The Chicago Bears are facing a do-or-die game on Monday night in Pittsburgh. It could also be the last stand of head coach Matt Nagy. If they lose, they fall to 3-6 and are basically out of the playoff picture. If ever there was a time a team needed all hands on deck, it would be for this one. Sadly, it doesn’t always work that way in the NFL. This will be more than true for the Bears.
Already dealing with a struggling offense, the team found out on Saturday that running back Damien Williams won’t play due to a knee injury. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney is also questionable with a groin issue. The bigger problems though come on defense. Star pass rusher Khalil Mack will miss his second straight game with a foot problem. Joining him on the side will be safety Eddie Jackson, nursing a hamstring issue that knocked him out of the 49ers game last week.
The timing of this couldn’t be worse.
#Bears Saturday injury report: pic.twitter.com/RQLflYiICF
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) November 6, 2021
There was one piece of good news.
Head coach Matt Nagy revealed that running back David Montgomery will likely play against the Steelers after missing the past four weeks with a knee injury. Together with rookie Khalil Herbert, the Bears ground attack should be stable. Whether it can attack Pittsburgh’s top-ranked run defense will be a different story.
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Given how poorly the defense played last week against San Francisco with Mack and Jackson out, it’s not wise to assume they will be able to hold the Steelers in check. That means the offense will have to score more points. A bad proposition considering how it played most of this year. If they can’t run the football, that means rookie Justin Fields will have to throw. When that is the case, the Chicago Bears offensive line has proven incapable of adequately protecting him.
Especially with T.J. Watt coming off the edge. This game could end up being ugly.
