Steelers vs. Texans: Experts taking Pittsburgh for third week in a row

The Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a good start in the 2020 sesaon. Here’s why the experts are once again in their corner as they take on the Houston Texans.

The Steelers are having an unusually strong start to the NFL season in 2020. Despite Ben Roethlisberger still getting used to his surgically repaired elbow and testing out his new set of weapons, things have gone surprisingly well for Pittsburgh in the early going.

Much of this has to do with the competition they have faced. The New York Giants were one of the worst teams in the league in 2019 and are expected to be near the bottom again this year, while the Texans were plagued with injuries to key players heading into their Week 2 matchup against the Steelers at Heinz Field.

Regardless of the conditions that may have fallen Pittsburgh’s way in the early going, NFL experts are still overwhelmingly favoring Mike Tomlin’s team in Week 3 as the Steelers host the Houston Texans. According to NFL Pick Watch, 83 percent of experts have Pittsburgh defeating the Texans and advancing to 3-0 to start the year.

Should the experts have gone against the Steelers this week?

While the Steelers have looked impressive early in the season, it’s largely due to their defensive front. They completely stone-walled running back Saquon Barkley in Week 1, and they’ve consistently created pressure early in the season. Unfortunately, their offense hasn’t quite had the same success.

Though Pittsburgh’s defense has put them in favorable positions in the first two weeks, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense hasn’t been able to capitalize like they should have – scoring just 26 points in each of their first two contests.

What’s most concerning is their ability to move the chains on 3rd down. Despite playing the Giants and Broncos to open the season, Pittsburgh is just 10 of 27 on 3rd down conversions this year – a number that clearly isn’t going to get the job done against good opponents.

The Houston Texans may not have the most talented roster in the league, they will have a chance to win any football game they play as long as quarterback Deshaun Watson is at the helm. Unfortunately, Houston has been plagued with the difficult task of facing potentially the three best teams in the AFC to open the season. They are starting 0-2 after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.

Oddsmakers currently have the Steelers favored by 4 points, courtesy of The Action Network. However, this gap has already closed since Pittsburgh started the week as 6-point favorites.

The Steelers want to continue their win streak as they host the Texans on Sunday, but Bill O’Brien and his crew are looking to avoid a 0-3 start to the season. Let’s hope Pittsburgh takes care of business at Heinz Field for the second week in a row.