After both teams suffered losses last week, the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers will battle for a chance to get back into the win column.
However, with question marks surrounding both teams’ passers, this is an interesting game to bet on. It’s also a game that could turn ugly very quickly, with the defensive units likely controlling the contest.
Let’s dig into this matchup and highlight some wagers to consider.
Please note that all Broncos vs Steelers odds and lines are current as of Friday, October 8.
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Broncos vs Steelers Prediction
The Broncos suffered their first loss of the season in Week 4, and injuries came with it. With both starting offensive guards out, pressure came at Teddy Bridgewater often, and he ended up exiting the game with a concussion. Of course, timetables for concussions are tricky, but he is expected to be starting on Sunday, as are both guards.
Defensively, the Broncos are still one of the better units in the league. They may also add cornerback Ronald Darby to the equation this week as he is eligible to come off IR. While the Steelers offense hasn’t been great, having another cornerback to chase around their talented wide receivers will be huge for the Broncos’ success at Pittsburgh.
After starting the season with a big win over the Buffalo Bills, it has been all downhill for the Steelers. The offensive line is weak, putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger to make reads quickly and get the ball out of his hands. This has caused him to look even older than he actually is, and Steeler Nation whispers of a quarterback change have become a bit louder. Of course, they would still have the offensive line issue.
Defensively, the Steelers have one of the best units in the league, when healthy. They aren’t healthy right now, however. Cam Sutton, Joe Haden, Alex Highsmith, T.J. Watt and Devin Bush have all dealt with groin injuries, which allowed allowed Green Bay to run effectively last week. If they bail the Broncos out and let them run with efficiency as well, they will surely suffer the same outcome as the past three weeks.
Prediction: Broncos 21, Steelers 17
Broncos vs Steelers Best Bets
Best Bet: Total Points Under 39.5 points (-109) at Unibet
Wager: 1 Unit
With quarterback being a question mark for Denver and the offensive line being so poor for Pittsburgh, it’s tough to have any confidence in either offense. This feeling is doubled once looking at both defenses, which feature playmakers at every single level.
On top of how these teams match up, we can also look at the NFL betting trends for these teams. Every single one of the Steelers’ games has hit the Under this season, and the total has gone under by an average of 5.2 points. The same can be said for the Broncos, though their games have gone under by an average of 10.1 points.
Not only is the Under hitting consistently for both teams, but it’s also going under by quite a bit.
Best Bet: Tie No Bet First Half: Broncos (-122) at Unibet
Wager: 1 Unit
In this game prop, if the score is a tie heading into halftime, we get our money back. However, if the Broncos are leading, we get paid.
The Steelers may strike first in this game, but they have shown to be very quiet after that first strike. Pittsburgh averages only 6.0 first-half points, which is 31st in the NFL. Denver, on the other hand, averages 11.0 first-half points.
The return of Bridgewater is huge. He should have the offense operating efficiently, despite the dwindling receiving corps. Best of all, he should be poised enough to eliminate most mistakes. That is all the Broncos need to do to defeat Pittsburgh, as they will take more chances.
Broncos vs Steelers Same Game Parlay Picks
Same Game Parlay Odds: (+230) at Unibet
- Broncos Moneyline
- Under 40
Wager: 0.5 Unit
We discussed above why this game points to the Under hitting again for both teams.
Now, let’s discuss “Teddy Covers." Bridgewater has started 26 road games in his career. He has covered the spread in 90.5% of those games. While he is technically not an underdog in this game, the spread is close. He has been an underdog in 21 of those 26 games, and he won 11 of those 21 times outright.
The Broncos may play conservative, boring football in this game, but they know it’s the recipe for success against teams like the Steelers.
