The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to build on their week one 13-10 overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans as they take on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago.  The Steelers will be missing their defensive leader in safety Troy Polamalu but the Bears are also without their star defender Brian Urlacher.  Polamalu is out six weeks with an MCL injury and Urlacher is out for the year with a dislocated wrist.  Outside linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer will be replacing Urlacher at the middle linebacker position and the Steelers will have Tyrone Carter filling in at safety for Polamalu.

The Steelers did a horrible job of establishing the run last week in their win over Tennessee as Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker had 17 carries combined.  Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw the ball 43 times for 363 yards, but it was only because the running game could not get going at all for the Steelers.  They are not going to win very many games with Roethlisberger throwing the ball 43 times, so look for the Steelers to try and attack the depleted linebackers of the Chicago Bears.  Hillenmeyer is a very effective outside linebacker and is a good tackler, but he is not a middle linebacker and doesn’t have the strength and speed that Urlacher brings to the position.  The Steelers should attack the heart of the Bears defense with the run and try to get Mendenhall and Parker way more than 17 carries combined.

Do not expect the Jay Cutler you saw in week one, as he threw three of his career high four interceptions in the first half.  The Bears offense settled down and was effective in the second half against the Packers and I’m expecting the Bears to attack the Steelers secondary, especially without the blitz of Polamalu as well as his strong coverage skills.  Tyrone Carter will be making only the 11th start of his ten year career, so there will be a huge drop-off for the Steelers at the safety position.  Hopefully for the Steelers Carter can handle some of the speedy Chicago receivers, particularly Devin Hester.  He and Cutler hooked up on a 36-yard touchdown against the Packers with Hester burning past the Packers’ secondary.

I think due to the lack of a running game the Steelers showed in week one, combined with the loss of Polamalu, the Steelers are going to have their hands full.  You will not see the Chicago Bears offense you saw in week one and I think the Bears will be able to edge out a victory on a late field goal.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:  Bears 27, Steelers 24