Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Tennessee Titans Betting Pick

Only three teams in the NFL remain unbeaten going into Week 6, and two of them will square off this week at Nissan Stadium when the Tennessee Titans host the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers demolished the Browns last week 38-7. The Steelers defense delivered an early pick-six and rattled QB Baker Mayfield throughout the game to yield the lopsided victory. Meanwhile, Tennessee pulled out another close victory over Houston 42-36. The Titans have now won four of their five games this season by an average of three points and will be the slightest of underdogs when they host the Steelers this Sunday.

The Titans and Steelers have not met since the 2017 season. In that meeting, Pittsburgh yielded a 40-17 blowout thanks to 4 touchdowns from QB Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers have held the upper hand in most meetings against the Titans, winning five of the last seven meetings. However, it is rather safe to say that the Tennessee Titans have one of their best teams in recent memory. Despite numerous close wins, the Titans are solid on both sides of the football and make very few mistakes. In fact, the Titans have given the ball away just three times this season, which is the least amount in the NFL and also leads the league with a +6 turnover ratio. Needless to say, the Titans are going to be a tough out for anyone if they continue the mistake-free trends and continue to play well on the offensive side of the football.

Derrick Henry vs. Steelers defense

After posterizing CB Josh Norman with the stiff-arm seen around the world in the victory over Buffalo in week 4, Henry exploded for 212 rushing yards for two touchdowns with five catches for another 52 receiving yards in the win against Houston last week. After becoming just the 2nd player in NFL history to record a 99-yard touchdown run against the Jaguars in 2018, Henry provided another jaw-dropping moment when he burst open a 94-yard touchdown run against the Texans last Sunday. Not only was the play incredible, but it came at a critical moment in the 4th quarter with Tennessee trailing backed up in their own endzone. The run helped turn things in favor of the Titans as Henry became the 1st NFL player in history with two touchdown runs of at least 94 yards.

For this Sunday’s match-up against the Steelers, the question becomes, can Henry deliver another big performance. It is no secret that the Titans offense revolves around Henry, and that can be said while still acknowledging QB Ryan Tannehill is having a solid season with 13 touchdowns and just two picks. Still, this particular match-up with Henry and the Titans rushing attack will likely play an important role in how this game unfolds. The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL and rank 2nd against the run allowing just 66 yards per game on the ground. Pittsburgh would love nothing more than to hold Henry to a moderate production total on Sunday, and in many ways, they will need to in order to stay unbeaten.

Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee Analysis

I am a big believer that breaking down match-ups provides the best handicapping insight, and that is why all signs are pointing towards the Steelers this Sunday. I mentioned the Steelers stout run defense will have the luxury of taking on the centerpiece of the Titans offense this week, which will be a very important match-up. However, I should also point out the fact that the Steelers offense will have another opportunistic match-up against a mundane Titans defense that is allowing 404 total yards per game. Pittsburgh’s offense has been performing well in recent weeks and appears to have some momentum. WR Chase Claypool has provided plenty of sparks over the last two weeks with 184 receiving yards with three touchdowns, and another two rushing touchdowns on the ground. Meanwhile, James Conner appears to be 100% healthy after a 100-yard performance with a touchdown, and QB Ben Roethlisberger is spreading the ball around effectively. Therefore, I expect the Steelers will continue to move the ball well this weekend and will have an easier path to victory.

Pittsburgh vs. Tennessee Betting Trends

• Pittsburgh is 4-1 ATS in the last five games.
• Pittsburgh has hit the “under” in nine of the last 13 games.
• Pittsburgh is 5-2 SU against Tennessee in the last seven meetings.
• Tennessee is just 2-4 ATS in the last six games.
• Tennessee has hit the “over” in four of the last five games.
• The “over” has also hit in four of the last five meetings between Pittsburgh and Tennessee.