Pittsburgh Steelers vs Atlanta Falcons Betting Pick & Prediction 9/8/24
FOX will broadcast the week one non-conference matchup between the Falcons and Steelers, which kicks off at 1:00 ET. The Falcons are favored on the money line at -154 and are -3 point favorites on the point spread. The game, being played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, has an over/under line set at 42 points.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS VS ATLANTA FALCONS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers +3
This game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 1:00 ET on Sunday, September 8th.
WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS:
- We have the Steelers winning this one by a score of 19 to 16
- Not only do we have the Steelers winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +3
- We see this game finishing below the line of 42 points
Will The Steelers Pick Up A Win On The Road?
The Steelers wrapped up the 2023 regular season with a 10-7 record, placing 7th in the AFC and 3rd in the AFC North. They were strong within their division, going 5-1 against AFC North rivals. Their playoff run ended in the Wild Card round with a 31-17 loss to the Bills. Pittsburgh was 8-6 against teams with winning records and 2-2 against teams with losing records.
Pittsburgh’s games averaged 37.6 points last season, with a collective scoring ranking of 30th in the league. Their over/under record for the season was 7-11. Against the spread, the Steelers were 10-8, with a 5-4 record both at home and on the road.
Finishing 28th in the league, the Steelers averaged just 17.8 points per game last season. They were also 25th in offensive power ranking, averaging 305.4 yards per game, and 187.8 passing yards per game, which ranked 25th in the league. Pittsburgh’s running game was more effective, ranking 11th in rushing yards per game with 117.6.
On third down, the Steelers were 20th in the league, converting 36.6% of their attempts. They also had the 5th highest percentage of first downs coming from rushing plays, at 70.49%.
Despite finishing 21st in yards allowed, the Steelers’ defense was the 6th best unit in the NFL last season. They were particularly tough against the run, giving up the 3rd fewest rushing touchdowns and ranking 8th in rushing yards allowed. Pittsburgh’s secondary also performed well, allowing the 7th fewest passing touchdowns and holding quarterbacks to a collective passer rating of 82.51, which was the 10th lowest figure in the league.
For the season, the Steelers gave up 19.7 points per game, placing them 8th in the league. They also forced 27 turnovers and had the 2nd best turnover differential in the NFL. Their pass rush generated 8th most sacks, and they were also successful in creating pressure, ranking 10th in quarterback hits.
Will The Falcons Win At Home Over The Steelers?
The Steelers, who finished 10-7 last season, placed 3rd in the AFC North with a 5-1 record against division rivals. They made it to the playoffs as the 7th seed in the AFC but lost to the Bills in the Wild Card round, 31-17. Pittsburgh also finished with a 7th place finish in the AFC. Against teams with above .500 records, the Steelers went 8-6, and they were 2-2 against teams with below .500 records. Their over/under record for the season was 7-11, with their games averaging a combined 37.6 points per game.
Against the spread, the Steelers were 10-8, with a 5-4 record at home and on the road. As favorites, Pittsburgh went 4-3 ATS, and as underdogs, they went 6-5 ATS. Their games ranked 30th in the league in average combined scoring.
Despite finishing 9th in rushing attempts per game, the Steelers’ offense was one of the worst in the league last season, ranking 25th in both yards per game and points per game. They averaged just 17.8 points per contest, placing them 28th in the NFL. Pittsburgh’s passing game was particularly ineffective, ranking 26th in attempts and 25th in yards, with an average of 187.8 yards per game.
Overall, the Steelers averaged 305.4 yards per game and 4.1 yards per rush attempt. They struggled to sustain drives, ranking 20th in red zone attempts and 20th in third down conversion percentage.
Despite finishing 21st in yards allowed, the Steelers’ defense was one of the better units last season, giving up just 19.7 points per game, which was 8th best in the NFL. They were tough against the run, allowing the 3rd fewest rushing touchdowns and ranking 8th in rushing yards per attempt. Pittsburgh also excelled in taking the ball away, ranking 5th in the league with 27 takeaways.
The Steelers were tough on quarterbacks, finishing 8th in sacks and 10th in quarterback hits. They also had the 2nd best turnover differential in the league, despite allowing the 10th most yards in the passing game.