NFL Week 3: Steelers vs Raiders Preview

The Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) head to the desert to take on the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) with Vegas opening up at home for the first time in 2023. Pittsburgh evened their record up after beating the Cleveland Browns, 26-22, as a 2-point underdog. The Raiders took it on the chin, 38-10, at Orchard Park against the Bills as a 7.5-point underdog. Vegas has been bet up to a 2.5-point favorite after the game opened as pick’em. Let us start our Steelers vs Raiders preview with a deeper dive into the lack of run game for each team.

This May Come Down To The Run Game

It’s not a new way to handicap games but with both the Steelers and Raiders struggling to win the line of scrimmage via the run, our selection will come down to who we think will control the line of scrimmage. Perhaps, we may think it will be a struggle for both teams which could play into an underwager, but we’ll figure that out later.

Through two games, Las Vegas is 30th in total offense with an average of 250 yards per game, and Pittsburgh is 31st with 247. Pittsburgh quarterback came out this week and stated that he doesn’t believe the team has an identity. We think if the Raiders were being honest they would say the same.

That makes it incredibly difficult to be a side when you don’t have confidence in either. The Steelers may have some confidence in stopping Raiders RB Josh Jacobs after holding him to 44 yards on 15 attempts in last year’s 13-10 Steelers win.

The NFL standings reflect two teams that have a 1-1 record but they’ve both played like 0-2 teams. We continue our Steelers vs Raiders preview with a deeper dive into the Raiders from a betting perspective.

Vegas Must Eliminate Mistakes

The Raiders are a -4 in turnover differential this season and that may play into the lone bright spot for the Steelers. Despite Pittsburgh giving up a ton of yards this season, they do seem to have a knack for defensive scores as we saw against the Cleveland Browns when the defense scored twice. Other than that we’re looking at an 0-2 Steelers team.

Aside from mistakes, it will be interesting to see if WR Davante Adams is 100% after taking a massive hit from Bills safety Taylor Rapp. Adams has been cleared to play this week, but at what percentage of health is a concern for bettors? Adams’ NFL player stats will likely show that he is a premiere receiver once again, but for now, bettors should tread likely if you’re counting on his production. We conclude our Steelers vs Raiders preview with our official selection.

It’s Tough To Imagine Points

With only four other games with a total of less than 43, NFL betting lines support what we’ve thought all along. Neither offense has shown enough to put my money behind which means the only option left is the under.

Pittsburgh does not have a track record of playing well on the West Coast with 37 losses in their last 57 attempts, including a 4-8 mark against Las Vegas. Granted they don’t play every season, but Pittsburgh hasn’t beaten the Raiders on the road since 1995.

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said that there would be some special travel plans put in place to ensure his team is sharp, but until we see otherwise from either side, we’re not counting on the offenses to present a crisp brand of football for 60 minutes.

Take the under and pray that turnovers that lead to short fields don’t hurt us. That does it for our Steelers vs Raiders preview, we wish you nothing but the best with your wagers this weekend.

For NFL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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