OUR PICK
STEELERS
L.A. Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Week 13 Betting Odds:
Spread:
Chargers +3(-110)
vs. Steelers -3(-110)
Total:
Over 51.5(-112)
Under 51.5(-108)
Betting odds provided by Sportsbetting.ag
Chargers vs. Steelers Pick:
Like I said with the Patriots. It’s December now so let’s see where they are at in the most important month of the season. That goes for the Chargers too, because there are plenty of non-believers out there. The Chargers haven’t been featured in many primetime games, so they’ve been shielded from public view.
As a result, what you get is no one who has been exposed to Rivers and the Chargers this season. They can’t even get any attention in the local scene because of the Rams. The Chargers will have their platform this evening in Pittsburgh.
Rivers has thrown 26 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. His QB rating has been stellar at 115.7. Mahomes and Brees are the only quarterbacks in the league who have a higher rating. We’ll see how he performs in this environment with the pressure on, though.
The Chargers haven’t had too many of those games this season. They blasted the Arizona Cardinals, 45-10, in a win that impressed nobody considering who the opponent was. One of the underlying driving forces of the Chargers has been their defense. They have given up 14.1 points per game in their previous seven games, but that number could be deceiving.
Why is it deceiving? Look at the offenses they played during that stretch. The Raiders twice, Browns, Titans, Seahawks, Broncos, and Cardinals. Denver ranks 15th and Seattle 16th offensively in the league. Those are the best from that group. The Steelers are 4th with 420.8 yards of offense per game.
The last time they played a solid offense, the Rams throttled the Chargers for 35 points. They were outgained by 165 yards in that contest. Goff threw for over 350 yards and Gurley topped 100 yards on the ground. Don’t expect a performance like that from the Steelers, but I like them to move the ball here. Note that the Steelers have gone 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a loss. They’ve been on the road the last two weeks and should feel more comfortable in the spotlight at Heinz Field on Sunday Night Football. I’ve been praising how under the radar the Chargers have been all season, but look for the Steelers to steal the Chargers’ thunder on the national stage Sunday night.
Kyle is a veteran of TheSportsGeek and has spent nearly a decade providing accurate sports picks and writeups here. He has been a sports handicapper for 10+ years and started sharing his picks and thoughts in 2011 at TheSportsGeek. His expertise spans across multiple sports, including the NFL, NCAAF, MLB, NHL, and horse racing. Prior to writing for TheSportsGeek, Kyle was a fantasy football expert, who ultimately parlayed it into a successful sports betting career. You can find his picks daily only at TheSportsGeek.
