Chicago Bears (2-0 SU, 0-1-1 ATS) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS)
Week 3 NFL
Date/Time: SNF, September 22, 2013 at 8:30PM EST
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: NBC
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Point Spread: CHI -1.5/PIT +1.5
Over/Under Total: 40
In this week’s Sunday night game, the unbeaten Chicago Bears travel east to take on the winless Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. The Steelers are looking to get things on the right track after an 0-2 start that has seen them score 19 points in two games and not really ever threatening to cover either spread. The Bears, meanwhile, have to be feeling good after winning both games on 4th quarter comebacks.
Last week’s comeback win at home against the Vikings is the kind of win that can really put wind in a team’s sails. Down 30-24 after a Minnesota field goal with a few minutes left, Cutler moved down the field, connecting with TE Martellus Bennett for the winning touchdown from 16 yards with 10 seconds left to win 31-30. Cutler is starting to groove with his offense, which has a lot of tools. If they can start matching the play of their robust defense, this is a team that can do damage.
Bears’ RB Matt Forte was big on Sunday, running for 90 yards and catching 11 balls out of the backfield. WR Brandon Marshall (15-217-2) is getting on a roll, as is Bennett, who was key on Sunday with 7 catches. They also needed a big comeback to beat the Bengals on week one and opening the season with two wins is a galvanizing force.
On the other hand, it’s been rough early for the Steelers, looking like one of the worst manifestations of a Pittsburgh team in years. Still, it’s early, and some of this could have been expected on a certain level--especially in the beginning of the year. They opened the season without their top two receivers from last season in Mike Wallace and Heath Miller, who won’t be back until midseason. Their only hope at running back, Le’Veon Bell is out at least several more weeks. So what can you really expect? They have an offense that has a two-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback, but who is working with what amounts to a bunch of complimentary pieces. There are no game-breakers to rely on and it might be a real grind for Pittsburgh until they find something that works. But boy, they are in a funk. they ended the 2012 season losing 5 of their last 7, they lost all 4 preseason games, and are 0-2 to start the year, That’s a whole lot of losing going on.
After two disappointing games, the backlash on Pittsburgh might go too far the other way. The talk in the preseason was negative and the early-going seemed to confirm the naysayers were right. But those who keep right on thinking the Steelers are going to stink it up week after week may be doing so at their own peril. Teams have had worse two-game stretches, it’s just that in the middle of the season, no one pays as much as a attention as when a team opens the season badly. It stands out more, but it can also lead to coming to premature judgments on teams. This is a team with a lot of Super bowl experience remaining. Look for some leadership to kick in and for coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to find something, anything, to get things turned around at least a little bit. Even so, it’s tough on a struggling offense to play the Bengals and then try their luck against a tough defensive unit in the Bears.
Pittsburgh losing two games has everyone looking at the negative. Rightly so, but there are some small signs of positivity that could later help this team get back on the right track. Their defense has only allowed 36 points in two games, which is fairly impressive. WR Emmanuel Sanders looks to be upping his game. Opposing quarterbacks are only 36 for 65 in the air. If this offense can see even a minor upswing, they’ll be in a lot of games.
It’s just that where should the Steelers turn for help? The bottom line is that there are no playmakers on this offense. Sanders and WR Antonio Brown are the closest thing they can find, but they’re going to have to grind hard for points this season. An interesting tidbit is that this is the first time head coach Mike Tomlin has coached the Steelers where they were 2 games under the 500 mark. Can the Bears make it 3? It’s entirely possible. This version of the Steelers are starting to look like some of those late-80’s Pittsburgh teams. But even those teams would win games.
Loot's Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Take the Pittsburgh Steelers and 1.5 points.
