Tennessee Titans (6-3 SU, 3-5-1 ATS) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2 SU, 5-4 ATS)
Week 11 NFL
Date/Time: Thursday Night Football, November 16, 2017 at 8:30PM EST
Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TV: NBC
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Point Spread: TEN +7/PIT -7
Over/Under Total: 44
The Tennessee Titans come to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. It's a big game, with both teams on a nice roll heading into this AFC matchup between contenders. Tennessee won their fourth game in a row with a 24-20 win over the Bengals at home on Sunday. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, also won their fourth game in a row on Sunday in a comeback 20-17 road win over the Colts. Which team can make it five in a row this week on Thursday Night Football?
Pittsburgh wasn't all that impressive Sunday against the Colts, needing two fourth-quarter scores and a field goal with time running out to seal the win. The Steelers fell behind 10-0 to the now 3-7 Colts, as we saw some of Pittsburgh's problems surfacing on Sunday. The defense has been the best part of a team that was supposed to have one of the league's most-powerful offenses. A 7-2 record is hard to argue with, but they often struggle in spots like this with the offense so seldom hitting their high notes this season.
On Sunday, the offense again wasn't that great, with Ben Roethlisberger going 19-for-31 for 236 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick. He wasn't bad and continues to develop a nice rapport with JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had 97 yards and a touchdown. TE Vance McDonald also caught a TD pass, while Antonio Brown was relatively quiet with 47 yards receiving. Also subdued on the day was RB Le'Veon Bell, who ran for 80 yards on 26 carries. They had just 316 yards of total offense on the day. Only twice in the last seven games have the Steelers put up more than 20 points of scoring. Their best playmakers on this side of the ball have been up-and-down this season, with a supporting cast that hasn't really stepped up with the exception of Smith-Schuster.
The Pittsburgh defense has been really getting after it this season—stout and adept at making big plays. Only one team in the league gives up fewer points than the Steelers this season, as they are rigid against the run and especially the pass. They got after the passer well on Sunday, with Stephon Tuitt getting a sack, with the middle adding a nice rush with Bud Dupree and Vince Williams. Also in the middle, Ryan Shazier was big and had a pick on Sunday. And with Artie Burns at the corner, with Mike Mitchell and Sean Davis at safety, their secondary has been pretty good this season. They did allow a couple of big plays on Sunday, with Indy's Jacoby Brissett striking for touchdowns of 60 and 61 yards. But holding Indy to one second half score was key in helping stage the comeback road win.
Tennessee is quietly going about their business, winning their last four and starting to stand out as a contender in this conference. There hasn't been anything flashy about it, hence the lack of overall attention they are getting. It's also a bit bizarre that a long-suffering team that is 6-3 has been so dicey against the spread, as Tennessee has covered just three times this season. They've been pretty dependable and in this league that counts for a lot, especially this season where even the top teams are erratic from week-to-week. They run the ball well and play defense, with a lot of playmaking along the way. They look for their fifth in a row this week in what would be a win that would force the public to stand up and take notice.
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The Tennessee offense was just good enough on Sunday, with Marcus Mariota throwing for 264 yards with a TD and a pick. He hit DeMarco Murray for a TD, while also connecting decently with Delanie Walker and Rishard Matthews. Rookie Corey Davis caught four balls and getting him more involved could help bring this aerial game around to speed, as they've been a bit flat in a lot of weeks. The run-game is what this offense pushes and it was good on Sunday, with Murray running for two scores, while Derrick Henry ran for 52 yards, with Mariota adding 51 rushing yards. They are also starting to incorporate CB Adoree Jackson, who added 30 rushing yards.
The Titans' defense was sufficient on Sunday against Cincinnati. The Bengals were able to move the ball through the air at times, but Tennessee was able to limit the damage. They held the Cincy run-game to limited success, while also forcing a few turnovers, with LB Derrick Morgan recovering two fumbles. Wesley Woodyard has been especially active the last two weeks and was so again on Sunday. In the secondary, Kevin Byard continues making plays, with Jackson also getting more acclimated to the NFL aerial game. Up-front, guys like DaQuan Jones and Jurrell Casey have been helpful in limiting the opposing ground-game. They had some bumpy passages along the way this season, but in their last five games, they have given up a combined 87 points.
This is a tough spot for both teams coming off the short week after games that were at least a bit draining. The Steelers are the team you think of when considering offense, but there aren't a lot of results this season that paint that side of the ball in a really good light. And against a playmaking Tennessee defense, we might see them continue to struggle. Then again, the sometimes no-frills Tennessee offense should have their hands full against a Pittsburgh "D" that doesn't really give up a ton. I see a competitive game, with the Titans covering the spread.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Tennessee Titans plus 7 points. Tired of your credit card not working for sportsbook deposit? End that problem today and bet the Thursday Night Football game by signing up at Bovada Sportsbook where your credit card WILL work and where you'll receive a generous 50% sign-up bonus!
