NFL Game Of The Week: Steelers v Panthers – Stats, Odds, Insights, & Predictions

Our NFL Game of the Week is between two playoff-bound teams looking to build on recent form.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-2) $2.75 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS (5-2-1) $1.48

Friday, Nov. 9, 12:20am AEDT.

Thursday, Nov. 8, 8:20pm EST. Pittsburgh, PA. Heinz Field (68,400).

This is one of the more interesting matchups of the season.

In the Panthers and Steelers you have two teams that aren’t quite in the top-4 category of “elite teams”, but are the first in line to enter that category if they can prove their worth. So, this game comes at a perfect time. Both teams have momentum and seem ready to prove they deserve the tag of ‘Superbowl-contender’.

At the mid-way point of the season we have established a crop of teams that are special, and every other team who enters the playoffs seems destined for an early exit. The Saints, Rams, Chiefs, and Patriots are those special teams. We then have a tier-two: the Chargers, Vikings, Panthers, and Steelers. That tier-two will almost certainly be in the playoffs and will spend the rest of the regular season building towards those top teams they plan to upset.

Some years we have a wide-open competition, where the top teams are unconvincing, and the middle-of-the-pack aren’t too far away. That’s not the case this year.

It’s important, then, that the Panthers and Steelers get a win this week to prove they belong. These games where you face a team of similar talent can prove a lot.

The Panthers go into this game scoring 80 points in their last two matches: a team more commonly praised for its defence. Cam Newton is playing more mature than ever, while maintaining his dynamism. He’s completing 67.3% of his throws, an important bump for a quarterback who historically hovers between 55-60%. He’s on pace to throw only 8 interceptions for the season. He averages 13.4 per season. He also has something he never had before – a star running back. Christian McCaffrey has been a revelation for Cam and the Carolina offense.

On the other side of the QB matchup, Ben Roethlisberger is entering the twilight of his career, but you wouldn’t know it. Since his game to forget in Week 1 against the Browns, ‘Big Ben’ has quietly played well. The drama around Le’Veon Bell threatened to derail the Steelers season. But with some stellar RB play curtesy of Bell’s (former) backup, James Conner, the Steelers have put the drama behind them.

While off the field some discipline and stability has benefited the Steelers, they need more work translating those traits to the field. They are the most penalised team in the league right now. That may fly against the relatively light schedule they’ve faced thus far, but not against the Panthers.

The Panthers also have the superior turnover differential. If the Steelers don’t clean up their lack of discipline, Cam and Christian will simply possess the ball too much for the Steelers to get into rhythm offensively and give rest to the defence.

The Panthers will get yards on the ground, one way or another. The Steelers must reciprocate and keep Cam off the field.

This one will be fun, and likely to warrant a QB duel in the fourth quarter between two of the strongest arms in the game.

Our tip

The Panthers are criminally undervalued away from home. Cover the away-team risk though, Carolina Panthers (+3.5) @ $1.92