NFL football betting – Giants vs Steelers betting a Week 8 highlight
Posted on 10/21/2008 3:54:14 PM
By Stan Simmons
Giants vs Steelers betting: Two tough squads will slug it out
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WHO: New York Giants vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)
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WHAT: NFL football betting
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WHEN: Sunday, October 26 at 4:15 p.m. ET
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WHERE: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA
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KEY STATS: Pittsburgh is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home; NY Giants are 12-1 SU in their last 13 games on the road
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PICK: Giants
Even if Week 8 wasn’t so bye-week heavy, the Giants vs Steelers match-up would still be the marquee battle in NFL football betting. Some experts are suggesting this could be a Super Bowl preview and, with preseason favorites such as the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots toiling in mediocrity, it very well could be.
Giants vs Steelers odds favor the home team after the Steelers thrashed the lowly Bengals for the ninth consecutive time. Pittsburgh easily covered the NFL spread in the lopsided 38-10 victory at home.
Third-string halfback Mewelde Moore looked more like a proven starter last week, rumbling for 120 yards on 20 carries, including two total touchdowns. The former Tulane standout, playing in place of the injured Willie Parker, also caught a Ben Roethlisberger pass for a touchdown.
Big Ben’s shoulder looked strong and healthy once again, as he went 17-for-28, throwing for 216 yards.
The defending Super Bowl champions are in an unfamiliar spot this season as underdogs on the Giants vs Steelers line. New York had been favored in NFL odds all season long, up until a shocking loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football.
However, true to championship form, the Giants bounced back and defeated the San Francisco 49ers at home last week. Eli Manning wasn’t spectacular but was his typical efficient self, going 16-for-31 for 161 yards. The Super Bowl MVP used mostly short passes, and his star running back Brandon Jacobs ran for two touchdowns.
If you’re going to bet online, it goes without saying this will be a defensive battle. The Giants vs Steelers spread is set at 2.5 points in favor of the home team, which is exactly how Pittsburgh tends to win its games—by going right down to the wire.
However, can Moore control the game like he did last week against one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history? Neither team will allow much on the ground, which means this game might come down to a quarterback duel and a battle of the secondaries.
The Giants have a far more talented receiving corps, which will make things difficult for Troy Polamalu and company in the Pittsburgh secondary if the game degenerates into a shootout.
STAN’S PICK: The Giants vs Steelers line will get a lot of action in online sports betting this week, and for good reason. How often can you bet a division leader as an underdog on football odds?
For online betting, the Giants are the definite play. They have a healthy backfield, bountiful options at wideout, and it appears their game to lose. Stay away from point totals and the NFL spreads until later in the week when making your Giants vs Steelers pick, however bet on the Giants on the moneyline right away!
The BetOnline.com Sportsbook has all your NFL props and odds, while the Betting Edge features free picks and analysis every day.
Stan
Simmons first tasted football through the college game, but his football handicapping
has strictly focused on the professional sport. Not many people devote as much
time to the NFL as Simmons. For six days a week he works, labors and handicaps
the sport, and on the seventh he rests as the games play out. Thoughts or
questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
