As far as preseason games go, Seahawks vs Steelers is a pretty high-stakes matchup. It won’t matter much who wins or loses, but with each team entering the year with an all-new quarterback situation, this one may genuinely be worth watching.
The Seahawks have a new signal-caller in Drew Lock, who the franchise acquired in the Russell Wilson trade. On the other side, the Steelers roster Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, and Mason Rudolph, all of whom will be vying for the starting job come Week 1.
Who will come out on top in this contest? Here’s a look at our Seattle vs Pittsburgh best bets and predictions for preseason Week 1.
Seahawks vs Steelers Odds
The Steelers are favored by three points in this matchup, which makes sense given that they’re playing on their home field. Pittsburgh is notorious for having supportive fans, and they’ll be eager to see who will be their quarterback of the future following Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement.
Be sure to keep tabs on the latest NFL odds as we approach kickoff.
Seahawks vs Steelers Implied Score
Steelers 19.25, Seahawks 16.25
The oddsmakers have this one pegged as a low-scoring, competitive matchup. Neither team is expected to score more than two touchdowns, so don’t expect fireworks to fly in this contest.
Seahawks vs Steelers Pick of the Day
Read more on this Seahawks vs Steelers bet below.
Seahawks vs Steelers Matchup
As I alluded to earlier, this matchup is all about the quarterbacks. For Seattle, all eyes will be on Lock, who underwhelmed over three seasons in Denver. How will he adjust to his new offense? And if incumbent backup Geno Smith outplays him, how will the franchise react?
For Pittsburgh, this will be the first big-league test for Pickett, as well as a chance for Trubisky (and Rudolph, to a lesser extent) to prove why they deserve the starting job. Trubisky will get the start on Saturday, but it’s likely that all three quarterbacks spend a reasonable amount of time on the field.
Seahawks vs Steelers Prediction
Steelers 20, Seahawks 13
From the sound of it, the Seahawks will have fewer weapons available than the Steelers. DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Rashaad Penny are all expected to spend minimal time on the field (if any at all), meaning Lock and Smith could struggle to move the ball.
The Steelers, on the other end, are all about developing their young talent.
Even with Trubisky starting, Pickett should still see a healthy number of snaps, as should Najee Harris, Chase Claypool, George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Pat Freiermuth. That should help Pittsburgh score a few times, at least early on.
I’m expecting Seattle to have a tough time navigating Pittsburgh’s defense (including their backups) and for the Steelers to benefit from some early offense. Still, there will be field goals aplenty in this game, as both teams will likely struggle in the red zone.
Seahawks vs Steelers Bet Tips
Don’t spend too much time thinking about your bets in this game. Preseason wagers are notoriously hard to make given the unpredictability of what takes place on the field. If anything, based on recent trends, I would suggest placing a bet on the Under more than anything else here.
Seahawks vs Steelers Best Bets
Under 35.5 Total Points (-110) at BetMGM Sportsbook
Neither one of these teams is known for its offensive prowess, and that should come through in the preseason opener. Seattle isn’t likely to get much going on offense from Lock or Smith, and regardless of who the Steelers choose to stick with for the majority of this one, they probably won’t score many points either.
I’m anticipating a slow, lower-scoring contest between two teams that are simply trying to figure things out on offense. Don’t bet on this one being a shootout, but rather take the Under as your NFL pick of the day.
Steelers -3 (-110) at BetMGM Sportsbook
Betting on the outcome of this game is truly a shot in the dark, but given the circumstances, I like the Steelers to cover this spread at home. They’ll have more reliable offensive weapons on the field, and although I only expect them to score into the low 20s, it should be enough to win by at least four points.
