Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Preview
A pair of 2-3 teams will square off for Sunday Night Football as the Seattle Seahawks take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers will host this one at Heinz Field, with kickoff scheduled for 8:20 pm ET.
The Seahawks are trying to bounce back from a tough 26-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week. They lost more than just the game, though, as quarterback Russell Wilson was lost for the foreseeable future with a finger injury. In his stead, Geno Smith threw for 131 yards and a touchdown against the Rams.
For Pittsburgh, they are coming off of a 27-19 victory over the Denver Broncos at home last week. In the win, Ben Roethlisberger threw for 253 yards and two scores, while Najee Harris rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers are the favorites playing at home. They are -215 to win while the Seahawks’ moneyline sits at +180. The spread features Seattle +4.5 (-110), and the over/under for total points is 42.5 (-110).
More Odds
Both of these teams have the worst odds of winning their respective divisions. Seattle is +1700 to win the NFC West, while Pittsburgh is +1800 to win the AFC North.
In terms of the Super Bowl, both of these teams are +7500 to win it all this year.
By The Numbers
Seattle has struggled as of late. They are 2-4 in their last six games, and they are 2-5 against the spread in their last seven. Against Pittsburgh, they are 8-4 against the spread in their last 12 games.
The Steelers have also struggled. They are 3-8 in their last 11 games. In their last seven games at Heinz Field, they are just 2-5 against the spread.
Seattle Looks To Geno Smith To Lead Them In The Interim
After fracturing his middle finger on his throwing hand, quarterback Russell Wilson had to undergo surgery and will be out for at least the next handful of weeks for the Seahawks. With Wilson on the sideline, the team will look to back up Geno Smith.
Geno Smith’s best season came back in 2012, his second year with the Jets when he threw for 2,525 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. While he has been relegated to more of a backup in recent years, the Seahawks hope that he can lead them to a big Week 6 win.
The best targets for Smith will be Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. This season, Lockett has 390 yards receiving and three touchdowns, while Metcalf has 383 yards and five scores.
With Chris Carson out with a neck injury, Alex Collins will take over duties in the ground game as the lead back for Seattle. This season, he has rushed for 124 yards and a score.
Defensively, Seattle ranks 21st in scoring defense, allowing 25.2 points per game.
Pittsburgh Tries To Get Back On Track In AFC North
With the Ravens still elite and the Bengals and Browns trending up, the Steelers currently find themselves as the worst team in the division. Trying to get back on track, the Steelers will look to use their home-field advantage to pick up the win Sunday night.
Leading the way for the Steelers is 39-year-old quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. This season, he has thrown for 1,286 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Roethlisberger’s two biggest targets have been Chase Claypool (341 yards, touchdown) and Diontae Johnson (305 yards, three touchdowns).
On the ground, head coach Mike Tomlin relies on Najee Harris. In five games, Harris has rushed 78 times for 307 yards and two scores.
On the defensive side, the Steelers rank 10th allowing 22.4 points per game.
Take The Steelers To Win And Cover
If the Seahawks had a healthy Russell Wilson, this would be a completely different story. With their star quarterback out, though, they will be susceptible to a blowout at the hands of the Steelers.
It also doesn’t help that Seattle won’t be able to rely simply on their ground game in the wake of Russell Wilson’s injury as Chris Carson is dealing with his own injuries in Seattle’s backfield.
Between an injured offense and an inconsistent defense, expect Pittsburgh to not only win this one but to cover the modest 4.5-point spread as well.
