Now that the 2016 NFL schedule has been released you knew it wouldn’t take long for the betting lines to follow.
On Friday, ESPN.com staff writer Ben Fawkes passed along all of the Week 1 betting lines from the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook and it includes the Pittsburgh Steelers opening up as 2.5-point road favorites over the Washington Redskins in a game that will be played on a Monday night. The over/under point total for that game is 51.
The Redskins, who made the playoffs last season after winning the NFC East with a 9-7 record, figure to be led this year by quarterback Kirk Cousins, who received the franchise tag this offseason from Washington after throwing for 4,166 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2015.
So far this offseason, the Redskins have had a few notable free agent losses as running back Alfred Morris and defensive tackle Terrance Knighton both signed with new teams. They have, however, added a few notable players so far during free agency and that list includes safety David Bruton, tight end Vernon Davis, cornerback Greg Toler, defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, and former Steelers linebacker Terence Garvin.
The Redskins defense allowed an average of 380.6 yards per game in 2015 and only three of their players on that unit had more than 5 sacks during the regular season. They also only registered 11 interceptions all season.
The two teams have met each other 77 times, with the Steelers winning 32 games and the Redskins winning 42 games. They have also tied 3 times. The Steelers, however, have won the last five meetings between the two teams by a combined score of 104-41.
The last time the two teams played in Washington on a Monday night was in 2008 and the Steelers won that game 23-6.
