Falcons Steelers Betting – Steelers Show Falcons They Still Have Some Work To Do
Online betting players should be fired up for Atlanta’s trip to Pittsburgh during his huge week of preseason action in the NFL, as you’ll see most of the starters that will play the season for these Super Bowl contenders. The Falcons have a great offense, but their defense is suspect and that will be hurt them against the Steelers.
- What: NFL Betting
- When: Saturday, August 27th, 7:30 PM ET
- Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
- Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers -3.5
Why Bet On Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are now 0-2 after a 15-13 loss in Jacksonville, but NFL betting players shouldn’t jump off the bandwagon yet: Atlanta is still a Super Bowl candidate, they’ve just been using the preseason to get some reps for their young players. Rookie receiver Julio Jones had two catches for 30 yards and the Falcons are aiming to get him the ball as much as possible with his explosiveness, and fellow rookie Jacquizz Rodgers is catching quickly to the system, which may give the Falcons another player who can break ankles in the open field. Having Rodgers also allows the Falcons to rest Michael Turner more in the backfield as a groin problem hampered him for much of 2010 and it hurt the Atlanta offense as a result. Defensively, the Falcons had three sacks and forced a couple of turnovers out of the Jaguars, and they could even get end Ray Edwards back for this game. Edwards had minor knee surgery this summer and alongside John Abraham he is supposed to improve the Falcons’ pass rush.
Atlanta’s main worry in the preseason is depth as they may not be able to hold up on either side of the ball if there are many injuries. Edwards is their only injury concern and he should be ready to go, but the Falcons know that their chance to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl depends on their ability to stay healthy.
Why Bet On Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers recovered from a loss in Washington in their opener with a 24-14 win over Philadelphia in a meeting of Pennsylvania teams, and Pittsburgh was on a roll through the first half as they racked up a 21-0 lead on the road. Ben Roethlisberger was 8-of-12 for 125 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the Steelers ran for 144 yards and they converted 10 of their 17 third-down opportunities. On defense, everyone expects the Steelers to shine and they showed that Philadelphia’s high-powered offense still has some things to work on as they forced five turnovers, including four picks and three of those interceptions came from Michael Vick. While the Pittsburgh defense is getting a little older, especially at linebacker, they’re still one of the top three units in the league.
Pittsburgh is playing to fill out their depth charts at this point and on defense, they have to find some depth, particularly in the secondary where they received a couple of injuries en route to last year’s Super Bowl run, where they lost to Green Bay. The offense should be fine, but this year the questions surround the defense. That being said, don’t underestimate this Pittsburgh defense, who can still get after the quarterback thanks to the blitz schemes of longtime coordinator Dick LeBeau.
How It Will Play Out
Pittsburgh is a 3.5-point NFL betting favorite at home in what could be the best matchup of the week in preseason where the starters get their most work. Both of these teams have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl in 2011, so you should see a lot of high-profile talent on the field. There are matchups all over the field, and of course, the one that everyone will watch is the Atlanta offense against the Pittsburgh defense: the Falcons have to keep Matt Ryan on his feet so he can run the passing game, while the Steelers will be coming from the first whistle.
However, Atlanta’s Super Bowl odds depend on their defense, and we’re not sure they’ll be able to slow down Pittsburgh at this point of the season. Look for the Steelers to pound the ball with Rashard Mendenhall and make the Falcons prove that they can stand in there and trade blows with one of the league’s powerhouses. Take Pittsburgh at home in your sports betting pick.
Falcons Steelers Betting Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers -3.5
