Two teams going through quarterback problems, one coping, one not, meet when the Steelers and Patriots provide this week’s NFL Thursday night betting action.
Pittsburgh is looking to bounce back after laying an egg last Sunday while New England is playing out the string on a very lost season.
NFL Betting Odds
The Week 14 NFL betting market opened Pittsburgh at -6.5 for Thursday night, with an over/under of right around 32.5. Early betting action then shaved that spread to -6 and dipped that total to 30.5.
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Patriots Betting Preview
New England lugs a five-game losing skid into Thursday night after falling at home in the rain and cold to the Chargers last Sunday 6-0. The Patriots fell down on a pair of second-quarter Los Angeles field goals and mounted no real challenge from there, continuing their recent rancid offensive play.
New England actually out-gained the Chargers 257-241 but really lost the field-position battle; seven times the Patriots started drives deep inside their own territory.
Two weeks ago New England out-gained the Giants 283-220 but lost 10-7. Three weeks ago the Patriots out-gained Indianapolis 340-264 but lost 10-6.
The New England defense is doing its job, holding foes to 311 YPG this season. But that offense, regardless of who’s playing quarterback, is just brutal.
At 2-10 overall the Patriots are playing Thursday night’s game for pride, and possibly jobs.
Steelers Betting Preview
Meanwhile Pittsburgh is riding the NFL roller coaster as of late. Three weeks ago the Steelers lost a game they were favored to win at Cleveland 13-10. Then they won a close game at Cincinnati 16-10. But last week, favored by six points, Pittsburgh lost at home to a 3-10 Arizona team 24-10.
The Steelers scored the first three points of the game and had a chance for more but got stuffed on a 4th-and-goal from the Cardinals’ 1-yard line. Pittsburgh then allowed a 99-yard Arizona touchdown drive, trailed 10-3 at the half and 24-3 in the fourth quarter, on its way toward a very disappointing defeat.
The Steelers out-gained the Cardinals 317-282 but a good chunk of their yardage came in garbage time.
Two weeks ago Pittsburgh canned its OC, then produced 421 yards of total offense and beat the Bengals. But that spark didn’t seem to carry over into last week.
The Steelers also lost QB Kenny Pickett to an ankle injury. So back-up Mitch Trubisky (31-24 as an NFL starter) gets the call for Thursday night.
At 7-5 overall Pittsburgh is tied with four other teams for the 5-6-7-8 spots in the AFC playoff standings.
Elsewhere on the injury front the Steelers list leading rusher Najae Harris and two starters along the O line as questionable for Thursday; meanwhile New England, as if it doesn’t have enough troubles on offense, is banged-up at the skills positions.
These two teams have played one common opponent this season; the Raiders. Pittsburgh won at Las Vegas in September 23-18 while New England lost out in Vegas in October 21-17.
Patriots-Steelers Recent History
Going back to 2013, New England is 7-1 SU, 5-2-1 ATS over the last eight meetings with Pittsburgh. Most of those games involved guys named Brady and Roethlisberger at the QB spots. Last year, the Patriots, quarterbacked by Mac Jones, beat the Steelers with Trubisky 17-14 also in Pittsburgh.
If Jones plays Thursday night, that means New England is in real trouble.
Totals Report
- The Unders are 9-3 in Patriots games this season, which are averaging 33 total points.
- The Unders are 10-2 in Steelers games this season, which are averaging 35 points.
- The Overs played 9-4 in the NFL last week, but on the season, the Unders are 109-84.
