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The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Louisiana to take on the NFC’s top-seed New Orleans Saints on Sunday 12/23/18.
Biggest Win Of The Season
The Steelers will try to keep their playoff hopes alive after coming up with their biggest win of the season in their most recent outing. Pittsburgh was on a three game losing streak when it faced the New England Patriots. The Steelers weren’t expected to beat the Patriots after losing to the Oakland Raiders the week before but in a night where Pittsburgh played without its lead running back, their defense stepped up with one of its best games of the season.
Big Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for a total of 4,462 yards with 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while completing 66.9% of his passes. James Conner, who missed the previous two games is expected to return to action. Conner has rushed for 909 yards with 12 touchdowns. Antonio Brown has caught 13 touchdowns for 1,112 yards.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints 12/23/18
Moneyline Odds: Steelers +213, Saints -253
Odds from betonline.ag as of 12/21/18
Drew Brees Struggling
The New Orleans Saints had a scare the last time out as they hacked out a hard earned 12-9 win over a troubled Carolina Panthers team that isn’t going to make the playoffs. The low scoring game was the third for the Saints who have scored just a total of 50 points in their last three games.
Drew Brees has thrown for a total of 3,666 yards with 31 touchdowns and 5 interceptions and is considered one of the strong candidates for MVP. However, Brees has mightily struggled in his last three games, throwing just a total of two touchdowns and three interceptions. Injuries to New Orleans’ receivers have rattled their offense and unsettled their offense. Alvin Kamara has rushed for 850 yards with 12 touchdowns while Michael Thomas has caught 8 touchdowns and a total of 1,267 receiving yards.
Who Wins?
Pittsburgh is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played. The Steelers are 10-2-1 SU in their last 13 games on the road. New Orleans is 12-1 SU in their last 13 games played and the Saints are 5-0 SU in their last five games played at home. Head to head, the Saints are 3-1 in their last four meetings.
Conner’s return from a two game absence is expected to give the Steelers’ running game a boost but it may not be much against the Saints’ #1 rush defense. There is also concern about Pittsburgh’s makeshift offensive line and its ability to protect Big Ben against the New Orleans defense. If the Steelers can’t run, then Roethlisberger must win this game with his passing and that may be a venue for turnovers.
The Saints have not looked themselves offensively in the last three games but they’re a different team at home and should get back to their scoring ways here.
We’re picking the New Orleans Saints to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on 10/23/18.
Other Bets To Make
The Steelers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games played. Pittsburgh is 3-3-1 ATS in seven road games played this season. The Saints are 10-2 ATS in their last dozen games played. New Orleans is also 4-1 ATS in their last five home games. Head to head, the Saints are 2-3-1 ATS in their last six games against the Steelers.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints 12/23/18
Spread Odds: Steelers +5 (-105), Saints -5 (-115)
Odds from betonline.ag as of 12/21/18
The Saints are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games. New Orleans is also 7-1 ATS in their last eight games against teams with winning records. And 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games after an SU win. Meanwhile, the Steelers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 December games and are 2-5 ATS after accumulating more than 350 yards in their previous game.
Prediction: Saints -5
The total has gone under in four out of the last five games played by Pittsburgh. The under is also 5-0 in the Steelers’ last five road games. The total has also gone under in the last five games played by the Saints. However, in six home games this season, New Orleans’ O/U total is 3-3.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs New Orleans Saints 12/23/18
Over/Under Odds: Over 53 -105, Under 53 -115
Odds from betonline.ag as of 12/21/18
In four out of the last five meetings between these two squads, the total has gone over with an average combined score of 55.6 points. New Orleans though has looked like a different team in their last three games as they’ve scored only a total of 50 points in those games. The Steelers meanwhile are only averaging 27.43 points on the season. But if there’s a game where Drew Brees and company will bounce back, it’s at home where they’ve averaged 10 more points than they score on the road.
Prediction: Over 53
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