Las Vegas Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Odds & Game Pick (2021)

Sep 17, 2021 - 10:37 AM

Two former AFC rivals will go at it on Sunday in Pittsburgh as the Las Vegas Raiders come into this one riding high following a dramatic Monday Night Football victory. For the Steelers, an upset was also in order, theirs against AFC-favorite Buffalo on the road.

Let’s take a closer look at which of these storied franchises will start 2-0, and both straight up and Against the Spread.

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Details

• Opening Line: Steelers -6 O/U 48
• Current Line: Steelers -5.5, O/U 47
• Last meeting: December 9, 2018, Raiders 24, Steelers 21

Overview

There were many moments throughout the Raiders’ 33-27 overtime win vs. the Ravens on Monday that the Raiders of old looked to be back once again. Missed assignments on the offensive line, scheme errors on defense. When it was all said and done, the Raiders ended up with 491 yards behind a quarterback in Derek Carr, who showed glimpses of just how far he could take this team.

On the defensive side of the ball, defensive end Maxx Crosby was named Defensive Player of the Week in the AFC after two sacks and two tackles for loss that helped seal the deal for the Raiders.

For the home team in this one, the Steelers, a Week 1 win was also crossed off the list, theirs on the road in Buffalo’s hostile environment. Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, despite having one of the lowest QBRs of week 1, avoided turnovers and kept this offense humming throughout the afternoon, doing what he needed to secure the victory.

Newly re-signed as the highest-paid defender in NFL history, defensive end TJ Watt earned his money out of the gates, recording two sacks of his own, including a forced fumble that led to points for the Steelers. On the defensive front, the Raiders will likely once again be without captain offensive guard Richie Incognito who is dealing with a calf injury.

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Trends

• The Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five Raiders vs. Steelers matchups
• The Over is on a 4-1 run in the Steelers last five
• The Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last six September games

Bottom Line

While the Raiders were able to squeak by on Monday against a similarly built team in the Ravens, they won’t have the energy of their (first-time) home fans in Las Vegas to carry them through the valleys in this one. In fact, quite the opposite, as the Steelers get their first home game in front of a sold-out Heinz Field in over 18 months.

I also see the pass rush of the Steelers taking advantage of a line without Incognito, even more than the Ravens.

Pick: Steelers -5.5

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Johnny Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Johnny, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.

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