The Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking on as the New England Patriots show the crowd their sixth NFL championship banner when the two teams tangle on Sunday night. No team has beaten the Patriots since the Steelers did it in Week 15 of 2018, but it was the Steelers missing out on the postseason. Now the two teams meet in a battle of the only two franchises with six championships. New England has played an active role in keeping Pittsburgh out of the title game more often, beating them in the playoffs twice during the Ben Roethlisberger era. Before you wager on the Sunday night prime-time affair, peruse our sports betting preview on this matchup.
Steelers vs Patriots 2019 NFL Week 1 Odds & Preview
Hear from Kameron Kelly, Mark Barron, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Devin Bush and Ben Roethlisberger as they prepare to take on the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/x382xTlvql
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 7, 2019
- When: Sunday, September 8, 2019, 8:20pm ET
- Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
- TV: NBC
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL Live
- NFL Odds: New England -6
Why should you bet on the Steelers?
Pittsburgh did have a solid preseason, winning their first three before dropping the finale, 25-19, against Carolina, in a game that featured no starters at the skill positions. The only offensive touchdown that the Steelers scored in that game came on a pass from backup quarterback Mason Rudolph to Johnny Holton, who had three receptions for 86 yards and that score. The Pittsburgh defense did look solid, picking up six sacks and four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles).
Pittsburgh has only covered twice in their last eight season openers and just five times in their last 18 games against the Patriots. In their last seven meetings in New England, Pittsburgh has just covered twice. Remember that offenses tend to scuffle a little bit during the opener because the starters spend so little time on the field in meaningful action during the preseason, and so the opener is often a tune-up. So if you like the Steelers, you see both teams muddling along and staying within a possession of one another.
Why should you put your money on the Patriots?
The New England Patriots lost to New York, 31-29, in their preseason finale. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham threw for 225 yards, two scores and a pick, going 18 for 28, and he also ran for 50 yards, solidifying his status as the #2 behind Tom Brady. Wideout Demaryius Thomas had a big night, catching seven passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Keion Crossen had an interception and led the Pats with 10 tackles on the night. So despite the loss, there were bright spots on both sides of the ball.
New England has covered in 39 of their last 57 games at Gillette Stadiums, and in 40 of their last 57 games overall. As you can see above, they have dominated the recent series with Pittsburgh, particularly in terms of covering the point spread. It is true that New England has had to adjust to life without tight end Rob Gronkowski, but the truth is that they have been able to score in the preseason in bunches, no matter which unit was on the field, and that should continue against a Pittsburgh defense that has come to look like Swiss cheese at crucial times over the last few seasons. If you like New England, you like the mental edge going to the Patriots and the New England offense finding plenty of room to attack against the Steelers’ defense.
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
The battles between Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady have been epic over the years — but Brady and the Patriots have prevailed far more often than not. Both quarterbacks excel at finding holes in the defensive opposition, but Brady has had a far easier time decoding the Steeler scheme than Roethlisberger has had with the Patriots’ defense. Given the momentum of celebrating that championship banner, the excitement of playing in prime time at home, even if the Patriots’ offense is a little slow in the first half, I see them pulling away from the Steelers after the intermission. I predict a final score of New England 27, Pittsburgh 16.
