Bears vs Steelers Odds, Lines, Picks, and Predictions for Week 9 Monday Night Football
- The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football in Week 9
- Monday Betting Record: 0-0 ML; 3-4 ATS; 2-1 O/U; +0.04 units
- Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction
The Pittsburgh Steelers are Monday Night Football royalty.
The winningest franchise on the franchise will host the Chicago Bears, seeking their fourth straight win.
Chicago, on the other hand, is trying to stay competitive while ushering in the Justin Fields era.
While the pivot has shown electric flashes of that talent, the Bears aren’t getting close to the production they need to be effective, and they’ve lost three straight as a result.
The bookmakers have pegged the home side as 6-point favorites, ahead of the 8:15pm ET kickoff at Heinz Field. The game can be seen on ESPN.
Bears vs Steelers Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | +200 | +6 (-110) | O 39 (-110) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | -250 | -6 (-110) | U 39 (-110) |
Odds as of Nov 6th at FanDuel.
Steelers’ Recent Success
Winning is never easy in the NFL, and it’s especially hard when your pivot appears to be on his last legs. Ben Roethlisberger is far from the franchise QB that can sling it all over the field, and the stats tell the tale.
Ben is averaging a paltry 6.6 yards per attempt (17th) and has just eight TD passes on the season. The 39-year-old is also dealing with nagging injuries to his hip and throwing shoulder. Pittsburgh’s passing attack is short and shallow.
Overlooked play of the day yesterday. Kudos to Ben Roethlisberger for flipping Harris from right to left side. But Harris' pickup here prevents Myles Garrett from getting to Ben.
Gave him needed time to hit Freiermuth for the TD on 4th and goal. Big-time play. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/uOa4mKdeOv
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) November 1, 2021
Thankfully, rookie Najee Harris has assumed a workhorse role, despite the Steelers ranking 28th in rushing. Harris is 10th in the NFL in rushing, with 479 yards and three scores. He’s the only option in the backfield: no other Steeler has more than 38 yards on the ground.
Najee Harris is the truth pic.twitter.com/vJzukr1grI
— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) November 1, 2021
The trademark Steelers’ defense, however, has been the backbone of a resurgence that has helped them claw out of an early 1-3 hole, reeling off three straight wins.
They allow just 20.3 points per game (7th), giving them a chance in most every game. Last time out in a 15-10 win over the Browns, they sacked Baker Mayfield four times, held Cleveland’s impressive run game to 96 yards, and recovered a fumble.
Bears’ Recent Woes
While Pittsburgh has reeled off three straight wins, the Bears have been trending in the opposite direction, dropping three in a row and virtually clinging to life support for a playoff spot entering Week 9.
https://twitter.com/B_R_R_D/status/1454885618014633988
Their latest setback was a 33-22 loss to the 49ers, a game they led 16-9 midway through the third quarter, before getting outscored 24-6 the rest of the way.
Offensively, Justin Fields is making slow strides. This year’s 11th overall pick is 32nd in passing yards and has three TD passes on the season. He’s completing just 59.5% of his passes and is tied for fourth in interceptions, with seven.
.@justnfields ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? 🤯#SFvsCHI | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/o9vUGJL5h5
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 31, 2021
The Bears haven’t exactly been supporting their young QB, as he’s taken 26 sacks, the most of anyone in the NFL, and he’s started just six games. Chicago has yet to score 25 points in a game all season.
There are some silver linings to this team, however. The defense has held up for the most part, and are tied for fourth in the NFL with 21 sacks but they have just eight takeaways on the season.
Khalil Mack pic.twitter.com/wgXi2UC22j
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) November 3, 2021
They’re hurting on that side of the ball though, with Khalil Mack (foot) sitting for a second straight game, while safety Eddie Jackson (hamstring) is doubtful and linebacker Alec Ogletree (foot) is questionable.
For all his woes tossing, Fields is fourth among QB’s in rushing yards with 243 on the year. He’s part of a rush attack that will return David Montgomery from injury, and rookie Khalil Herbert. The Bears are fourth in the league in rush yards.
What’s the Best Bet?
Surprising that the Bears bets are flooding in, considering they are just 1-3 on the road, and have been outscored 107-43.
On the other end, Pittsburgh has won 18 of their last 19 under the Monday Night lights, with their lone loss coming last year against the Washington Football team. They are 2-2 at Heinz Field this season, winning their last two.
Pittsburgh is 3-4 ATS on the year, while Chicago is 3-5 ATS.
Despite Pittsburgh failing to cover any home games this year as a favorite (0-3), their defense should do enough to make life tough for Fields.
Pick: Steelers -6 (1.5 units to win 1.86 units )
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
