For the third straight week, the Pittsburgh Steelers are betting underdogs, coming in as two-point dogs for their Sunday Night Football tilt against the Las Vegas Raiders, per the consensus odds on VSiN.
Pittsburgh was two-point underdogs against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football at Acrisure Stadium, but won 26-22. With the offense falling flat and the defense aiding their cause with two defensive touchdowns, oddsmakers clearly aren’t impressed with Pittsburgh’s win and favor the 1-1 Raiders. The game against Las Vegas opened as a pick’em, so Pittsburgh’s win actually caused oddsmakers to lose confidence in the team.
Las Vegas beat the Denver Broncos 17-16 in Week One before losing 38-10 against the Buffalo Bills in Week Two. Jimmy Garoppolo took over for Derek Carr at quarterback this offseason, and the Raiders are looking to finally have some success under head coach Josh McDaniels. They’re bolstered by RB Josh Jacobs and WR Davante Adams on offense and EDGE Maxx Crosby on defense.
The line might account for some of Pittsburgh’s injuries, with S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s status unknown for Sunday and the Steelers already down DL Cameron Heyward and WR Diontae Johnson. The Steelers’ offense has scored just two offensive touchdowns all season. They have struggled to run the ball and QB Kenny Pickett has struggled with his accuracy, so there’s some thought that they might be due for a letdown against a Raiders team that they’re better than on paper.
WR Jakobi Meyers missed Las Vegas’ Week Two game with a concussion, but McDaniels said during his press conference yesterday that Meyers is “headed in the right direction,” so he could suit up on Sunday night. Meyers and Adams will be a tall task for Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace, Pittsburgh’s top two cornerbacks who have struggled out of the gate.
With the Steelers heading on the road for two straight weeks against inferior opponents on paper in Las Vegas and the Houston Texans in Week Four, getting a win on Sunday will be key to carrying some momentum into the Houston game before a matchup with the division rival Baltimore Ravens in Week 5 at Acrisure Stadium. If the Steelers can get another win as underdogs on Sunday, they should be in good shape until their Week 6 bye.
