Despite a two-game losing streak, oddsmakers still like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ odds of taking care of business next Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. According to Sportsbook VSIN, the opening line has the Steelers as three-point road favorites against the Raiders entering Week 6. The over/under is set fairly low at 37.
It’s a relatively large line considering the Steelers will be travelling out west for this one.
Pittsburgh is coming off a heartbreaking Sunday night/Monday morning loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Severe weather delayed the opening kickoff by more than an hour and made for the latest start time in franchise history. The third quarter ended right at midnight and the game didn’t conclude until 1 AM/EST. The Steelers’ running game has struggled while their defense hasn’t gotten third down stops, two key reasons why Pittsburgh lost to the Indianapolis Colts and Cowboys.
The Raiders are 2-3 and sit at the bottom of the AFC West. Sunday, they were throttled 34-18 by the Denver Broncos, blowing a 10-0 first quarter lead. Denver scored 21 second-half points and forced three total turnovers to run away with the game at the end.
Both teams enter with quarterback questions. The Steelers have started Justin Fields the first five games but with Russell Wilson getting close to full health, there’s an open question if Pittsburgh will turn back to Wilson, who entered the season as the starter before aggravating his calf injury days before Week 1. The Raiders began the season with Gardner Minshew II under center, but head coach Antonio Pierce benched him midway through yesterday’s loss, inserting Aidan O’Connell. After the game, Pierce said he didn’t know who would start in Week 6.
While the Raiders have dealt with injuries and won’t have WR Davante Adams in this one, who could be traded this week, the Steelers have had their issues with the Silver and Black. In the Mike Tomlin era, Pittsburgh is just 1-4 on the road against Las Vegas. The Steelers won last year’s matchup, 23-18, but have struggled and been upset by the Raiders in the past. They can’t afford to drop this one.
