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Steelers Colts Spread

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts were considered Super Bowl contenders heading into the 2011 season. After getting word that the Colts would be without Peyton Manning for roughly half of the season, Indy is no longer in the running. Pittsburgh looked like anything but a contender when after losing 7-35 to Baltimore in their opener. These teams will collide on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in a game that was highly anticipated coming into the year, but now it appears the outcome is fairly predictable.

Taking a look at the week 3 NFL lines, I find the Steelers as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total set of 39.5 points.

Pittsburgh

The Steelers committed seven turnovers in their 7-35 loss to Baltimore in week 1, but responded well in week 2 with a 24-0 home victory over the Seattle Seahawks. It was Pittsburgh’s first shutout since 2008. Many questioned whether the Steelers’ defense was too old to continue their dominance after such a bad loss to the Ravens, but they answered that question emphatically. Pittsburgh outgained Seattle 421-164 and held nearly a 2-to-1 edge in time of possession.

Pittsburgh ranks No. 2 in the league in total defense (274.5 yards/game). They were thought to be vulnerable against the pass after Aaron Rodgers lit them up in the Super Bowl, but the Steelers have actually showed some improvement thus far in that category. Pittsburgh is No. 4 in the NFL in pass defense (174.0 yards/game). They rank No. 13 in total offense (366.5 yards/game), but would like to get more from a running game that is 19th in rushing (95.0 yards/game).

Ben Roethlisberger injured his knee in the Seattle game, but he returned and is listed as probable for Sunday’s showdown with the Colts. Roethlisberger is completing 62.0 percent of his passes for 578 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions. Rashard Mendenhall has rushed 31 times for 111 yards and a score. Mike Wallace leads all receivers with 16 receptions for 233 yards and a touchdown, quietly continuing to prove that he’s one of the most underrated players in the league.

Indianapolis

The Colts (0-2) will play the first of five scheduled prime-time nationally televised games Sunday night. Of course, the schedule came out long before the NFL knew Peyton Manning would have to miss time. The four-time MVP certainly draws a lot of national attention, but without him the Colts will likely continue to struggle in these big games. This will be the fifth consecutive year that Indy is scheduled for five prime-time contests.

Indy has opened 0-2 for the first time since losing their first four games back in 1998, which was Manning’s rookie season. They lost 7-34 at Houston in their opener, then fell 19-27 to Cleveland at home last week. In the two losses, the Colts have converted only 5 of 23 third-down opportunities, ranking them 31st in the league. From 2005-10, Indy had a 49.6 percent success rate on third down, which was 4.3 percent ahead of the next-closest team.

Kerry Collins has struggled mightily in Manning’s place, completing just 50.7 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and one interceptions. Collins has already turned the ball over four times, with three coming via fumble. Reggie Wayne is still doing what he does, catching 11 balls for 172 yards and a score. Joseph Addai has rebounded nicely this year, rushing 22 times for 103 yards while averaging 4.7/carry. Surprisingly, Collins is 3-1 in his career as a starter against the Steelers with five touchdowns to one interception.

Betting Trends

The Colts won the last meeting in Pittsburgh 24-20 back in 2008. The Steelers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite, but just 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.

The Colts are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater. However, Indy is just 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games.

Sign up for a premium package from expert handicapper Jack Jones today and take your bankroll to new heights through NFL wagering in 2011.