Heading into Pittsburgh’s Week Eight matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jaguars are opening as 1.5 point favorites , according to the VSIn sportsbook. This comes after Pittsburgh secured its second-straight win against the Los Angeles Rams on the road, traveling to the West Coast and taking care of business with a final score of 24-17.
The 5-2 Jaguars present a legitimate test as they beat the New Orleans Saints last Thursday night, currently sitting one game ahead of the Steelers in the playoff standings in the AFC. Former Steelers CB Bryant McFadden asked current CB Patrick Peterson what he thinks about being home underdogs after winning a big game in Los Angeles on the All Things Covered podcast. Peterson pulled his best Mike Tomlin impersonation with his response, stating that the game is going to be played regardless of who is favored by the sportsbooks.
“As coach Mike Tomlin would say, ‘We do not care,'” Peterson said on All Things Covered, which aired on the show’s YouTube Channel. “Because at the end of the day, the other team is preparing just like we’re preparing and the game gotta be played. Can’t no AI, no computer tell anybody who’s the better team. The team that’s preparing that week gotta go out there and put forth their best effort to win the ball game. I never really looked at no underdog or the list or any of that stuff when it’s time for us to play, because I feel like we gonna win every game we suit up and play.”
Tomlin famously used that line back in 2020 when asked about having to play 13-straight games after being forced to take an early bye week in Week Four of the season due to an outbreak of COVID with the Tennessee Titans, the team the Steelers were scheduled to play. Peterson uses the same phrase here in Pittsburgh’s upcoming matchup against the Jaguars. The outcome will be determined by what is done on the field and who makes the necessary plays late in the game to capture victory, not who is favored by various sportsbooks ahead of Sunday.
The Steelers were underdogs in each of their last two games against the Ravens and Rams, ultimately winning both contests. It wasn’t pretty how they did it, but Tomlin has consistently coached teams with a never-say-die attitude that manage to catch lightning in a bottle late in games. The Jaguars will present a tough test with QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, and the offense humming to start the year as well as a young, attacking defense chomping at the bit to hunt Pickett in the pocket. Still, Pittsburgh showed signs of life offensively to close out the game against the Rams. Pairing that with the efforts the defense has had the last two weeks should make this a tough team to beat on its home turf come Sunday.
You can watch the full episode here:
