What we have scheduled for the Sunday Night Football game this week is a matchup that promises to be compelling between two quality teams.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had their unbeaten string snapped six days ago when they got clipped at home by the Washington Redskins, 23-17.
The win gave Washington a chance against the New York Giants in the NFC East Division. They both have five wins entering this week’s action, but New York has a pair of straight-up wins over Washington, which means if they end the season with the same won/loss record, the Giants get the tiebreaker edge.
The Giants lost earlier today, at home against the Arizona Cardinals, and Washington now has an opportunity with a sixth win today of pulling ahead of them in their competitive division race. A sixth win for the 49ers today, who provide the competition for Washington this week, would still have them buried in the NFC West cellar behind the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals.
As for the Bills, they got a boost today when the Miami Dolphins lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 33-27. With a win tonight, which would be their tenth of the season, Buffalo would double their week opening lead over the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East.
What we have here is a seemingly great game between two entertaining teams. While the Bills strengths and motivational advantages swing the pendulum in their direction, factors that counter that conclusion abound for an argument favoring the Steelers.
They won their first eleven games, what are the chances of them losing two straight? Followers of the theory that a team as good as the Steelers don’t lose two straight are missing the point. The only prerequisite losing two straight requires is losing the prior week, which the Steelers have already done.
Do they bounce off their Monday night home loss to the Redskins with a big effort on the road against the talented Bills?
They matchup well. Pittsburgh leads the league in sacks and appears uniquely qualified to blunt the efforts of Josh Allen, who is a lot more effective when he is not pressured.
What quarterback isn’t?
But in Allen’s case, the edge is rather significant. Last Monday night against the 49ers, the San Francisco pass rush seldom pressured the Bills quarterback and he flourished in that environment. Against Pittsburgh, he faces their prolific pass rush..
Off a loss and with the weapons to succeed, the Steelers are the choice tonight.
Two games between the two teams strongly favors the squad that has two less wins, operating from the premise that two quality teams are less likely to create a three game gap while a more likely outcome is the competition to end the week with a one-game gap..
So much points to Buffalo winning tonight, that one might dismiss the importance of the only thing that matters; the point spread.
Betting against the Steelers with points off a loss is not good discipline.
Which means this, we have a great game to watch tonight, but nothing to wager on.