Is David Montgomery playing tonight vs Steelers in Week 9?

David Montgomery has been away from the Chicago Bears since Week 4, when he produced his best game of the season against the Detroit Lions. Since then, the running back has been nursing a knee injury and didn't feature in any Bears games thereafter.

Montgomery was designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the week and is now set to return to the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football barring any pregame setbacks. His return represents a major boost for the Bears and their playoff hopes.

Will Montgomery play against the Steelers?

According to head coach Matt Nagy, there's a 'pretty good chance' that Montgomery will be activated and play against the Steelers on Monday.

The running back started the season with the right foot. He amassed 305 yards and three touchdowns over his first four games. While the Bears' passing game was struggling to get going with Andy Dalton, at least the ground game provided glimpses of hope: Montgomery had two 100-yard outings in just four weeks of play.

While the starter was out, 6th-round rookie Khalil Herbert took the bulk of the carries and also played at a high level. With 344 yards and a touchdown over the last four games, Montgomery did have a higher average of yards per carry, though, with the veteran getting 4.5 yards. Herbert's reached 4.3.

For teams with rookie quarterbacks, having a ground game that can ease the pressure of first-year passers is essential, and thankfully the Bears are doing great in this scenario. With a team average of 4.6 yards per carry, Chicago ranks top 10 in this category. Having such an elusive runner like Herbert to resolve matters with Montgomery out was perfect.

The Steelers present a great opportunity for Montgomery to get back on track with his season, as Pittsburgh allows an average of 4.2 yards per carry and they don't have a strong offense who could run away with the score, making the Bears abandon their ground game. This will be a game defined in the trenches.

Chicago Bears v Los Angeles Rams

Against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8, Chicago's offense had its best outing of the season. With Montgomery returning to the field, the opportunity is there to improve even more. Rookie quarterback Justin Fields is the main source of hope for Bears fans in 2021, and a balanced offense will only help his development.