Sunday Night Football Picks: Seahawks vs. Steelers Odds & Predictions
Seahawks vs. Steelers Odds
| Seahawks Odds | +4.5 |
| Steelers Odds | -4.5 |
| Over/Under | 43.5 |
| Date | Sunday, Oct. 17 |
| Time | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBC |
The Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers will battle on Sunday Night Football at Heinz Field. Though both of these teams have been perennial contenders over the course of the last decade, this primetime matchup is likely a preview of two teams that will miss the postseason in 2021. Nevertheless, oddsmakers are expecting a tightly contested affair in this one, pricing the Steelers as a 4.5 point home favorite on the spread.
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup to see where bettors can find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Seattle Seahawks (+4.5)
Since a dominant opening week victory against the Indianapolis Colts, the Seahawks have been one of the worst teams in football, losing three of their last four games. Last Thursday, the outlook for this group became even more bleak after losing their star quarterback, Russell Wilson to a hand injury. In Wilson’s place, Geno Smith will be under center for Seattle. In relief action in Week 5, Smith performed admirably, completing 10-of-17 passes for 131 yards, but a costly interception in the fourth quarter kept the Seahawks out of the win column. On Sunday, this offense will also be without running back Chris Carson. In Carson’s absence, Alex Collins will be the primary option in the backfield, but is unlikely to find much success running behind a porous offensive line.
Defensively, this unit is a shell of the “Legion of Boom” days. Sidney Jones has been arguably the worst cornerback in the NFL this fall. Safeties Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams have allowed 18 plays of 20-plus yards and three completions of 40-plus yards in 2021—both of which rank worse than league average. Entering Week 6, Seattle had allowed the second-most rushing yards of any team in the league. Even against Pittsburgh’s weak offensive line, this unit is unlikely to wreak much havoc in the opposing backfield.
Pittsburgh Steelers (-4.5)
If not for “(player-popup #ben-roethlisberger)Ben Roethlisberger”:/players/ben-roethlisberger-11615’s career resume and his exorbitant price tag, there would be weekly conversations about whether or not the Steelers should be looking at another option at quarterback. In five games this year, Roethlisberger has only six touchdowns against four interceptions, and ranks 26th in QBR. Najee Harris has been underwhelming as a rookie, in no small part due to a horrendous offensive line. Yet, Harris managed to find room for 122 yards on the ground in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos. He could be in for another solid performance against one of the worst rush defenses in football.
On the defensive side of the ball, Pittsburgh has performed far worse than expectations. James Pierre, Joe Haden, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Terrell Edmunds have been one of the worst secondary units in the league through five weeks. Opposing quarterbacks have combined for 10 touchdowns against only two interceptions, good for a 101.2 passer rating against Pittsburgh this year. The defensive line has still been excellent. Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, Isaiah Buggs, and Chris Wormley all look like Pro Bowl candidates. Against a backup quarterback and running back, this defensive unit should have a strong day.
Seahawks vs. Steelers Picks
This Sunday Night Football matchup features two severely-limited offenses, which has understandably caused this total to be priced extremely low. Since opening at over/under 48 points, this total has been bet down all the way 43.5 points as the current consensus line. In Week 5, Seattle and the high-powered Los Angeles Rams combined for only 43 points. Pittsburgh’s game totals this year have hit 39 points, 43 points, 34 points, 44 points, and 46 points respectively. The Steelers are likely to rely heavily on the run game tonight as they try to minimize the negative impact that Roethlisber can have on the offense. The Seahawks will need to attack Pittsburgh through the air, but starting Smith at quarterback could lead to a number of drives coming up short of the end zone. Even for bettors that missed the early week value on this line, the under is a play worth considering. Expect a lot of short drives and a few field goals in what should be a low-scoring affair.
PICKS: Under 43.5 (-110)
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