With the talk about a Super Bowl hangover at least temporarily in the past, the Pittsburgh Steelers will get their shot at one of the teams that they may have to beat in order to get another shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy, as they host the New England Patriots this Sunday. Following a slow start, the Steelers have bounced back with three straight wins to climb in to first place in the AFC North, but will face their toughest sportsbooks test since a week one loss to the Baltimore Ravens when they welcome Tom Brady and the Patriots.
New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday October 31, 2011 – 4:15 PM ET
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Bet Football Online Spread: New England Patriots – 3
With 2,163 passing yards and 16 touchdowns already, Brady is on pace to break all kinds of records for the No. 1 ranked passing offense this season, as long as the weather permits him too. All signs point to a sunny afternoon in Pittsburgh this weekend, which makes perfect conditions for the league’s top-ranked air attack to go against the NFL’s second-ranked pass defense.
Patriots Steelers Betting Preview: New England Patriots
Following a tough week loss to the Buffalo Bills in which New England did more to lose than their division rivals did to win, Brady and his teammates aren’t taking anything for granted. A year ago the Steelers were one of the teams that the Patriots beat in order to win a league-high 14 regular season games, but it was Pittsburgh that persevered in the end with a trip to the Super Bowl. Those in New England understand that in order to get back to the big game they will need to approach every game with the same focus and determination, and with a passer rating of 114.9 in four straight wins against the defending AFC champions, Brady will once again lead the way.
Patriots Steelers Betting Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers
While the Steelers have done a good job defending their home territory with three straight wins this season, none of the teams that they have beaten have winning records, and they will be tested in the next two games with back-to-back visits from the Steelers and Ravens. While the offense has steadied under quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh will still need to be more careful when it comes to preventing turnovers, something that plagued the team early on. The Steel Curtain defense isn’t what it was a year ago, but the numbers show that they are still getting it done, and this will be another tough test.
Patriots Steelers Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
While the Steelers have improved with every passing game, they have lost both games that they have played against teams with winning records, and will be in tough playing at home against a tough New England team. The Patriots had an extra seven days to prepare for this game on their bye, and will look to pick up where they left off on the heels of three straight sports betting wins.
Patriots Steelers Betting Pick: New England Patriots