When the first wave of early NFL odds were released in May, the Pittsburgh Steelers were 2.5-point underdogs to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. Just seven days ago, odds swung further in favor of the Falcons with a three-point spread.
That was before the quarterback uncertainty took place in Pittsburgh, with Russell Wilson’s availability still up in the air just hours ahead of kickoff. With it looking likely that Justin Fields will start against the Falcons, the Steelers are now consensus four-point underdogs, per VSiN.
When I looked just an hour earlier, it was a 3.5-point spread, so things could continue swinging in the Falcons’ direction in the remaining hours before kickoff.
Fields may be the better option between himself and a hampered Russell Wilson, but that doesn’t mean the Steelers have a better chance of winning without the veteran. In 38 career starts, Fields has won just 10 games over his three seasons.
The Chicago Bears traded Fields to the Steelers for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft just three years after making him the No. 11 overall pick. They traded up to get him, too.
Will a change of scenery help Fields turn a new leaf on his NFL career? If he ends up starting, this would obviously be a huge opportunity for him to make a case for himself.
It isn’t confirmed yet, but several notable insiders, locally and nationally, have reported that Wilson is unlikely to play.
According to Adam Schefter, Wilson reportedly told the Steelers he could play, but team doctors are being more cautious. It will likely come down to a pre-game evaluation in the next hour or so. The Steelers are required to submit their inactive players for the day 90 minutes before kickoff, so time is winding down.
All of the uncertainty has Vegas oddsmakers thinking the Steelers will ultimately walk away with an 0-1 record to start the season.
