Week 11 brings us a number of good games around the NFL, and one underrated game may be the Pittsburgh Steelers traveling to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers.
Pittsburgh is now 5-3-1 after tying the winless Detroit Lions last Sunday. The Steelers had plenty of chances to win, especially in overtime, but fumbled it away twice which led to the draw.
They are now a half-game out of first place in the AFC North as the Baltimore Ravens are 6-3.
Meanwhile, the Chargers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to Minnesota last Sunday, 27-20. Los Angeles started out of the gate red hot by winning four of their first five games, but have now lost three of their last four.
The Chargers are still 5-4 and in the thick of it for the AFC playoff race.
Justin Herbert has enjoyed a stellar sophomore season as he has 2,545 yards through the air with 19 touchdowns to seven interceptions. He has not been the reason his squad has been losing games.
It’s unclear who will start for the Steelers right now as they’re hoping to get Ben Roethlisberger out of COVID-19 protocol by Sunday. If he does have to miss the game, it will be the second in a row he has missed after he tested positive last Saturday.
Mason Rudolph will get his second start of the season if that occurs.
There are plenty of interesting bets to look into in what will be a very good matchup on Sunday night.
Please note that all NFL gameday odds and lines are current as of 1:00 p.m. ET on Friday, November 19.
Steelers vs Chargers Prop Bets: NFL Week 11 Prop Betting Picks
Spread: Steelers +6 (-110) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
Despite the Steelers being shorthanded going into this one, I like them to cover the spread. They have always played the Chargers tough on the road and the last time the two teams played there, their fanbase turned it into a home game.
Devlin (Duck) Hodges also delivered the performance of a lifetime as Pittsburgh won, 24-17.
Pittsburgh’s run game should be able to keep L.A.’s defense honest, especially if the run blocking continues to improve. Rookie Najee Harris has seen more holes open up in recent games, which has allowed him to do his thing.
The Steelers’ defense should also be able to do enough, despite Minkah Fitzpatrick not being there. He also tested positive for COVID-19 this past week and will be out.
Pittsburgh may not win, but they will keep this one closer than some may think it will be.
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Total: Under 47 Points (-110) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
Even if Roethlisberger is ready to go, Pittsburgh won’t score enough for the over to hit. The Steelers have had one of the worst offenses in the league this season, which is a bit crazy to say considering the number of playmakers they have.
The Steelers average just 19.7 points per game, which is eighth worst in the NFL.
The Chargers, meanwhile, score a tick over 24 points per game and are coming off three straight performances of putting up 20+ points.
- Read our full Steelers vs Chargers Predictions & Best Bets.
I know that the Chargers can score and without Fitzpatrick at safety, Pittsburgh is a bit more vulnerable in the passing game. That said, the Steelers defense is only averaging 20.6 opponent points per game as they’ve been a great “bend but don’t break" unit.
It’s one of the main reasons I’m taking the under in this game. Even though the Chargers do have some great weapons and have scored as of late, the Steelers defense will be able to do enough to keep it competitive.
Add the fact that Pittsburgh may have to be one-dimensional with Rudolph playing and I can’t see the over hitting unless Los Angeles somehow wins by more than four touchdowns.
Team Total: Steelers Under 20.5 Points (-115) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
This goes along with the previous bet as it will be hard for Pittsburgh to score points, especially with Rudolph potentially getting the start.
When Rudolph got the call against the Lions last Sunday, the offense only put up 16 points. That was also against one of the worst defenses in the league.
Pittsburgh will be going up against a much better Chargers defense this time around and that means Rudolph will have to be careful through the air.
He’s never been a strong passer in the NFL, which is another reason why I don’t expect the Steelers to score over 20 unless Harris goes off in the run game.
The defense is going to have to find a way to slow the Chargers down and win a slugfest of a game. Hammer the under here.
