The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the unfamiliar position of being the consensus pick to finish last in the AFC North in 2022, in no small part because of the retirement of likely Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Such preseason disrespect is an uncomfortable fit for the Steelers. After all, they never even have had a losing season under current head coach Mike Tomlin, who will be leading Pittsburgh for his 16th campaign.
So, it should put a smile on the face of Steelersā fans and catch the eyes of all interested in Pennsylvania sports betting that Pittsburgh has at least five prime-time games on its 17-game schedule.
You see, the Steelers have one of the NFLās gaudiest prime-time records, including a 20-game home winning streak for Monday, Sunday and Thursday night games dating back to 1991, when Tomlin was still a teenager and Chuck Noll was in his final season on the sideline.
The Steelers carry that reputation into a camp where a battle to be the team's next QB of the future is taking place.
Bookmakers Public About Steelersā Reputation
Talk to any bookmaker and you will hear about the NFLās so-called āpublic teams.ā
Those are teams many average players around country and those with Pennsylvania sports betting apps are predisposed to favoring even before taking into account the particulars of a given matchup. While the list of who are considered public teams changes a bit year-to-year, the perennial public teams are the Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers.
Of course, thatās because those teams have legacies that resonate with fans. But then, thereās also the fact that the public teams so frequently have gotten to take center stage in prime-time games over the years and have shined under the bright lights of national television.
How the Steelers Stack Up in Prime Time
In Monday Night games since 1970 and Sunday Night games since 1978, the Steelers, Cowboys and Packers have enjoyed the most appearances among the top 10-win percentage teams.
Here is a look at the teams with the best records on Mondays and Sundays from the timeframe above:
Of the three, the Steelers have the best winning percentage in Monday-Sunday games, going 81-50 (61.8%). Green Bay is 69-48-1 (58.5%) and Dallas is 85-71 (54.5%).
The only NFL team with a better win percentage than Pittsburgh in the Prime-Time Era is the Seattle Seahawks (54-29-1, 64.3%), but thatās over the course of far fewer games.
In strictly Monday night games, the Steelers are a spectacular 51-25 (67.1%).
With Tomlin as coach since 2007, the Steelers are 45-25 in all prime-time games.
That record of dominance will be tested again in prime time this season, with BetMGM PA and other sportsbooks seeing them as a long shot to take the division.
Steelers in Prime Time This Season
Here are the Steelersā prime-time games this season.
In addition to these five games, there remains a chance that Pittsburghās Game 17 against the Browns on either Jan. 7 or Jan. 8 also will wind up in prime time.
Given that full menu of prime-time matchups and the Steelersā track record under the lights with much of the country watching, that could bode well for where Pittsburgh finishes in the AFC North in its first season after Roethlisberger.
PennStakes.com will be there for updates on the Steelers' progress, prime-time or otherwise, as well as providing top PA sportsbook promo codes.