Carolina Panthers
vs.
Pittsburgh Steelers
NFL Pick
ATS Records
11/8/2018
By: Jason Green
Carolina Panthers (6-2 SU 5-3 ATS) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2-1 SU 5-3 ATS)
Dare I say this Thursday night Game is a Super Bowl preview? Well, there is a lot of football left to play and there are a lot of great teams in the mix, but both the Panthers and Steelers are hot. Carolina has won three in a row and five of their last six Games, but even at 6-2 they trail the red-hot New Orleans Saints by one Game in the NFC South. The Panthers are a balanced team that is led by the run Game, which ranks 2nd in the league in rushing yards per Game.
The Steelers have won Four in a row and they are back to where they are used to being, which is in first place in the AFC North. Their last three Games have all been division wins and even without star RB Le’Veon Bell’ the squad has continued their winning ways. Pittsburgh ranks in the top 10 in the league in ppg, but their offense will be tested in this Game by a hot Panthers team.
At 5Dimes sportsbook the Steelers are a 4-point home favorite with a total of 50 points.
This season the Panthers are 5-3 ATS with an O/U record of 5-3 and the Steelers are 5-3 ATS with an O/U record of 5-3.
These teams have not met since the 2014 season.
In their last Game, the Panthers were on the road and put on an offensive showcase in their 42-28 win over the Tamp Bay Buccaneers. They had 407 yards and forced the Game’s only two turnovers and they scored 35 of their points in the first half. Cam Newton was 19/25 for 247 yards and two TD with no picks and Christian McCaffrey had a big Game with 78 receiving yards and 79 rushing yards. He led the Panthers in rushing yards where the team had 179 yards on the ground.
Newton and company have a tall task this Game facing a Steelers run defense that ranks 6th in the league and stuffed the run in their last Game only allowing 61 yards on the ground.
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The Steelers were on the road in their last Game and won their 4th in a row with a 23-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens. They had 395 yards in the Game while only allowing 265 yards and they had balaNCe and played great against the run.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 270 yards and two TD with no INT and Four Steelers had at least 42 receiving yards. James Conner rushed for 107 yards and his play is one of the main reasons Pittsburgh is in the playoff race. With Bell out in his contract dispute Conner has rushed for over 100 yards in Four straight Games and in his last two Games he also has 122 receiving yards.
Carolina’s weakness on D is their pass defense and whole they did not give up a ton of passing yards in their win over the Bucs in their last Game (219 yards) they did give up Four passing TD.
Key Betting Trends
Panthers
5-0 ATS in their last 5 Games in November
5-1 ATS in their last 6 Games facing a team with a winning record
Over record of 5-2 in their last 7 Games
Steelers
4-0 ATS in their last 4 Games
2-7 ATS in their last 9 home Games
2-5 ATS in their last 7 Games facing a team with a winning record
Over record of 5-1 in their last 6 home Games
Jason’s Pick: The Steelers and Panthers are both hot and something has to give in this Game. Big Ben will play well as will Conner, but the reason why Pittsburgh will win will be their run defense. They will not stuff the run, but defend it well and keep Carolina from ranking up the yards on the ground. This will be a pretty close Game, but at home the Steelers will win and cover the spread only giving Four points.