We saw Justin Fields have the best performance of his Bears career last week versus a banged-up 49ers defense. Will he be able to build off of that game despite a losing effort? Fields combined for 278 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 103 yards while rushing for one score and throwing an elite pass to Jesse James for the other. I’d like to see him start throwing for 250+ yards per game on a consistent basis, but he’s not getting help from his receivers, the play designs or the blocking.
Bears Injury Report vs Steelers Week 9
The Chicago Bears defense is going to be without Khalil Mack again this week. He has been ruled out once again. Since he was not placed on injured reserve, I would have to assume the team plans on him being healthy enough to return in Week 11 versus the Baltimore Ravens (Week 10 is the Bears’ bye week).
What might be an equal loss for the Bears is that Eddie Jackson has not practiced all week due to a hamstring injury he sustained on the first drive of the game last week. He is listed as doubtful and not expected to play.
Not having Mack allowed the 49ers to use Trent Williams on Robert Quinn and that matchup did not go well. The rest of the front seven was unable to generate pressure and with a clean pocket, Jimmy Garoppolo was able to hit big play after big play with the help of Deebo Samuel.
The only hope is that the Steelers left tackle is nowhere near as good as Trent Williams. Dan Moore Jr is a rookie left tackle who has struggled, but without Mack, the Steelers will likely give Moore some help tonight on Robert Quinn. The team has only allowed Ben Roethlisberger to be sacked 14 times this season. That’s tied for fourth-best in the league. The Bears will need to find a way to bring pressure.
Without Eddie Jackson, the run defense also took a hit and despite the narrative that Jackson cannot tackle, his ability to communicate as a leader in the defensive backfield was clearly missed last week. These two are the biggest misses from an injury standpoint, however, there are reports that David Montgomery should be activated off injured reserve and made available for tonight’s game. Not sure that’s the right call though.
Here are the other players worth mentioning on the Bears injury report:
- J.P. Holts (Concussion) – OUT
- Nick Foles (Non-injury/personal) – OUT
- Damien Williams (Knee) – OUT
- Alec Ogletree (Ankle) – Questionable
- Darnell Mooney (Groin) – Questionable
The Steelers are relatively healthy outside of those already placed on injured reserve:
- Eric Ebron (Ankle) – OUT
- B.J. Finney (Back) – Questionable
The two notable players on injured reserve for the Steelers are wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster and defensive end, Stephon Tuitt.
Bears vs Steelers Odds, Spread, Over/Under, & Betting Pick Week 9
WynnBET’s Week 9 NFL odds have not changed much since the week opened. The Bears are still -6.5 point underdogs on the road. That might not matter if the trend continues this week for underdogs. Seven teams favored to lose this week not only covered but won their respective games. That said, I still do not feel confident that this team follows suit with that trend.
The Bears Moneyline shifted from +225 to +250 (bet $100 to win $250). The 49ers Moneyline is -210 (bet $210 to win $100). The over/under dropped from 40.0 points total to 39.0 points. Honestly, my gut is telling me the over hits in this one, but I’m not touching the Moneyline unless you really like to follow weekly trends.
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What Channel is the Bears Game on Week 9?
The Bears vs Steelers broadcast will air tonight on ESPN at 5:15 p.m. PST/8:15 p.m. EST.
For some areas of the country, the game will also be aired on ABC.
Bears vs Steelers Live Stream
The Bears vs Steelers game can be viewed live on Fubo TV. Start a free trial by clicking here.
Bears Next Game and Schedule
If Chicago loses this game and falls to 3-6 on the year, their chances of making the playoffs will drop to nearly 0%. Will we see a shift from Matt Nagy to an interim coach during the bye week if this happens? Doubtful based on the Bears’ history of not firing coaches mid-season, but there’s always a first time for everything, right?
Here’s a look at their schedule for the next four weeks:
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: vs Baltimore
Week 12: @ Lions
Week 13: vs Arizona