Patriots vs. Steelers Picks, Predictions NFL Week 2: Can Patriots Rebound from Disappointing Week 1?
New England Patriots QB Mac Jones will look for better health and a better performance against a surprising Pittsburgh Steelers team that's without star linebacker T.J. Watt for the first time this season. Here are our top Patriots-Steelers picks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers began their first season without Ben Roethlisberger with an upset road win over the rival and reigning AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals. They now kick off their 2022 home schedule against the Patriots in Week 2.
The Patriots are hoping for a better offensive showing than last week’s effort against the Miami Dolphins. New England suffered a 20-7 loss after closing as a 3-point underdog. Pittsburgh won last week's turnover battle 5-0 while the Patriots lost theirs by a 3-0 count.
Here are our top picks for Patriots-Steelers NFL Week 2 (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and Caesars Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Patriots vs. Steelers Game Info
Date: Sunday, Sept 18, 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Location: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
Weather: 84 degrees, 0% chance of precipitation, 7-mph winds
Patriots vs. Steelers Odds Analysis
The spread has stayed put at Patriots -2.5 even with Watt being placed on injured reserve. Sixty-one percent of the tickets are on the Steelers to cover but those account for just 51% of the handle as the sharp money seems to be on the visitors.
The market consensus sides heavily with the Under, dropping the total from 42.5 to 40.5. The Under has drawn 92% of the handle on 72% of the tickets.
Patriots vs. Steelers Picks
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Patriots vs. Steelers ATS Pick
Patriots -2 (-110) ★★★★★
The Steelers might have pulled off the most surprising victory of Week 1, upsetting the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals on their own field as touchdown underdogs. But take a closer look at the boxscore, and suddenly that victory isn’t quite as impressive.
Despite enjoying a 5-0 advantage in turnovers and scoring a defensive touchdown, the Steelers still would have lost the game if not for a blocked extra point at the end of regulation and the Bengals missing a chip-shot field goal in overtime.
New England won’t be as charitable with the ball this week, especially after turnovers and missed blocking assignments cost the Pats dearly last week in Miami. The Steelers’ defense also won’t be able to wreak as much havoc without superstar linebacker T.J. Watt, who suffered a pectoral injury in the opener and was placed on injured reserve Thursday morning.
Patriots vs. Steelers O/U Pick
Under 40.5 (-110) ★★
This total is one of the lowest on the Week 2 NFL board, but I’m not convinced it’s quite low enough. Neither offense has very much big-play potential in it right now, and both teams will likely turn to the running game early and often in order to keep the clock running and shorten the contest.
New England enjoyed success on the ground against Miami, but a big second-half deficit prevented the Pats from staying committed to it. Expect New England to run the ball a lot to minimize the hits on Jones, who is dealing with a sore back.
Meanwhile, the Steelers aren’t looking to air it out with Mitch Trubisky, who averaged 5.63 yards per attempt last week with his only TD pass a one-yard throw to running back Najee Harris.
Patriots vs. Steelers Prop Pick
Bourne to score a touchdown (+420) ★★★
Whether it’s Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia, or Joe Judge calling the offensive plays in New England, the pressure is on to get wide receiver Kendrick Bourne more involved. Pats owner Robert Kraft is unhappy that Bourne saw just two snaps in last week’s opener, even if it was a disciplinary measure for missing a meeting in the preseason.
Bourne was the team’s second-leading receiver in 2021, collecting 800 yards and five touchdowns, and New England’s offense sputtered without him on the field against Miami. Even in a game with such a low total, these fat odds make it worthwhile taking a shot at Bourne finding the end zone against Pittsburgh.
Where to Bet on Patriots-Steelers Picks
SEE ALSO: All picks, odds, and sports betting news. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.
Patriots-Steelers picks made 9/15/2022 at 9:13 a.m. ET
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