Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, 10/9/11, 1:00 PM EST, TV: CBS
Opening Point Spread: Pittsburgh -6.5
Current Betting Line: Pittsburgh -3
Opening Total: 41
Current Total: 40
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Tennessee brings in a three-game winning streak into its game against Pittsburgh, as two of the top defenses in the league will be meeting up. The Titans rank first in the NFL in scoring defense and seventh in overall defense, as no team has scored more than 16 points against them. Last week, the team used big plays in the passing game to capture a 31-13 win over the Cleveland Browns as one-point road underdogs. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has fit in nicely, completing 10 of 20 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns with a single interception. Tennessee is 3-1 ATS against AFC North opponents the last two-plus years.
The Titans were waiting for star running back Chris Johnson to emerge, as he gained 101 yards on 23 carries and showed signs that he’s getting up to speed after missing the entire preseason. A win on Sunday would give Tennessee a 4-1 or better record for the fourth time since 1999. The defense has been magnificent against the run, giving up 87.8 yards on the ground. “We’re still not playing our best football,” commented Titans safety Jordan Babineaux. “That’s scary. Watch out.”
Pittsburgh has fallen to 2-2 on the season and has managed to score just 17 points in its two losses, while putting up 47 in two wins. The Steelers are coming off a 17-10 loss to the Houston Texans as four-point road underdogs, managing to gain just 296 yards in offense. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was seen leaving Reliant Stadium with an obvious limp and will look improve upon the team’s 27th ranking in terms of scoring offense, averaging just 16 points a game. Pittsburgh is 18-20 ATS over the last two-plus seasons, while the ‘over’ is 21-17 in those contests.
The Steelers know that they must focus in on shutting down Johnson and the Titans running game, as his numbers are only going to improve. Pittsburgh prides itself on stopping the run, but is currently ranked 22nd in the NFL, allowing 4.8 yards per carry and 119.5 rushing yards a game. Johnson has gained 4,797 yards in just three and a quarter seasons. Pittsburgh has won the last two games in this series, including a 19-11 road win as six-point underdogs on Sept. 19th of last year. It was one of the team’s ugliest wins in history due to gaining just 127 yards of total offense.
Bettors will likely back the Titans due to their 4-1 ATS mark in October, while the Steelers are 2-13-1 ATS as a home favorite of three or less points.
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