Bears injury chaos just handed the Steelers an unexpected advantage

Today's matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Pittsburgh Steelers is a huge game for both teams. Chicago enters riding a three-game winning streak, while both teams are about to hit one of the toughest stretches of their schedules for the rest of the season.

The Steelers have not had much success in Chicago, with their last win at Soldier Field coming all the way back in 1995.

Injuries will play a major role in this game, including the status of Aaron Rodgers, who is dealing with a wrist injury and is expected to be a game time decision. If he plays, history is on his side. Rodgers has dominated the Bears throughout his career, going 25-5 against them and 12-3 at Soldier Field. He appears motivated to suit up for what could be another chance to win in Chicago, something the Steelers have not done in decades.

If Rodgers does play—and that could come down to a game-time decision—Pittsburgh’s offense also caught a break after key news on the Bears’ final injury report, creating potential matchups the Steelers can exploit.

Bears linebacker injuries open the door for a jumbo-centric Steelers game plan

The Chicago Bears' injury report was packed all week with injuries, but by Friday, the Bears ruled out all three of their starting linebackers for Sunday’s matchup. This is huge news for the Steelers offense, which was already expected to lean heavily on the run game.

If Rodgers plays, the run game helps protect his wrist. If he cannot go, it allows the Steelers to avoid putting too much pressure on Mason Rudolph in his first road start of the season.

Chicago will be forced to play a majority of its defensive snaps in dime packages. That gives them more speed on the field, but it creates major problems against the Steelers’ jumbo personnel.

Smaller defenders will have a tough time handling Pittsburgh’s size, especially with players like Darnell Washington and Spencer Anderson leading the way. This is realistically a nightmare matchup for a depleted Bears defense.

Arthur Smith should lean heavily on the jumbo package and dictate the tempo of the game. Control the time of possession and physically wear down Chicago’s defense by using size and strength to attack a linebacker group that is simply not there.

For a Steelers run game that struggled leading up to the Cincinnati game, this is the perfect opportunity to get back on track before Buffalo comes to town next week.