Week 9 of the NFL season is set to kick off on Thursday night as the Tennessee Titans will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers. The AFC Playoff race is wide open at this time, and the winner of this game will pick up a massive win.
Tennessee is coming into this game with momentum as they picked up a big 28-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8. The Titans are still just 3-4 on the year, but they are still in the race in the AFC South Division.
Pittsburgh has been up and down all season long, and they are a team that is desperately searching for some consistency. The Steelers are still 4-3 on the year, but they looked bad in a Week 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 2.5-point betting favorites over the Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football.
Levis Leading the Titans
The Tennessee Titans are going to ride the hot hand on Thursday night, and that means that rookie quarterback Will Levis will be making the start. Levis threw four touchdown passes in the win in Week 8, and he comes into this game with some confidence.
Levis will also be looking to hand the ball off a ton in this game as running back Derrick Henry had 101 rushing yards last weekend. Pittsburgh will be coming after Levis in this game in an attempt to create some turnovers.
The defense for the Titans has been up and down this season, but that unit will need to play well in this game. Tennessee actually has better defensive numbers than Pittsburgh, but now they have to prove it on the field.
Steelers Must Score Points
It’s never easy to score touchdowns in the National Football League, but the Steelers tend to make it harder than most teams. Pittsburgh scored just 10 points last weekend, and they are averaging just 80 rushing yards per game.
The Steelers should get a boost in this game as quarterback Kenny Pickett will be making a return to the field in this one. Pittsburgh has been horrible on offense at times this season, but Pickett has the tools to lead the way.
Pittsburgh is giving up 137 rushing yards per game this season, and that could be a major issue against Derrick Henry and the Titans. The Steelers will need to be strong in the trenches in order to set the tone in this one.
Steelers Slip Past the Titans
If you are someone that likes to watch a high-scoring football game, then this is not going to be the game for you. There will be some great defense played in this game, and each team is going to be looking to establish the run and defend.
Tennessee is going to try and use a rookie quarterback on the road in this game, and that is going to create some serious issues. It’s hard to trust the Steelers on the offensive side of the football, but they are going to do just enough to pick up a win in this game.
Bet the Pittsburgh Steelers -2.5 as they get past the Tennessee Titans to begin Week 9 of the NFL season with a win.
