Week 10 MNF – Steelers 6.5-Point Home Favorites Over Bears

• The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Chicago Bears as 6.5-point favorites for this week’s iteration of Monday Night Football, with kickoff set for 8:15 p.m. EST.
• The Chicago Bears will look to snap a three-game losing skid, while the Steelers try to extend their winning streak to four games.

PITTSBURGH – This week’s Monday Night Football matchup will feature the 4-3 (3-4 ATS) Pittsburgh Steelers playing host to the 3-5 (3-5 ATS) Chicago Bears, with the kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. EST.

The spread opened with Pittsburgh favored by 5 points, but betting action has since moved the line to 6.5 on legal sports betting sites.

Coming into the matchup, the Steelers and the Bears are on very different trajectories. The Steelers have won three straight, including last week’s 15-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns as 5-point underdogs; on the other hand, the Bears have dropped three in a row, both outright and against the spread.

The Bears have only covered the spread in three of their last ten games overall, though Pittsburgh has not been much better in that regard – the Steelers have covered in just one of their last five home matchups as well as in just two of their last six games overall.

Domination From Najee

Much of Pittsburgh’s recent success can be attributed to an increase in production from rookie running back Najee Harris. During the Steelers’ three-game win streak, Harris has tallied over 100 scrimmage yards in each game, averaging 129.67 total yards per game over that stretch.

He has done this partially through an increase in opportunities, as he has averaged 24.3 carries over the last three games compared to the 13.75 carries he averaged in his first four appearances.

The increased usage for Harris spells trouble for Chicago, as they have struggled mightily containing opposing running backs in 2021 – the Bears have allowed 4.9 yards per carry to opposing running backs, the third-worst in the NFL.

They have also allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game to opposing running backs with 112.9.

Chicago’s offense has been searching for its identity since bellcow back David Montgomery went down with an injury earlier this year; however, he was activated from the IR this week, and practiced in a limited fashion this week.

He is listed as questionable on the injury report.

If Montgomery can go, it will add a dimension to Chicago’s offense that has been absent, though it is unlikely he will jump right back into his full workload in his first week active.

Without Montgomery, the Bears’ offense has primarily been run through rookie quarterback Justin Fields.

Fields had perhaps his best game last week against the 49ers, primarily contributing with his legs.

He tallied 10 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, though he struggled with ball security, fumbling twice and throwing one interception. For the Bears to have a chance of covering against a rising Steelers team this week, they will need even more out of Fields than they got last week.

News tags: Chicago Bears | Cleveland Browns | David Montgomery | football | Justin Fields | Najee Harris | NFL | Pittsburgh Steelers