 |
vs.
|
 |
NFL Football Preview | Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are of the cusp of being irrelevant in the AFC North, and will get another test this Sunday when they face off against the surprise team of the year in the Tennessee Titans. Both teams will be trying to prove something to the league, and it is expecting to be a heated contest.
Tennessee Titans vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Venue/Stadium: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Time/Date: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 9, 2011 on CBS
Moneyline: Steelers -170, Titans +150
Spread (ATS): Steelers -3, -120
Over/Under: 39 ½, -110
Tennessee has surprised everyone to start the season, and they seem to have found a fountain of youth, with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck having a bit of a renaissance for the Titans.
The Steelers, on the other hand, have been one of the streakiest teams in the entire league. A lot of their failures can be attributed to the team’s inabilities along the offensive line. It seems every game, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is harassed and punished in the pocket.
The team is wanting to give Roethlisberger more control of the offense, and allowing him to throw the ball a lot more, something that is quite unusual for the franchise, the have to protect him.
The offensive line has been the main cause of the offensive ineptitude for more than just the failure to protect the quarterback.
The running game has also been impacted tremendously by the inabilities of the offensive line. Running back Rashard Mendenhall has yet to have a big break-out game in 2011, and now is nicked up because of it.
Meanwhile, the Titans have done wonders in Tennessee, and they’ve been doing it without their highest-paid player.
Running back Chris Johnson has yet to show up this season, and if they want to take that next step, the team needs him to step it up and be the running back that everyone knows he can be. Johnson has just 199 yards in four games, and has yet to find the end zone on the ground.
Both teams boast a superb defense, especially the Steelers, and this expects to be a hard-hitting game throughout. Unfortunately, the Steelers will be without their star linebacker James Harrison for the first time in a while. Harrison is the player that Pittsburgh needs for their defensive system to work right.
The odds makers have the Pittsburgh Steelers as a -3 point favorite with an over/under of 39.5.
Matt’s Prediction: Titans 14, Steelers 10 – I’m not buying the whole, “Let’s let Ben air it out,” philosophy the Steelers have brought into 2010. Their offensive line can’t protect him on a consistent basis, and they will face a really tough defensive front in Tennessee’s 4-3 defense. I think Hasselbeck will be able to lead his team to more points than Big Ben will muster.
Need more help making your picks winners? Check out our top handicappers.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.