The Pittsburgh Steelers head to the windy city to take on the Chicago Bears, where they last won in 1995. The Bears lead the all-time series with an 18-7-1 record, winning the last two by a combined score of 57-37. The Steelers are coming into this matchup as an AFC Super Bowl contender. The Bears come in as a top contender for the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Steelers are looking for a second straight win over an NFC North division opponent looking for their first win. Week three Pittsburgh Steelers what to watch for covers what the Steelers could do during the game.
Week Three Pittsburgh Steelers What To Watch For
The Steelers are locking in on their identity, as they travel to Chicago to meet the Bears. Keith Butler‘s defense has been the strength of the team, But the offense is showing signs of catching up. Ben Roethlisberger and Martavis Bryant are back in sync, while Le’Veon Bell is gaining momentum. The offensive line’s success is the key to the offense. As the line goes, so goes the offense, such as the flow went last week. The Bears are a team the Steelers can use to fine tune themselves for a anticipated Super Bowl run. The other side of the coin is that Bears represent the potential for a dreaded trap game. This week three Pittsburgh matchup is intriguing in multiple ways, but should ultimately end in victory. Week three Pittsburgh Steelers what to watch for provides several things to look for this Sunday.
Keep the Heat on Mike Glennon
Mike Glennon has a big arm, however, he is vulnerable to turnovers when under pressure. He gets confused when facing defenses that mix up looks and coverages. The Steelers do this more than most due to their abundance of athletes and flexibility on defense. Two Glennon turnovers resulted in 14 points for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week – a fumble and a pick six. The Steelers will bring the heat from every conceivable angle to keep Glennon on his heels.
Cam Heyward and Javon Hargrave could have a field day against a suspect Bears line. The Bears, limited to 20 yards rushing last week, are going to have difficulty finding running room this week. L.T. Walton and Tyson Alualu give the Steelers flexibility to mix their looks for pressure or run defense.
Joe Haden‘s route recognition is equal to anyone, and likes to gamble when he sees something he can exploit. Haden makes a living reading a quarterbacks eyes, which is bad news for Glennon, who telegraphs most of his throws. Haden will make Glennon pay at some point in this game, coming up with his first interception as a Steeler.
The Steelers Will Pound the Ball
The Steelers did a good job of pounding the ball against a stout Vikings defensive line, rushing for 102 yards. The Buccaneers rushed for 117 yards against an average Bears line. Bell is primed for a breakout game, and this one could be it. Admittedly, Bell complimented the Vikings for containing him in the first half, but he tried to force things a bit. He missed on some big runs, but should be at the point now where he can let it happen. The week three Pittsburgh offensive line is ready to dominate this Bears defensive front, and will have plenty of opportunities.
Big Day for Big Ben
The weak link of the Bears defense is the secondary, which has Roethlisberger loving this week three Pittsburgh matchup. The Bears secondary doesn’t match up well with his receivers, offering Roethlisberger opportunities to go deep off play action. He’s good at setting defenses up for the kill shot, but must be careful not to force anything. Roethlisberger is 1-2 versus the Bears. He threw for 406 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions against them back in 2013. This time he has Bryant lining up opposite Brown instead of Jerricho Cotchery.
The week three Pittsburgh Steelers are closer to finding their identity; how they will be defined in 2017. The Bears are likely to find out, the hard way, what the AFC’s most talented team is all about. The Steelers offense will pound them into submission early and often, burning them deep in between the bludgeoning. The defense will shut down the running game, making them one dimensional, then go after Glennon. Rookie Mitch Trubisky could make an appearance before this one is over, which would be bad news for the Bears.
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