SNF - Steelers at Lions
The Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2 straight up, 4-3 against the spread) have won their last two games in impressive fashion and they'll try to keep their roll going on Sunday night at Ford Field against the slumping Detroit Lions (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS), who are fresh off a bye week. The popular Steelers come in as three-point favorites against the Lions who have lost two straight. However, the Lions have covered their last five games when coming off a bye.
While Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has looked sluggish this season with nine touchdowns against eight interceptions, the recent success of the Steelers offense rests with running back Le'Veon Bell, who has 898 yards from scrimmage thsi season.
The past two weeks he's been the main driving force, rushing for 134 yards against the Bengals in a 29-14 win last Sunday and before that in Week 6 he had 179 yards in a 19-13 road win over the Chiefs. They are now listed as the second-favorite to win the Super Bowl.
The Lions come in ranked No. 26 on offense with just 298 yards-per-game and No. 28 in points allowed (24.8 ), but they average 26.6 points-per-game simply because QB Matt Stafford seems to always come alive in the fourth quarter.
However, in the Lions Week 6 game at New Orleans it was Stafford who contributed mightily to their 52-38 loss. The first score of the game was off the first of two Stafford fumbles and then two of his three interceptions were returned for TDs. On the season he has only four picks against 12 TDs, so perhaps that game was just a freaky anomaly.
STEEL CURTAIN RETURNS?
The Steelers don't have the NFL's No. 1 defense technically, but consider that Denver's defense allows 258.5 YPG and the Steelers allow 258.7. The kicker of the argument of saying the Steelers are No. 1 is because allow only 16.6 points per game while Denver allows 19.7 PPG. The effect of the Steelers defense getting gritty and physical, coupled with a willingness to run Bell, has been seeing the bulk of the games staying 'under' the total, as in like six of their seven staying 'under' including all four road games. Their average score in their games this season has been 21-16.
LINE MOVEMENT
CG Technology sports books opened the Steelers -1.5 for this game back in May when releasing spreads on every game from Weeks 1-16. On Sunday night they opened the Steelers -3 and they've bounced around with the juice from -105 to -110. As of Thursday night they were -3 -105 with a total at 45.5. CG's money-line has the Steelers -150, Lions +130. The cheapest price on the Steelers is -145 which is available at most other sports books.
ROBERTS' RATINGS
The Steelers got a ratings boost of nearly a half-point last week because of getting their running game going in a 29-14 win against the Bengals while the Lions dropped almost the same amount following their Week 6, 52-38, loss at New Orleans. That's a differential of 2.5-points between the two teams and the Lions get 2.5-points for home field advantage at Ford Field, so the raw number should be pick 'em. However, public perception plays a roll as well and the Steelers are fresh on the public mind. Lets give that an additional 1.5-points which comes out with my proper line being Steelers -1.5.
TRENDS
Pittsburgh is 14-6-1 ATS in its last 21 October games.
Pittsburgh is 11-5-1 ATS in its last 17 games.
Pittsburgh stayed Under in 20 of last 26 road games.
Detroit is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 home games.
Detroit is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games overall.
Detroit is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games against winning teams.
Detroit stayed Under in last 4 following bye week.
RECENT HISTORY
The Steelers lead the all-time series 16-14-1 dating back to 1934 when the Lions won the first meeting, 40-7, at University of Detroit Stadium. The Lions dominated the early meetings going 12-4-1 through 1962, but from 1966 on it's been all Steelers with them going 12-2. The last meeting was a 37-27 Steelers win at Heinz Field in 2013. Of the most recent games, the most famous was the Thanksgiving meeting in 1998 at the Silverdome when the official heard the overtime coin flip wrong helping the Lions get the ball first and they won 19-16. The last five meetings have all gone Over the total with the underdog covering four of those. .
NEXT WEEKS SPREADS
Six teams have byes in Week 9 action and one of them is the Steelers. But the Lions are playing on Monday at Green Bay, who are still playing without QB Aaron Rodgers. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook posted the game at pick 'em on Tuesday, which seems a bit cheap based on backup QB Brett Hundley having little success moving the ball.
DIVISION ODDS
AFC North: Steelers 1/20, Ravens 10/1, Bengals 12/1, Browns 2000/1
NFC North: Vikings 1/3, Lions 4/1, Packers 8/1, Bears 18/1
SUPER BOWL ODDS
The Steelers have quickly established themselves as one of the Super Bowl favorites opening at 10/1 odds at the Westgate and dropping recently to 9/2 (Bet $100 to win $450). Only the Patriots (7/2) have lower odds than the Steelers. The Lions are still just kind of there with people going "mehhh" in an indifferent tone. They opened 60/1 and are now 50/1 with not a lot of takers. The Lions have never been to the Super Bowl, let alone won one.
The Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2 straight up, 4-3 against the spread) have won their last two games in impressive fashion and they'll try to keep their roll going on Sunday night at Ford Field against the slumping Detroit Lions (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS), who are fresh off a bye week. The popular Steelers come in as three-point favorites against the Lions who have lost two straight. However, the Lions have covered their last five games when coming off a bye.
While Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has looked sluggish this season with nine touchdowns against eight interceptions, the recent success of the Steelers offense rests with running back Le'Veon Bell, who has 898 yards from scrimmage thsi season.
The past two weeks he's been the main driving force, rushing for 134 yards against the Bengals in a 29-14 win last Sunday and before that in Week 6 he had 179 yards in a 19-13 road win over the Chiefs. They are now listed as the second-favorite to win the Super Bowl.
The Lions come in ranked No. 26 on offense with just 298 yards-per-game and No. 28 in points allowed (24.8 ), but they average 26.6 points-per-game simply because QB Matt Stafford seems to always come alive in the fourth quarter.
However, in the Lions Week 6 game at New Orleans it was Stafford who contributed mightily to their 52-38 loss. The first score of the game was off the first of two Stafford fumbles and then two of his three interceptions were returned for TDs. On the season he has only four picks against 12 TDs, so perhaps that game was just a freaky anomaly.
STEEL CURTAIN RETURNS?
The Steelers don't have the NFL's No. 1 defense technically, but consider that Denver's defense allows 258.5 YPG and the Steelers allow 258.7. The kicker of the argument of saying the Steelers are No. 1 is because allow only 16.6 points per game while Denver allows 19.7 PPG. The effect of the Steelers defense getting gritty and physical, coupled with a willingness to run Bell, has been seeing the bulk of the games staying 'under' the total, as in like six of their seven staying 'under' including all four road games. Their average score in their games this season has been 21-16.
LINE MOVEMENT
CG Technology sports books opened the Steelers -1.5 for this game back in May when releasing spreads on every game from Weeks 1-16. On Sunday night they opened the Steelers -3 and they've bounced around with the juice from -105 to -110. As of Thursday night they were -3 -105 with a total at 45.5. CG's money-line has the Steelers -150, Lions +130. The cheapest price on the Steelers is -145 which is available at most other sports books.
ROBERTS' RATINGS
The Steelers got a ratings boost of nearly a half-point last week because of getting their running game going in a 29-14 win against the Bengals while the Lions dropped almost the same amount following their Week 6, 52-38, loss at New Orleans. That's a differential of 2.5-points between the two teams and the Lions get 2.5-points for home field advantage at Ford Field, so the raw number should be pick 'em. However, public perception plays a roll as well and the Steelers are fresh on the public mind. Lets give that an additional 1.5-points which comes out with my proper line being Steelers -1.5.
TRENDS
Pittsburgh is 14-6-1 ATS in its last 21 October games.
Pittsburgh is 11-5-1 ATS in its last 17 games.
Pittsburgh stayed Under in 20 of last 26 road games.
Detroit is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 home games.
Detroit is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games overall.
Detroit is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games against winning teams.
Detroit stayed Under in last 4 following bye week.
RECENT HISTORY
The Steelers lead the all-time series 16-14-1 dating back to 1934 when the Lions won the first meeting, 40-7, at University of Detroit Stadium. The Lions dominated the early meetings going 12-4-1 through 1962, but from 1966 on it's been all Steelers with them going 12-2. The last meeting was a 37-27 Steelers win at Heinz Field in 2013. Of the most recent games, the most famous was the Thanksgiving meeting in 1998 at the Silverdome when the official heard the overtime coin flip wrong helping the Lions get the ball first and they won 19-16. The last five meetings have all gone Over the total with the underdog covering four of those. .
NEXT WEEKS SPREADS
Six teams have byes in Week 9 action and one of them is the Steelers. But the Lions are playing on Monday at Green Bay, who are still playing without QB Aaron Rodgers. The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook posted the game at pick 'em on Tuesday, which seems a bit cheap based on backup QB Brett Hundley having little success moving the ball.
DIVISION ODDS
AFC North: Steelers 1/20, Ravens 10/1, Bengals 12/1, Browns 2000/1
NFC North: Vikings 1/3, Lions 4/1, Packers 8/1, Bears 18/1
SUPER BOWL ODDS
The Steelers have quickly established themselves as one of the Super Bowl favorites opening at 10/1 odds at the Westgate and dropping recently to 9/2 (Bet $100 to win $450). Only the Patriots (7/2) have lower odds than the Steelers. The Lions are still just kind of there with people going "mehhh" in an indifferent tone. They opened 60/1 and are now 50/1 with not a lot of takers. The Lions have never been to the Super Bowl, let alone won one.
