The Pittsburgh Steelers are opening up Week 10 as favorites over the Green Bay Packers. According to the sportsbook VSIN, Pittsburgh opened as 2.5 point favorites over the Packers for next Sunday’s game at Acrisure Stadium. The consensus line is slightly more in the Steelers’ favor at -3. The opening over/under is light at 38, which has now been reduced to 36.
Fresh off their Thursday night win over the Tennessee Titans, the Steelers enter the game at 5-3. Green Bay is the inverse at 3-5 and just broke a four-game skid with a comfortable win over the Los Angeles Rams Sunday afternoon. With the Rams turning to QB Brett Rypien to replace an injured Matthew Stafford, ruled out pregame due to a thumb injury, the Packers won 20-3.
Green Bay QB Jordan Love had one of his better games of the year, finishing 20-of-26 for 228 yards and a touchdown to rookie TE Luke Musgrave. Starting RB Aaron Jones didn’t have much running room but churned out 73 yards on 20 carries with a rushing score.
The Packers’ defense controlled the game, holding the Rams to 187 yards of offense and just ten first downs. Los Angeles matched a terrible week for the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals also being stomped on. The Seahawks finished with six first downs, the Cardinals seven.
Jones scored early in the second quarter from three yards out to give Green Bay a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Jones has battled injuries throughout the year but was healthy enough in this game to handle the workload.
The Packers’ have talent at the skill positions. WR Christian Watson is a height/weight/speedster who had a big rookie season, though it helped to catch passes from QB Aaron Rodgers. Musgrave was considered one of the top tight ends in this past draft’s deep class and had his most productive day of the season. It’s a target Green Bay could target even more often knowing the Steelers will be without LB Cole Holcomb, out for the season with a knee injury.
But offensively, the Packers are counting on Love to have a better second half of the season than he’s had a first. On the season, he’s thrown 12 touchdowns to eight interceptions with roughly a 60 percent completion rate, one of the NFL’s lowest marks.
Defensively, eyes will be on big NT Kenny Clark. Carted off with a shoulder injury, he’s key to their run defense and one of their best players. Head Coach Matt LaFleur indicated to reporters postgame the injury wasn’t believed to be long-term. Still, it’s unclear if he will be ready to play in a week.
Pittsburgh’s record, home field advantage, and extra rest with their mini-bye makes them the obvious favorites in this game. The Steelers and Packers kickoff Sunday at 1 PM/EST.
