chicago Bears since leaving the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers might not be at the height of his powers, but he’s still an effective quarterback.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in first place in the AFC North and have their own playoff aspirations.
For Chicago, this is the first step up in competition. The Bears need to start winning games by more comfortable margins and beat teams with a winning record if they want to be more respected across the league. And be taken seriously as a playoff team.
It’s all about one game at a time and this is the next one up. What’s it going to take to beat the Steelers?
Sam: The Steelers defense is a lot like the Bears in that the numbers show they’re struggling in some areas but successful in others. There will be chances for downfield shots. But establishing the run to keep the clock on Chicago’s side and finishing drives with seven will go a long way to keep Rodgers from breaking our hearts again. Defense, get after him and corners keep coverage tight. Rodgers isn’t throwing deep like he used to.
Lester: The Steelers don’t blitz as much as the Vikings, but they’ll bring an extra rusher quite a bit. I’d expect a lot of 2 and 3-tight end sets from the Bears. A healthy dose of the running game as they try to slow things down and keep Aaron Rodgers off the field.
Jack R. Salo: The Steelers have the lowest average depth of target in the entire league, so that means the Bears have to wrap up and tackle well on every play. Both teams will need to get their tight ends involved, with Pat Freiermuth being one of the Steelers’ best receiving options and Colston Loveland starting to come into his own the last couple of weeks. The last time the Chicago played Pittsburgh, the Bears were doomed by penalties (both the legitimate calls and the terrible ones). That will be key as well. Balance aggression with composure, or the refs will throw their version of terrible towels on the field all day.
Josh: The offense needs to put together sustained drives, leaning on the run. Caleb Williams needs to put the Houdini act together with methodical completions. This game could turn into a shootout and so the best solution is to keep the Steelers’ offense off the field.
Bryan: I expect this to be an extremely physical game, coming down to the performance in the trenches for both teams. On offense, establishing the run and using the quick pass game to mitigate the elite pass rush for Pitt will be huge. No more dropped passes in this one as we’ll need to extend drives and avoid giving the ball back. On D, stop the run and have good coverage early to give the pass rush more time. We could use a big game by Montez Sweat or Austin Booker this week but whichever team is more physical will win. I expect a playoff atmosphere and a fantastic litmus test for The Beloved.
What are your keys for a Chicago Bears win against Pittsburgh on Sunday? Let us know in the comments.
