Steelers Panthers Betting – Steelers Ready; Panthers Still A Work In Progress Heading Into Final Preseason Game
For all of the talk about the curse of the Super Bowl loser, the Pittsburgh Steelers sure seem to be on the right track so far this sports betting preseason. After a tough loss at the Washington Redskins, the Steelers have bounced back with consecutive wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons to prove that they are ready for another season, but first they must make one more stop as they take on the Carolina Panthers in their exhibition finale.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Carolina Panthers
Thursday September 1, 2011 – 8:00 PM ETBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
NFL Betting Lines: Carolina Panthers – 2.5
While the Steelers have been cruising, it hasn’t been as easy for a Carolina team that lacks the experience and continuity of their upcoming opponents. With a new head coach, new quarterback, and a ton of new players to acclimate to the system, the Panthers need every snap this preseason to be ready for their regular season opener.
NFL Betting Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers
The biggest key to the Steelers’ success over time has been continuity, as the team always seems to find ways to keep their core together and build through the draft. With franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger healthy and playing with a lot more focus, the Steelers’ offense hasn’t missed a beat this preseason as they continue to pound inside and then open things up. Pittsburgh was able to lock up a couple of veteran linebackers last week and that core of Lamar Woodley, James Harrison, and Lawrence Timmons is a group capable of doing big things. The one area that the Steelers will need help is their secondary, after the Green Bay Packers showed the world how to spread them out and beat them in last year’s Super Bowl.NFL Betting Preview: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers continue to be a work in progress on both sides of the ball, although they have shown progress as the preseason has evolved. Carolina led the Cincinnati Bengals 7-0 at the end of the first quarter before things began to unravel last week, with first overall pick Cam Newton showing signs of what he can do with both his arm and legs. Accuracy and timing will be two things that Newton has to spend a lot of attention on as he continues to evolve as a quarterback, and with Steve Smith, Jeremy Shockey, and Greg Olsen he has a ton of receiving weapons around him to help.NFL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick
Newton will likely see a full quarter of action in his final preseason game, and it will be important for him to be able to handle the Steelers’ defense. Pittsburgh gets the nod in this game both in terms of starters and depth, as the final exhibition game remains about making sports betting bonus progress for Carolina.
NFL Betting Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers + 2.5
