Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) vs. Tennessee Titans (3-0 SU, 0-3 ATS)
Week 4 NFL
Date/Time: Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 1PM EST
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
TV: CBS
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Betting Odds: PIT+1/TEN -1
Over/Under Total: 47.5
Somebody's "0" has got to go in Nashville, as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. The Steelers pushed it to 3-0 on Sunday with a 28-21 win over the Texans in a hard-fought game at Heinz Field. The Titans, meanwhile, were able to win their third tough game in three weeks, with yet another late surge securing a hard-earned victory. Those backing the Titans haven't seen any success, as Tennessee has yet to cover the spread on the young season. But for Tennessee to win the way they have is showing a lot. Who can take it to 4-0 on Sunday?
It hasn't been easy and they haven't really looked that great doing it, but Tennessee is winning. And that's something that they've been able to consistently do since going on a run last season to make the playoffs and then scoring two upsets to get to the AFC Championship. Combine that with a 3-0 start this season and we see a team that knows how to cultivate good things late. And with so many games coming down to the end, it's really great to have a mentally-tough team that can make things happen in crunch-time. It's not always pretty, but they get the job done.
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Say what you will about Titans' quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but he really seems to be a good fit with this offense. He operates smoothly and is in many ways an ideal field general for this group. Derrick Henry has picked right up where he left off, with his third straight 100-yard game and two TDs against the Vikings on Sunday. Normal Tannehill targets like Corey Davis, Jonnu Smith, and Adam Humphries were all productive, with unheard-of Kalif Raymond chiming in with 118 receiving yards, including a 61-yarder. Any questions about their offensive line have been answered through three weeks.
With wins over the Broncos, Jaguars, and Vikings, the Titans have been beating some pretty wayward squads who only have a single win among the group. Therefore, things that have been working might not go over so well in this spot. That's a pretty weak three-pack of teams and Tennessee is barely winning. We've seen the defense start to fray a bit in the last few games, giving up 30 or more to both the Vikings and the Jaguars. They've been able to make enough plays to turn the tide and on Sunday, Jonathan Joseph and Amani Hooker both got picks, with Jeffrey Simmons getting to the quarterback. It's just that there are stretches of the game where they haven't been that tight and that could cost them to a greater degree this week. Still, they've won twice on the road and get this one at home with a good feeling in the locker-room.
Against a hungry Texans team that was eager to get their first win of the season, the Steelers were able to overcome a 14-3 deficit and dominate in the second half as they kept the Texans scoreless. It was yet another dominant defensive display and it came against an offense that has some tools, After some sloppy sequences in the first half, they took over late. They dominated the Texans' run-game, while the Steelers were both able to run the rock, with Roethlisberger connecting with his best targets for scoring grabs. They look for more this week.
We're seeing the Steelers starting to put together a nice run-game. We've seen James Conner coming to life recently and he had another 100-yard game on Sunday, with others chiming in, as well. Ben Roethlisberger was hardly electric on Sunday, but he hit both TE Eric Ebron and JuJu Smith-Schuster for touchdowns. The O-line had a few slip-ups, but generally did another good job in both keeping their elder QB protected and springing the run-game.
What looms as perhaps even a bigger threat to Tennessee is the defense of the Steelers, which is shaping into a tip-top group. We saw it last year, though it was obscured by an impotent Roethlisberger-less offense. With the other side of the ball sharing in so much of the heavy lifting, we can now plainly see the true level of menace this "D" brings to the table. The front is fierce, solid as a rock against the run, while also able to bring the heat to opposing quarterbacks. That Tennessee offensive line should be tested to a degree it hasn't seen yet this season. Mike Hilton got a pick on Sunday and this whole unit is replete with guys who can change a game on a dime. And there is no relief, as they are solid across all areas and on all sides. When dialed-in, it might be the best defense in the conference.
It's not easy to make a pick here. There's so much contrasting data. I think the Titans can be competitive in this spot. It's not easy to run the ball against the Steelers and it could be a hard day for Henry, but he's the right guy for the job and if someone can run against them, why not him? With a mobile QB in Tannehill, it could open things up and with good receiver and tight end options, they should be able to spray it around a little. They look to make plays on "D" and stem a Pittsburgh offense that really isn't one of the better units they've had in recent seasons. I like the Titans to cover on Sunday. I'll take Tennessee in this one.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Tennessee Titans minus 1 point. Bet this game for FREE by taking advantage of a massive 100% sign-up bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $500 at GTBets!
