NFL Football
2021-11-14 - Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : NFL Week 10
Sunday 14th November 2021 - Scheduled 1pm
6pm (British Time)
Preview
They are still looking for a first win of the season, but the Detroit Lions (0-8) will be coming out of a Bye Week looking to change that fact. Having lost all eight games, it can be difficult to back them, even with the amount of points that Detroit are being given, but I do think the Lions are potentially dangerous.
Some may scoff at that and especially when you think they are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) who have won four in a row to move above 0.500 and getting back in contention in the AFC North. Mike Tomlin has to be given a lot of credit for the way the Steelers are knuckling down and finding wins, but Ben Roethlisberger has admitted that they are still some way from their best.
Pittsburgh have won four in a row, but the last three wins have come by a combined 10 points and that should underline how inconsistent they have been. The Steelers are struggling on the Offensive side of the ball and I do think that makes it hard to believe they are going to blow out any team they face, even one that is searching for a first win.
I love the way that Najee Harris has been playing and how well he has taken to the professional game, but the Steelers have an inconsistent Offensive Line and they have not been racking up big yards on the ground. Instead it has been a methodical approach from the Steelers and I think Harris is going to have a decent game, if he starts, but the Lions have a Defensive Line that will feel they can make some plays up front.
The Lions may not be able to get a lot of pressure on Ben Roethlisberger, but the Quarter Back is not the player he once was and the deep shot has not been a big part of the Pittsburgh Offensive game-plan. Again, it should be a methodical approach from the Steelers which takes plenty of time off the clock and the Lions should be well prepared out of their Bye under Head Coach Dan Campbell which should see them play well enough on this side of the ball to keep this game within reach.
A major question for the Detroit Lions is whether they can find enough on the Offensive side of the ball to stay with the Steelers. Jared Goff is coming in off a really bad outing, but he should be given a little more support from the running game against a surprisingly open Pittsburgh Defensive Line.
It is all important for the Lions to try and keep the pressure off their Quarter Back and not have Jared Goff having to throw from third and long too often in this one. More importantly, Detroit's Offensive Line have not really been able to protect Jared Goff as the Quarter Back would have liked and they will want to keep the Steelers powerful pass rush from infiltrating the backfield by having short yardage situations to deal with.
That pass rush could be the key to the win for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Detroit Lions should be able to do enough to keep this relatively close.
The Steelers have not covered any of their last seven as the home favourite and that makes it hard to trust a team that is being asked to cover more than a Touchdown worth of points here. Detroit have extra preparation time and they are 14-6 against the spread in their last twenty off a blowout defeat at home and I do think the Lions can stay with their hosts in another competitive loss.
Prediction
Take the points with the road underdog.
The Pick :
Pittsburgh Steelers 17-10 Detroit Lions
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back the Detroit Lions + 8.5 Points at -110 with Intertops
