Pittsburgh (2-0) at Tennessee (1-1)
When: Sunday, August 25, 2019
Where: Nissan Stadium,
Nashville, Tennessee
Time: 8:00 ET | TV: NBC
Opening Odds: Tennessee -3/41.5
For the second year in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans will meet in a Week 3 preseason matchup and this one will conclude the weekend around the NFL – live on NBC’s Sunday Night Football telecast. The Steelers are off to a good start this summer despite not having Antonio Brown or Le’Veon Bell on the roster and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has yet to see any action. Pittsburgh has won both preseason games thus far including a 17-7 victory last week against Kansas City and will venture to the road for the first time. The Titans have split their first two contests with a 27-10 road win at Philadelphia and 22-17 home loss to New England. Tennessee fell 16-6 at Pittsburgh during Week 3 of the preseason last August with quarterback Blaine Gabbert getting most of the snaps in that one. Gabbert has been replaced by Ryan Tannehill, who will push incumbent Marcus Mariota for the starting job.
The Steelers come into this contest with an 8-2 straight up and against the spread record in their last 10 preseason games and will begin the regular season as the second choice behind the Cleveland Browns to win the AFC North. Roethlisberger is expected to play on Sunday and went 11-of-18 for 114 yards and a touchdown in the win over Tennessee last preseason. Big Ben threw for a career best 5129 yards last season while throwing 34 TD passes and 16 INT.
The Titans have not fared well in preseason games, going 2-8 straight up and against the spread in their last 10 and oddsmakers aren’t giving them a chance to win the AFC South. Tennessee sits behind Indianapolis, Houston, and Jacksonville after going 9-7 SU and 8-8 ATS last season. Mariota seems to be feeling some pressure to keep his job after he dismissed a reporter’s question about a possible battle for QB1 in Tennessee. Mariota has just one year left on his deal, and the Titans have been non-committal about re-signing the former Heisman Trophy winner.
The battle between Mariota and Tannehill is getting interesting and I expect both to look sharp. The Steelers need to be careful with the only franchise-type player they have left on the roster. The Titans will come away with a close win here.
Pick: Titans -2.5
Steelers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. AFC.
Steelers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games on grass.
Titans are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 home games.
Titans are 20-46-4 ATS in their last 70 vs. AFC.
Titans are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
Under is 6-1 in Steelers last 7 vs. AFC.
Under is 5-1 in Steelers last 6 games on grass.
Under is 5-2 in Steelers last 7 games overall.
Under is 36-16 in Steelers last 52 road games.
Over is 4-0 in Titans last 4 home games.
Over is 4-0 in Titans last 4 games on grass.
Over is 4-0 in Titans last 4 vs. AFC.
Over is 5-1 in Titans last 6 games overall.
Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Tennessee.
Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Underdog is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 meetings.
