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Chicago has not been Steelers’ kind of town

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CHICAGO – Chicago might have been Frank Sinatra’s kind of town, but old blue eyes would forgive the Steelers if they don’t feel the same.

Pittsburgh has visited the Windy City 12 times. Only once have the Steelers come away with a victory. And in that game, a 37-34 win in 1995, they needed to go to overtime.

The Steelers (2-0) hope for better results in Chicago (0-2) when they play the Bears today at Soldier Field.

With an AFC North game against bitter rival Baltimore looming next Sunday, some might consider this a classic trap game for the Steelers, one in which they might get caught looking ahead.

Head coach Mike Tomlin has warned his team about that possibility.

“I think the significant thing about the Bears is to acknowledge that we are going into a hostile environment versus a team that has some urgency,” Tomlin said. “I’ve been 0-2. I know the urgency associated with that in this business and I’m sure that they feel it. I am sure that we are going to get their best efforts.”

If the Steelers needed a reminder of what can happen in these situations, they need only take a look at what happened the last time a Mike Glennon-quarterbacked team faced Pittsburgh, back in 2014.

Glennon, now the quarterback of the Bears, led Tampa Bay into Pittsburgh that season and threw for 300 yards, beating the Steelers, 27-24, in one of only two wins for the Bucs.

It’s also the last time Glennon won a game that he started. Tomlin showed the video of that game to the Steelers this week.

“It’s definitely up there for my NFL career,” said Glennon, who was signed to a three-year, $45-million contract by the Bears in the offseason. “It was an exciting game and definitely one I look back on with good memories.”

The Steelers prefer to add a bad one for Glennon this time.

For that to happen, they need to get their offense clicking. Expected to be the cornerstone of the team, Pittsburgh’s offense has averaged only 312 yards and 23.5 points per game in its first two games.

“I don’t know if it will ever get to our expectations if we expect perfect and put the bar really high,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “We should set goals that are almost unattainable so you can be the best you can be. We’re winning football games, we’re getting better, we’re making improvements.”

That has largely been because of a defense that has nine sacks and is allowing only 237 yards per game.

The Steelers expect to get defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt back against the Bears after he missed all but two plays to start the season, but rookie outside linebacker T.J. Watt is unlikely to play after injuring his groin last week against Minnesota. Anthony Chickillo is expected to start in Watt’s place, instead of veteran James Harrison, who is listed as Watt’s backup.

Tomlin said he knows what he has in the 39-year-old Harrison, the franchise’s all-time sacks leader, and that because Harrison didn’t play last week doesn’t mean he won’t in future games.

“I have had games where I didn’t play much, but I don’t think not at all in a long time,” Harrison said. “We’ve talked. … I’m just doing what I’m asked.”

The same goes for running back Le’Veon Bell. After getting the ball for only 10 rushing attempts in the opener at Cleveland, Bell had 27 carries against the Vikings. Though he gained only 87 yards on those rushing attempts, Bell looked better than he did against the Browns.

Some have compared Bell to former Bears all-time great Walter Payton. Now, he’ll get his first shot at playing on the field Payton called home.

“I know he’s one of the greatest runners to ever play the game,” said Bell. “To be compared to him, it’s an honor.”

Payton won a lot of games at Soldier Field. The Steelers will be happy to get just one win – today.

“We go in 2-0, they go in 0-2 but it does not speak to the quality of the teams,” Tomlin said. “Records at this juncture of the season could be summed up to simple statistics. We’re getting prepared with an edge, we know we’re playing a team that’s going to be hungry.”

The game will be the 50th in Bell’s career. He has 6,188 yards from scrimmage, the fourth-most for a player in his first 49 games. … Roethlisberger is 33-15 against NFC teams and has thrown 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in his last five starts against the NFC. … Right tackle Marcus Gilbert will not play because of a hamstring injury. Chris Hubbard is expected to start in his place.

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