The Pittsburgh Steelers clinched their third-straight win on Sunday to remain locked in a tie for first place in the AFC North at 7-5. Now they will look to build on that victory with a chance to move one step closer to a division title when they face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Moneyline: Pittsburgh -130
Handicap/Spread Odds: Pittsburgh -2.5
Total O/U: 47.5
Last 5 Meetings: (Road/Home – Spread/Total)
| 11/10/13 | BUF 10 – PIT 23 | PIT -3 | U 42.5 |
| 11/28/10 | PIT 19 – BUF 16 | BUF 6.5 | U 43.5 |
| 09/16/07 | BUF 3 – PIT 26 | PIT -10 | U 39.5 |
| 01/02/05 | PIT 29 – BUF 24 | PIT 9.5 | O 33 |
| 09/30/01 | PIT 20 – BUF 3 | PIT -3 | U 35 |
On The Steelers Side of the Ball (7-5 Record, 7-5 ATS)
The Pittsburgh offense has its stride over the past couple of weeks including 389 total yards of offense in last week’s win over the New York Giants. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns while Le’Veon Bell rushed for 118 yards with another six catches for 64 yards. The three-headed monster of Roethlisberger, Bell and Antonio Brown is almost impossible to slow down so opposing defenses have to be worried about the fact that tight end Ladarius Green stepped up with six catches for 110 yards and a score last week. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh defense held Eli Manning two under 200 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and as long as they continue to hold their own the Steelers will continue to win games.
While the Steelers have had an up and down season, everything can get back on track this weekend with a win. They are currently tied atop the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens with a 7-5 record, but the Ravens are on the road at New England, who is the best team in the AFC. The Steelers have stumbled on the road this year but
Last 5 Results:
| 12/04/16 | NYG | W 24-14 | W -6.5 | U 48 |
| 11/24/16 | @ IND | W 28-7 | W -8 | U 51.5 |
| 11/20/16 | @ CLE | W 24-9 | W -8 | O 49.5 |
| 11/13/16 | DAL | L 30-35 | L -3 | O 48 |
| 11/06/16 | @ BAL | L 14-21 | L -3.5 | U 49 |
On The Bills Side of the Ball (6-6 Record, 5-7 ATS)
The Bills seemed primed for a third-straight win on Sunday in Oakland before they blew a 15-point lead in the second half and fell back to .500 with a 38-24 loss. They went from being in prime position to win to being down double-digits in a matter of minutes. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor was held under 200 yards passing with four sacks and one interceptions, which has spurred a lot of debate this week as to whether or not he’s a franchise quarterback. Once again, the Buffalo offense relied far too heavily on LeSean McCoy and their ground game. The Bills simply need more out of their pass offense in order to contend for a playoff spot but their meltdown against the Raiders provided another example of everything that is wrong with them right now. Meanwhile, the Bills defense was torched for 29 second-half points after holding Oakland to nine points through the first two quarters and it won’t get any easier for them this week with Roethlisberger and company in town.
Last 5 Results:
| 12/04/16 | @ OAK | L 24-38 | L 3 | O 48.5 |
| 11/24/16 | JAC | W 28-21 | L -8.5 | O 43.5 |
| 11/20/16 | @ CIN | W 16-12 | W 2.5 | U 48 |
| 11/13/16 | @SEA | L 25-31 | L 5.5 | O 43.5 |
| 11/06/16 | NE | L 25-41 | L 5.5 | O 48 |
Quick Analysis
Despite a 2-1 record straight up over their last three games, Buffalo is actually just 1-5 against the spread over its last six games overall. Inconsistency on offense has undoubtedly been the biggest issue as the Bills have relied far too heavily on their run game and defense because of the lack of an efficient pass attack. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is rolling with three straight wins both straight up and against the spread while averaging 25.0 points per game over that span.
Prediction
While this is a crucial game for both teams it still seems strange that the number for this game is less than a field goal. The Steelers have been absolutely rolling of late while the Bills are coming off an absolutely brutal collapse that really hurt their playoff chances. There is no reason to expect the Pittsburgh offense to slow down after what it did to the Giants last week so look for the Steelers to extend their win streak with a win and cover on the road this week.
Pick: Pittsburgh -2.5
Note: Lines subject to change leading up to kick-off, so please be aware of the possibility of line movements.
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