Steelers vs. Cowboys odds: Pittsburgh opens as massive favorites in Week 9

The Pittsburgh Steelers are favored by their biggest margin of the year as they are set to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.

After finishing off the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens in back to back weeks, we could expect that the Steelers would be favored on the road against the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday. But simply being favored is an understatement.

The Titans and Ravens had a thoroughly impressive combined record of 10-1 on the season before perhaps going up against the best the league has to offer over each of the past two weeks. Needless to say, oddsmakers aren’t going to like the 2-6 Cowboys very much this week against the only remaining undefeated team in the league.

To kick off Week 9, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 13.5-point favorites over the Dallas Cowboys, courtesy of The Action Network.

At first, this betting line was delayed, as oddsmakers were no doubt checking on the availability of Cowboys quarterback, Andy Dalton, this week in addition to making sure no Steelers tested positive for COVID-19.

Why the Steelers are heavily favored

It was no surprise to see the Steelers favored by nearly two touchdowns in this contest. With Dalton officially ruled out, the Cowboys aren’t even sure who will be taking the reigns at quarterback this week.

Ben DiNucci didn’t look too hot in his first NFL start last week. Despite throwing 40 passes against the Philadelphia Eagles, DiNucci managed a dismal 180 passing yards (4.5 yards per attempt) and earned a quarterback rating of just 64.6. Meanwhile, the Cowboys just activated Cooper Rush from their practice squad, and they haven’t ruled him out as the starter yet this week.

This is obviously a nightmare scenario for any team – particularly one that is down to their 3rd and 4th options at the quarterback position.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are coming off their 7th straight win and are considered by many to be the best team in the league through the first eight weeks of the season. Though Pittsburgh had their struggles moving the ball against a stingy Ravens defense, they should find smoother sailing against a Dallas defense that is currently 24th in yards allowed per game and dead last in points allowed per game (33.2), according to Team Rankings.

Even with a massive talent gap, it’s important that the Steelers don’t underestimate the Cowboys this Sunday. We’ve seen how fast mistakes can change the game. If Pittsburgh were to get careless with the ball and lose the turnover battle, they could find themselves in a game that comes down to the wire.

Obviously, if things go how both oddsmakers and experts are predicting, the Steelers should win on the road this week and advance to their first 8-0 start in the history of the franchise. The key will be escaping this game without any major injuries. That in itself will be a win.