2013 NFL Picks: Chicago Bears @ Pittsburgh Steelers Odds and Predictions – Free Sunday Night Football Picks 9/22/2013

2013 NFL Picks: Chicago Bears @ Pittsburgh Steelers Odds and Predictions – Free Sunday Night Football Picks 9/22/2013: Two teams heading in completely opposite directions early in 2013 NFL season will meet Sunday night when the Chicago Bears (2-0) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2). The Bears have pulled out a couple of thrillers to open the year, winning two games in the final minutes by a combined four points. Meanwhile, the Steelers have been hit hard by injuries and have looked dreadful on offense en route to their 0-2 start. Needless to say, Pittsburgh will be looking to stop the bleeding and get their season on track Sunday night while the Bears will be looking to continue their strong start. Heading into the matchup, Chicago is a 2 ½-point favorite on the road.

For Chicago, the moves it made during the offseason to upgrade the offensive line and receiving corps have quickly paid. Quarterback Jay Cutler has been sacked just one time, and while receiver Brandon Marshall remains Cutler’s favorite target, tight end Martellus Bennett ranks second on the team in receiving yards and has a team-high three scores in his first year with the team. Meanwhile, Matt Forte remains a steady presence for the ground game, and the Bears currently rank in the top 15 in both rushing and passing. On the flip side, Chicago’s defense has been a little lackluster in its first year without linebacker Brian Urlacher, but corner Charles Tillman and linebacker Lance Briggs have been making some big plays for the unit.

There were already question marks about the Steelers offense, and after a rash of injuries to start the year, the unit is a wreck. Pittsburgh is averaging just 9.5 points per game, and Felix Jones is currently leading the team in rushing with just 37 yards. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has also felt the effects of the team’s poor offensive line and lack of firepower, and he has been sacked seven times in two games and is completing less than 60 percent of his passes. On the plus side, tight end Heath Miller is set to return this weekend. Not to mention the fact that the Steelers’ defense has remained solid despite the lack of support. The unit is allowing just 18.0 points per game and ranks in the top 10 against the pass.

The Bears Win If:

While Cutler has gotten off to a strong start this season, he does have three interceptions through two games. If the Bears are going to knock of the Steelers Sunday night, they have to maintain some balance on offense and avoid turnovers. For all their flaws as a team, the Steelers secondary is still legit, and the last thing Chicago needs to do is jumpstart a stagnant Pittsburgh offense be turning the ball over. On defense, the Bears need to take advantage of the Steelers’ lack of a ground game to generate a pass rush. Entering the game, the Bears have just 2.0 sacks, and star defense end Julius Peppers has none. The Steelers’ only real weapon right now is Roethlisberger, but if Chicago gives him a ton of time in the pocket, he is still capable of doing some damage. In the end, the Bears should win the game if they play mistake-free, balanced football on the offense end while exploiting Pittsburgh’s one-dimensional offense.

The Steelers Win If:

If the Steelers are going to win, it starts on the defensive side of the ball. With Pittsburgh’s offense struggling, the defense needs to set up Roethlisberger and company with short fields by controlling field position and generating turnovers. A big game pressuring Cutler from defensive end LeMarr Woodley will go a long way to helping the cause. On the offensive end, establishing a ground game seems next to impossible with this current unit. Instead, the Steelers need to focus on giving Roethlisberger time to work. If “Big Ben” has time in the pocket, he still has the ability to hit on a few big plays. If the Steelers’ defense can make this an ugly, low-scoring game, Roethlisberger at least has a chance.

Bottom Line:

While Chicago hasn’t been dominant in either victory, they have looked like a championship-caliber team compared to the Steelers. More importantly, Chicago’s offense has multiple weapons while the Steelers are as one dimensional on offense as any team in the league. Pittsburgh can’t run the ball at all right now, and the Bears know it. Despite the slow start, Peppers and the rest of the Chicago pass-rushers can still be potent. More importantly, they should be effective against the Steelers since they can afford to be in attack mode from the start. Miller’s return should help a bit, but Roethlisberger simply doesn’t have enough weapons to work with or enough blocking up front to put a ton of points on the board. Granted, Pittsburgh’s defense should keep them in the game, but with a combination of Forte on the ground and Cutler’s passing, the Bears will eventually grind out enough points to win.

Prediction: Chicago Bears (-2 ½) Cover the Spread                            

Chicago Bears @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Line: Chicago -2.5
Total: Over/Under 40.5
Time: 8:30 PM EST on NBC

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