Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers play the Green Bay Packers this week, and veteran QB Aaron Rodgers seeks revenge against his former team.
According to the latest NFL odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Steelers are a +3 home underdog this Sunday night, and the number has barely budged so far (it briefly rose to 3.5 on Tuesday but was quickly adjusted back to 3).
Can the Steelers beat the spread or win outright? Here are my three best bets for the upcoming Aaron Rodgers bowl.
The 2025 Steelers average 13 first-half points, up from 9.4 in 2024.
The Packers, however, average 10.5.
Green Bay doesn’t have to start fast on offense, however. Their stingy defense leads the way, surrendering an average of 5.8 points before halftime.
But the Packers D doesn’t scare me in the first half. The last time the Steelers played a top-10 defense was in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. In that game, the Steelers went into halftime with a 14-7 lead.
I expect similar first-half results on Sunday night.
The Steelers’ offense is good.
I know that’s hard to believe after nearly a decade of dead-armed Ben Roethlisberger, Kenny Pickett, Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields.
However, the Arthur Smith offense, featuring Aaron Rodgers, is scoring points, averaging 25 per game. Rodgers hasn’t been helped much by the ground game that averages only 3.9 yards per carry.
And the long ball just isn’t there. The Steelers average only 7.4 yards per passing attempt. Rodgers is getting the job done with brains, guile, and experience.
Yet, I don’t think this game hits over because of the Steelers’ offense, even though I expect the unit to score over 20 points. This game goes over because the Steelers’ defense is a counterfeit Rolex.
The Steelers defense ranks 28th in yards allowed per game (374.7), 22nd in yards per play (5.7), and 31st in passing yards allowed per game (258.8).
The Green Bay Packers offense, led by QB Jordan Love and RB Josh Jacobs, is the seventh-most prolific offense in the league, averaging 26.3 points per game. Jacobs and Love should be able to move the ball and score against a disappointing Steelers’ defense.
I’ve been waiting all week for this line to jump to 3.5, but it has held steady at a field goal. I’d like to think the public, after the inept showing last Thursday against the Bengals, would jump on the Packers and bet them up.
That hasn’t happened, but I’m still taking the Steelers.
During Mike Tomlin’s tenure, the Steelers are 7-2 following a Thursday Night Football loss on the road. While the stats aren’t in the Steelers’ favor, I have full faith that Aaron Rodgers will put on a show against his former team, and the Steelers D will do just enough to slow the Packers’ attack.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: [Sunday Night Football: Take...
