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PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-1) vs. HOUSTON TEXANS (2-1)
When: Sunday, October 2, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
Broadcast: CBS
Spread: Houston Texans -4
Moneyline: Pittsburgh Steelers +190, Houston Texans -220
Total: 45 points
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It is hard to believe that Houston is a 4 point favorite over the Pittsburgh Steelers. I mean… it just doesn’t sound right! In what is one of the marquee matchups in Week 4 of the NFL schedule, the underdog Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Houston to take on a Texans team that appears poised to seize control of the AFC South.
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t look very good in their Week 3 matchup in Indianapolis. That has a few people slowly slinking off the Steelers bandwagon at the moment. Look, Pittsburgh is still an elite team that deserves a mulligan every once in a while – look at Baltimore’s loss versus Tennessee. Pittsburgh still has Ben Roethlisberger who is leading the league’s third best passing offense (294.9 yards per game), Mike Wallace who has quickly ascended to elite WR level and an underachieving running back – c’mon Rashard!
Pittsburgh, despite all of the scrutiny has the second best overall defense in the league – 263.3 yards per game) and they have only given up 18.3 points per game. The defense is fine people, the defense is fine!
The Houston Texans would be 3-0 if they hadn’t lost in heartbreaking fashion to the New Orleans saints. They played a heck of a game but came up just a bit short. Will the loss plague the Texans or will it motivate them?
Houston’s offense has picked up where it left off last season. Currently they are ranked 9th in total offense gaining an average of 400.7 yards per game and they are 7th in scoring with an average of 30 points per game. Matt Schaub hasn’t been brilliant he’s been smart! His success is tied to Andre Johnson and Johnson he has been looking Johnson’s way on offense. Arian Foster should return this week to boost the offensive attack. If Foster falters Ben Tate has been a more than adequate replacement.
The Houston defense looked better before they played the Saints but with Wade Philips’s influence, I have faith in this unit. They are 14th in total defense allowing 332 yards per game and 9th in scoring defense with an average of 20 points against per game.
The odds makers have the Houston Texans as a -4 point favorite with an over/under of 45.
Betting Outlook: The Pittsburgh Steelers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games on the road and are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as underdogs.
The one thing that Houston’s loss last week against New Orleans taught us is that Houston just may not be ready to graduate to the elite class of teams – they always struggle against the better teams in the NFL. Last week and all this season they have had issues finishing drives – in the first half of last week’s game Houston settled for four field goals on five Red Zone trips – not good enough. Pittsburgh is that elite type team that Houston has an impossible time with and should be able to rise to the occasion as underdog on Sunday.
Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers +4
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Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Trends:
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh’s last 7 games
- Pittsburgh is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
- Pittsburgh18-6-1 SU in its last 25 games
- Pittsburgh is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Houston Texans Betting Trends:
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston’s last 12 games
- Houston is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
- Houston is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games
- Houston is 4-9-1 SU in its last 14 games
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