The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles are both underdogs for Week 4, according to NFL oddsmakers at Pennsylvania sportsbooks.
Let’s take a look at each game for the Keystone State’s NFL teams, who are both 1-2.
Steelers Face Rodgers, Packers
The Steelers (1-2 in the AFC North, 1-2 against the spread), reeling from a home loss to Cincinnati, are in Green Bay to play the Packers (2-1, 2-1 ATS).
Disturbing for Steelers’ fans is that the 24-10 loss to the Bengals last Sunday didn’t look like a fluke. The game appeared to expose the Steelers’ biggest problem as a fatal flaw this season – the offensive line. From tackle-to-tackle, the O-line is revamped and so far, the results have been painful for QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was sacked four times and threw two interceptions against Cincinnati.
Meanwhile, on Sunday night the Packers took a lead against San Francisco, saw it melt away, but then got an Aaron Rodgers scoring drive that ended with a 51-yard FG from veteran kicker Mason Crosby to edge the 49ers, 30-28.
In PA sports betting, the Steelers were getting 6.5 points as of Thursday afternoon at most places, with TwinSpires Sportsbook offering the Steelers at +7. The Packers are -290 on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook and up to -300 elsewhere, but those odds have not dissuaded the public from gong with Rodgers and the Packers. Green Bay is getting 91% of the point spread cash and 63% of the moneyline cash.
Prediction: The Steelers tore up their offensive line in the offseason and started from scratch. It might have been a necessary move for the longer term but the new alignment hasn’t coalesced yet and Big Ben, the veteran QB, is paying the price. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s Rodgers is getting into the season. Packers 30, Steelers 14.
Eagles Face Long Odds vs. Chiefs
The Philadelphia Eagles are hard to like as a betting proposition no matter the opponent and they are deservedly 7-point underdogs to much more talented Kansas City team this week. The Eagles (1-2 in the NFC East, 1-2 ATS) are coming off a 41-21 trouncing in Dallas, and after a short week following a Monday night game, they take on the Chiefs, who have been to the last two Super Bowls.
And one more thing, the game is in Philly with an Eagles crowd that will be stoked after their team was humiliated on national TV. If he misses on his first few passes, second-year Eagles QB Jalen Hurts will find out his honeymoon in Philadelphia is over.
Kansas City (1-2 in the NFC West) has also lost its last two games and its 0-3 record ATS is a continuation of a trend that ran through the second half of 2020. Kansas City has been abysmal against the spread even though the Chiefs went to Super Bowl 56, where they lost to Tampa Bay.
Against the Eagles, the Chiefs are 7- to 7.5-point favorites so far. The Over/Under is 54.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook and others, or 54 at some places.
The Chiefs should have no trouble getting their season on track against Philadelphia. The Eagles’ offensive problems are serious with as many as three starting offensive lineman out of commission. As a result, they cannot sustain drives and that’s hurting a pretty good defense. And anyone looking at this game has to ask: Is it likely that Patrick Mahomes will lose three games in a row?
The public says, resoundingly: No. The bettors are backing the Chiefs by 99% on the moneyline, even with KC at -300 with FOX Bet Sportsbook and -310 or more elsewhere. Some spread money is going to Philly but K.C. still has 87% of the spread handle.
Prediction: The winner here is not in doubt, just the score. Chiefs 35, Eagles 10.
