The Pittsburgh Steelers have had four extra days to prepare for the Tennessee Titans in Week 15. But playing at home, NFL odds don’t have the Steelers as favorites.
Several AFC playoff positions are still in question, and this matchup will play a huge part in providing answers. So let’s take a closer look at the best wagers for Titans at Steelers.
Tennessee Titans -1 (-110)
Tennessee gave up nine turnovers in their two losses before the Jacksonville Jaguars game. Against the Jaguars, though, the Titans and QB Ryan Tannehill played a clean game. Seven of the Titans’ nine wins had come when they won the turnover battle.
This week, they face the Steelers, who rank 21st in interceptions, yet second in sacks. As a result, Tannehill will need to release the ball quickly or use his legs to escape pressure. On the year, Tannehill has a 5.5-yard rushing average and six rushing TDs.
Tannehill gets help on the ground with D’onta Foreman, averaging 4.4 yards in relief of Derrick Henry. Last week, the Titans rushed the ball 34 times for 102 yards, so I expect Pittsburgh’s 30th-ranked rush defense to get tested early.
Ben Roethlisberger has 19 TDs and only seven INTs, but he’s taken 30 sacks in the 12 games he’s played. In addition, the Steelers average only 88.3 yards rushing per game. So I don’t think Pittsburgh will find much success against Tennessee’s second-ranked rush defense (90.9 yards per game).
The Titans also average 13.6 points per game in the first half, while the Steelers rank 28th in the league, scoring an average of 7.5. Though Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers have shown the ability to score points late in games (they scored 21 in the fourth quarter last week), they often find that their comeback attempts are too little, too late. So I like the Titans to get an early lead and keep it.
Over/Under 42.5 (-110)
The Titans and Steelers are 15th and 22nd in points against this season. On offense, they are 15th and 21st, respectively.
The Titans are facing a very different team than the Jaguars this week. As mentioned above, the Steelers can score late in games. Against the Minnesota Vikings last week, they scored 21 in the fourth quarter. Against the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this year, they scored 27th in the fourth.
I believe Tennessee will find early success running the ball against Pittsburgh’s weak run defense, and Tennessee, who allows 250.7 passing yards per game, will have a hard time stopping Pittsburgh from airing it out in the second half. For that reason, I’m taking the over.
Total Points Prop
Red zone efficiency leads me to another exciting wager in Week 15. Both teams are over 62% on offense when it comes to scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Yet, they both give up points more than 50% of the time on defense.
The kicking is solid for both teams as well. Randy Bullock is hitting over 85% of his tries for the Titians, and Chris Boswell is better than 90% for Pittsburgh.
Since I already took the over, I’m also betting both teams will score more than 20 points at +145.
Titans at Steelers
The Tennessee Titans have a chance to keep pace for top seed in the AFC with the New England Patriots. While Pittsburgh is still in the mix, they have three teams to climb over in their division alone.
Who do you think will win this critical matchup? Sign up for an account with BetMGM’s Tennessee sports betting or Pennsylvania sports betting site and place your bets on the Titans at Steelers today. All new customers receive an initial risk-free bet worth up to $1,000.
