Steelers vs. Bills odds: Pittsburgh opens as narrow favorites

The Steelers were embarrassed by Washington in Week 13, but here’s why they are still narrowly favored against a red-hot Bills team.

The Steelers are coming off their first loss of the season against the Washington Football Team, and it wasn’t pretty. It’s not that Pittsburgh was blown out on their home turf or lost a half-dozen key players to injuries in the process. In fact, Mike Tomlin’s team was in this game throughout – even holding the lead for the better part of a half. However, this game showcased the ugliest performance the Steelers have put on display all year.

While they managed to score 14 points in the second quarter, Pittsburgh’s offense combined for just 3 points in the first, third, and fourth quarters of the game. Drops were a major issue, and the Steelers seemed to be running into a brick wall on the ground. Though the defense mostly held up their end of the bargain, they allowed several big plays down the field in crucial moments. It was a sloppy game all around, and a lackluster offense deserves a large portion of the blame.

Now, less than a week later, the Steelers are asked to take on a red-hot Buffalo Bills team on the road for a primetime matchup on Sunday Night Football. Led by an MVP candidate in quarterback Josh Allen, Buffalo has won 5 of their last 6 contests (their only loss coming in a 30-32 defeat against the Arizona Cardinals. Surprisingly, Pittsburgh is still favored in this road matchup.

Oddsmakers opened the line at 2.5 points in favor of the Steelers, courtesy of The Action Network. While the Steelers are still an 11-1 squad and are tied for the best record in the NFL, I am almost surprised the Bills weren’t favored in this contest.

Should the Steelers be favored vs. Bills?

Pittsburgh has not given us a lot of confidence to believe that they are the best team in the league as of late. Prior to getting humiliated by the Washington Football Team, the Steelers barely got past a Ravens team that was decimated with players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list – including 2019 MVP quarterback, Lamar Jackson. A few weeks before that, the Steelers barely got past the Dallas Cowboys in a game that came down to the wire and a pass breakup by Minkah Fitzpatrick to seal the deal. The Cowboys are now a 3-9 football team and have looked pathetic against most teams they have faced.

The Bills, on the other hand, are on a hot streak and are considered one of the best teams in football. At 9-3, Buffalo doesn’t have the defense they have possessed in recent years, but with Allen at the helm, they have enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with anyone. The Steelers are no exception.

While Ben Roethlisberger has had an impressive comeback season, he can’t consistently make plays down the field like the other top quarterbacks in the league. As a result, he has relied on the short passing game to move the chains, but even that has been failing in recent weeks.

When it’s all said and done, this game could be a pick’em before kickoff. The Steelers really need a win to keep them above Kansas City, as they currently hold the tiebreak for the number one seed in the AFC. But finding a win on the road against the Bills will not be easy.