Written by Brett Solesky | 20 September 2009

Game day is upon us and after analysis and match up preview it's time to come out with a prediction for the game against the Steelers. 

Keys to the game for the Bears:

Running the football at all costs.  Pound Forte until you can't pound him anymore.  There shouldn't be any 10 passes in the first 12 plays like last week against the Packers.  Forte can get some solid yard based on his vision and his shiftiness.  He can make people miss and can step up deliver a blow and churn out the tough yards.  Just the threat of Forte helps to open things up for Cutler and the passing game.  It also slows down the Steelers' blitz and wears down your opponent when you can line up and play smash mouth football. 

Orlando Pace needs help in pass protection, but hopefully not on every passing down.  The Bears need to be able to handle the exotic blitz packages to keep as many weapons free and productive as possible.  The more often Forte catches balls in the open field the better, the more involved the Bears can get BOTH tight ends involved the better for the offense.  The Bears brought in Pace to be able to step up and be an anchor at the LT spot.  Anchors don't need help they take care of business all on their own.  No excuses with the trust they have entrusted with Pace protect Cutler and show you're worth the money that brought you here. 

Olin Kreutz has to show he can still step up and block out an older and not as tough Casey Hampton.  Titans center Kevin Mawae was able to keep Hampton in check in one on one situations and with a little bit of help.  Hampton isn't going to  defeat many double teams and if the Bears give Kreutz just enough help to engage him it will put the Bears in position to better run the football.  The Titans were able to muster up 87-yards rushing, not a lot by any means but the Bears can perform that well and hopefully better. 

Danieal Manning has to play the best game of his career for the Bears to win today.  Manning has to be more disciplined in coverage than he ever has before, not because the Steelers are the best passing offense the Bears have ever faced.  Because Ben Roethlisberger will be able manipulate the secondary with the pump fake and because of Manning's tendencies to jump and be out of position even without the pump fake.  There is no that doubt I have little confidence in Manning today.  The Bears' staff may have the confidence in Manning as the starter at free safety, but Manning has never shown the type of discipline necessary to be a full-time starter.  Now with way Roethlisberger can pump fake teams into oblivion I have  little doubt that if Manning doesn't have the most disciplined game of his career that he may be responsible for a large share of mistakes and big plays by the Steelers today.  Count me as one person who believes that Manning may lose the game for the Bears today all on his own.  Until Manning proves otherwise, there is no reason to believe otherwise. 

Devin Hester needs to have one of the best games of his career and prove that he can beat a team on his own.  The Steelers are going to focus on Forte and Olsen the same way the Packers did.  They're going to make someone else other than the Bears' two biggest weapons on offense win the game.  This is where Hester needs to step up, be consistent and eat away at the empty spots of the Steelers' zone blitz.  Hester needs to be more than just a deep threat, he needs to make  important catches in traffic with Cutler under pressure.  This is the game that Hester needs to prove he's the number one receiver Lovie Smith says he is. 

With so many things the Bears need to focus on succeeding at, and the Steelers not having to stretch or do anything out of the norm, the Steelers will win this game.  There are too many superlatives that the Bears have to overcome, protecting Cutler, running the football well, everything has to go just right the Bears have to play a flawless game.  They won't play a flawless game and they'll start the season 0-2. 

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