Are the Steelers a safe betting pick in this NFL Preseason matchup?

Pittsburgh At Miami NFL Expert Predictions

Written by on October 14, 2016

When the Super Bowl 51 betting odds were released prior to the start of the season, it wasn’t really much of a surprise to see the Pittsburgh Steelers up with the favorites. After all, this is a franchise that has hoisted the Lombardi Trophy more than any other, and also on that many believe would have won the Super Bowl last season were it not for a rather horrific injury list that included the likes of Antonio Brown and LeVeon Bell. The Steelers are back at full strength this year, and other than one awful performance versus the Eagles, they have been firing on all cylinders. They have the opportunity to take the AFC North by the scruff of the neck this weekend, but will have a tricky little road trip to Miami to take care of first. The Dolphins are not exactly setting the world on fire through the first few weeks of the year, so it’s no real surprise that they are coming into this game as a 7.5-point underdog.

In Depth Analysis On The Steelers At Dolphins NFL Expert Predictions

When: Sunday, October 16 at 1 PM EST Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami TV: CBS Radio: WDVE and WQAM Live Stream: CBS Sports Network NFL Odds: TBA  
 

Why bet on the Pittsburgh Steelers

Any team facing the Pittsburgh Steelers this season will find themselves in a bit of a quandary. Assuming that they can stop Bell and Williams in the run game, they are the also going to have to find a way to slow down Big Ben and the potent Steelers air attack. Roethlisberger has been putting up some big numbers once again, and the running game is delivering over 100 yards per game. The offense is spectacular, and the defense is play the bend but don’t break game to perfection. Pittsburgh has been tough against the run all season, which is bad news for a Dolphins team with no ground game to speak of.

Why bet on the Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are just 1-4 on the season, and that lone win came against the hapless Cleveland Browns. A big part of the problem for Miami has been their inability to move the ball with any degree of proficiency, especially on the ground where they have only managed to cross the 100-yard mark in a single game. Miami are going to have to rely on the arm of Ryan Tannehill in this one, and that might not be so bad if they had an offensive line that could offer up any sort of decent protection. Tannehill has already been sacked 17 times this season, and is likely to be facing wave after wave of Blitzburgh on Sunday.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The Steelers are a solid 4-1 ATS this season, while the Dolphins have only managed to go 1-4 in that category. This looks to me to be a total mismatch, and the 7.5-point spread also looks like a bit of a gift. The Steelers are going to pound the rock early and often, and I expect them to pile on the misery all day long.

Pittsburgh Steelers 42 Miami Dolphins 17