Steelers vs. Vikings Same Game Parlay Picks for Thursday Night Football
As we continue motoring toward Christmas—16 days, everyone(!)—we have yet another Thursday Night Football game ahead of us. This should be a good one—Pittsburgh is coming off a one-point upset victory over division-rival Cleveland, and Minnesota is on the heels of a two-point loss to a Lions squad that entered Week 13 with an 0-10-1 record. With Minnesota’s star running back Dalvin Cook listed as questionable (shoulder), and veteran wideout Adam Thielen already declared out, it’s anybody’s game this evening. Thus, I’m staying far away from the traditional spread, which lists the Vikings as -3.5 favorites. Instead, I’ll be assembling yet another Thursday Night Football Same Game Parlay on PointsBet.
For anyone not familiar, a Same Game Parlay basically just means a parlay consisting of multiple correlated wagers from one specific game. It provides bettors with good options to bet a game—and piece together props into a parlay within that game—beyond just the standard spread, moneyline, and over/under totals.
SGPs have become one of the most popular options in sports betting, and we’ve been building parlays through PointsBet all season. So, without further ado, let’s dive right into our parlay picks for Thursday Night Football.
Steelers-Vikings Same Game Parlay
- Pick Your Own Spread: Vikings +3.5 (-301)
- Alternate Totals: OVER 37.5 (-250)
- Home Team Total: OVER 18.5 (-276)
- Quarterback Props: Kirk Cousins 250+ Passing Yards (-115)
- Quarterback Props: Ben Roethlisberger OVER 1.5 TDs (-121)
Total Odds (5 Legs): +667
Pick Your Own Spread: Vikings +3.5 (-301)
We’ve been doing this for 14 weeks, so you already know my M.O. by now. I will not pick a sportsbooks’ spread one way or another in a primetime game. That’s the beauty of Same Game Parlays—they allow us the ability to mold our own spread for either squad. Tonight, I’m picking the Vikings +3.5, basically flipping the script from their -3.5 line. Sure, I give up a lot of value by dropping from -110 to -301, but I also lay the foundation for our parlay with an easy green. Simply put, there’s no way Minnesota gets crushed by this Pittsburgh squad at home. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger’s arm has been as weak as we’ve ever seen it. Head coach Mike Tomlin seems befuddled at every bout of adversity. And the remaining members of the Steel Curtain are likely rolling their eyes at what they’ve seen from Keith Butler’s defense this season. But with all that said, I still don’t trust the Vikes to cover a three or 3.5 point spread. This is a squad that just lost to Detroit, and potentially enters a short week without its best running back and second-best receiver. Go safe, and take Minny to win, or at worst, lose by a field goal.
Alternate Totals: OVER 37.5 (-250)
Some may call me a coward for my safe plays against the spread and on the over/under. Well, if safe means green, I’m happy to be a coward that cashes in. I’ve been telling readers all year: you can’t trust the standard spreads and totals set by sportsbooks in primetime games. Unless you want to sweat it out unnecessarily an hour and a half into your evening, you should fully utilize PointsBet’s “build your own” features for spreads and over/unders in SGPs. If you want to actually enjoy your night, pick a winnable over/under, and take the easy green while banking on higher-yielding props elsewhere. Minnesota has averaged 29 points over its last three games, while Pittsburgh has averaged 22.3 in the same span. Neither of these defenses have looked promising as of late, and Roethlisberger and Vikings QB Kirk Cousins have actually looked pretty good over the last few weeks. We’re not playing limbo, but taking the lowest OVER at 37.5 feels comfortable here.
Home Team Total: OVER 18.5 (-276) & Cousins 250+ Passing Yards (-115)
Like I told you, the Vikings are the play this evening, and Cousins has looked pretty damn good despite Minnesota’s myriad of injury issues throughout the 2021 campaign. Cousins averages 303.25 passing yards and 2.25 passing TDs over the course of the last four games, and the Vikes have scored 26 or more points in five straight games (and six of their last seven). The Steelers aren’t going to stonewall this Minnesota squad on the road, even if the Purple and White has no Cook or Thielen. Alexander Mattison has proved his worth as one of the most valuable backup running backs in the NFL, and Cousins can make plenty of noise with second-year stud wideout Justin Jefferson and fourth-year tight end Tyler Conklin. Both these OVERs are great selections this evening.
Quarterback Props: Roethlisberger OVER 1.5 TDs (-121)
I know, I’ve alerted you to be wary of Roethlisberger and his dying arm. But the fact of the matter is, Big Ben remains one of the toughest, most competitive QBs in the AFC, and he’s not going to fade into obscurity without giving everything he’s got on the way out. If Jared Goff and the Lions can beat this Minnesota team, you have to think Roethlisberger will have his fangs out against the Vikes in a short week. And even if he needs his security blanket, stud rookie back Najee Harris, the veteran signal-caller will probably have to look his way through the air more so than on the ground. Harris has exceeded four yards per carry in just one game since mid-October, all the while gobbling up yardage through the air like it’s going out of style. Big Ben has logged multiple touchdowns in three of Pittsburgh’s last four games—add this prop, and pray for at least one more week of continued prosperity for one of the elder statesmen of the NFL.
Image Credit: Imagn