Steelers look to start 3-0 ATS with Batch at QB
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PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-0)
at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-0)
Kickoff: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT, Line: Pittsburgh -3, Total: 33
Two unlikely unbeatens try to leave Tampa with 3-0 records on Sunday. The Steelers have not scored an offensive touchdown in regulation but their opportunistic defense has already forced eight turnovers, including seven in last week’s win at Tennessee. Tampa Bay has used a similar aggressive defense to force six turnovers and hold its opponents to 21 total points in two wins over Cleveland and Carolina.
With Ben Roethlisberger still suspended, injuries to Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich have forced the Steelers to use their fourth-best quarterback Charlie Batch on Sunday. Batch is 3-1 SU and ATS in four career starts for Pittsburgh, but he had a dismal performance last week (5-for-11 for 25 yards with two fumbles). The Steelers will once again rely on the legs of Rashard Mendenhall to move the football. Mendenhall rumbled for 120 yards Week 1 against Atlanta, but was held to 69 yards on 23 carries at Tennessee. WR Hines Ward has been hobbled by a calf injury and only had one catch against the Titans, but he is expected to play this Sunday.
Tampa Bay ranks 24th in the NFL with 280.5 YPG, and the Bucs offense will be less than 100 percent due to some key injuries. RB Cadillac Williams is nursing a hamstring injury, backup RB Kareem Huggins missed last week’s game due to a groin injury and TE Kellen Winslow has missed practice time this week because of a knee injury. All three are expected to play, but that may not be enough for QB Josh Freeman to gain yardage against a stellar Pittsburgh defense that has allowed just 266.5 YPG and 20 total points this year.
These teams have met just three times in the past 10 years (2001, 2002, 2006) but all three have been similar results with the Steelers going 3-0 SU, ATS and UNDER. But this FoxSheets trend shows that Pittsburgh’s turnover luck is not likely to hold up, making Tampa Bay the pick for Sunday:
Play Against - Favorites (PITTSBURGH) - after a game where they forced 4 or more turnovers against opponent after a game where they committed no turnovers. (103-59 since 1983.) (63.6%, +38.1 units. Rating = 2*).
The FoxSheets also like the Under here:
TAMPA BAY is 48-23 UNDER (+22.7 Units) after a win by 10 or more points since 1992. The average score was TAMPA BAY 18.6, OPPONENT 16.5 - (Rating = 2*).
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PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-0)
at TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-0)
Kickoff: Sunday, 1:00 p.m. EDT, Line: Pittsburgh -3, Total: 33
Two unlikely unbeatens try to leave Tampa with 3-0 records on Sunday. The Steelers have not scored an offensive touchdown in regulation but their opportunistic defense has already forced eight turnovers, including seven in last week’s win at Tennessee. Tampa Bay has used a similar aggressive defense to force six turnovers and hold its opponents to 21 total points in two wins over Cleveland and Carolina.
With Ben Roethlisberger still suspended, injuries to Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich have forced the Steelers to use their fourth-best quarterback Charlie Batch on Sunday. Batch is 3-1 SU and ATS in four career starts for Pittsburgh, but he had a dismal performance last week (5-for-11 for 25 yards with two fumbles). The Steelers will once again rely on the legs of Rashard Mendenhall to move the football. Mendenhall rumbled for 120 yards Week 1 against Atlanta, but was held to 69 yards on 23 carries at Tennessee. WR Hines Ward has been hobbled by a calf injury and only had one catch against the Titans, but he is expected to play this Sunday.
Tampa Bay ranks 24th in the NFL with 280.5 YPG, and the Bucs offense will be less than 100 percent due to some key injuries. RB Cadillac Williams is nursing a hamstring injury, backup RB Kareem Huggins missed last week’s game due to a groin injury and TE Kellen Winslow has missed practice time this week because of a knee injury. All three are expected to play, but that may not be enough for QB Josh Freeman to gain yardage against a stellar Pittsburgh defense that has allowed just 266.5 YPG and 20 total points this year.
These teams have met just three times in the past 10 years (2001, 2002, 2006) but all three have been similar results with the Steelers going 3-0 SU, ATS and UNDER. But this FoxSheets trend shows that Pittsburgh’s turnover luck is not likely to hold up, making Tampa Bay the pick for Sunday:
Play Against - Favorites (PITTSBURGH) - after a game where they forced 4 or more turnovers against opponent after a game where they committed no turnovers. (103-59 since 1983.) (63.6%, +38.1 units. Rating = 2*).
The FoxSheets also like the Under here:
TAMPA BAY is 48-23 UNDER (+22.7 Units) after a win by 10 or more points since 1992. The average score was TAMPA BAY 18.6, OPPONENT 16.5 - (Rating = 2*).
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