8:15 PM EST, ESPN – Spread: Steelers -6.5, Total: 36.5
A pair of historic franchises renew acquaintances on Monday Night Football, as the struggling New York Giants look to get back on track in this trip to Acrisure Stadium where the Pittsburgh Steelers have received a shot in the arm after a change at quarterback. There is always pressure to perform in a media market such as New York, but this season saw the levels turned up a few notches for the Giants (2-5, 4th in NFC East), who find themselves struggling through a make-or-break campaign. Simply put, there are a number of figures are on the hot seat in the Meadowlands, the first being (Head Coach) Brian Daboll. While the 49-year-old earned the affection of the fan base after breaking a 5-year playoff drought in his first year on the job, he has since gone 8-16 (.333) over his last twenty-four games, due in large part to (stop us if you’ve heard this before) a never-ending rash of injuries and less-than-stellar play from his quarterback and offensive line. Needless to say, this season was supposed to be different as Daboll and (General Manager) Joe Schoen were very active in an attempt to bolster the supporting cast around (maligned Quarterback) Daniel Jones; despite allowing (Pro-Bowl Tailback) Saquon Barkley to leave in free agency, Big Blue added (veteran Offensive Linemen) John Runyan, Jermaine Eluemunor, and Greg Van Roten along with (veteran Tailback) Devin Singletary in free agency, while selecting (Rookie Wideout) Malik Nabers with sixth overall pick in last Spring’s NFL Draft. This brings us to the guy under the most pressure to perform, which is Jones (pictured below). While the lack of success during his six years as the starter is hardly all his fault, you have to wonder when the franchise will finally cut the proverbial cord. Let’s look at the tape, folks: in sixty-six starts, the 27-year-old is 24-41-1 (.363) with eighty-one total touchdowns opposed to sixty-eight turnovers, which is by far and away the most of any player at his position since 2019. Furthermore, he has struggled mightily at MetLife Stadium, where he is 12-21-1 where he has accounted for thirty-five touchdowns in comparison to forty-four turnovers, while it’s been an even bleaker story when the sun goes down, where he has won just one fifteen starts with thirteen touchdowns and twenty-four turnovers. Oh, and if you were wondering how he’s fared on Monday Night Football, he is winless (0-7) eight scores and fourteen giveaways. It’s safe to say that he hasn’t lived up to the price tag that the G-Men gave him with that $160 million deal they gave him before last season. Thankfully, they can get out of the contract with minimal damage to the salary cap this Spring, which makes these potentially the last days for Jones, if not many more individuals within the organization. It was more of the same in their last two home games where he and his teammates managed to score a combined ten points in losses to the Bengals (17-7) and most recently the Eagles (28-3). Last weekend’s defeat to their division rivals was yet another reminder just how far away they are from contending for anything of significance. The Giants were outgained 339-119 in total yards and bludgeoned against the run (269-76) as the aforementioned Barkley came back with a vengeance, trampling his former employers to the tune of 176 yards and a score on just seventeen carries. The hosts could muster just ten first downs on the afternoon as Jones was sacked seven times for a loss of sixty-two yards, leading to a net yardage of FORTY-THREE before eventually being replaced altogether. Even the return of a healthy Nabers (pictured alongside Jones) couldn’t help jumpstart the attack. The LSU product emerged as the playmaker that the team had been yearning for in the passing game for years, hauling in thirty-five receptions on fifty-two targets for 386 yards and three touchdowns through the first four games, though would suffer a concussion late in a loss to the Cowboys, forcing him out of action for the next two weeks. Against Philadelphia’s porous Secondary, he could only manage four catches for forty-one yards as his quarterbacks were consistently under fire. Eight sacks are one thing, folks, but Jones and his backup, Kenny Pickett, where hit ELEVEN times, hurried on occasions, and subject to a ridiculous pressures, which equates to an untenable % of their drop-backs. Indeed, the more things change, the more stay the same for Big Blue.
From a betting perspective, the Giants may be 2-5 straight-up thus far, but they have been marginally better against the spread (3-4), parlaying to a net loss of 1.27 units. It seems as if Big Blue simply cannot stand prosperity, folks, for after covering three consecutive games, they have since failed to do in each of the last two contests, including last weekend’s visit from the Eagles (+3). Under the leadership of Daboll, this is a team that 25-18-1 versus the spread since his arrival back in 2022, including 12-9 away from MetLife Stadium, 22-14 as an underdog, which they’ve been in for TWENTY-TWO straight games, and 15-7 when coming off a loss. Furthermore, his troops have covered eight of their last nine outings when receiving points from the oddsmakers after facing a division opponent, while beating the spread five times in a row after conceding 150+ rushing yards, with both trends being the case tonight. Since 1990, New York is 13-17 as a road dog on Monday Night Football, losing each of their last nine such primetime affairs SU, while covering five of them along the way. As original members of the NFL, these two franchises have met seventy-eight times, with the Giants owning a 44-31-3 edge, though they have only won two of the last eight encounters. Their last victory came in 2008, which was coincidentally their only win in Pittsburgh since 1991. Given that nobody from either side is still playing from that particular affair, their most recent battle ended in a 26-16 scoreline in favor of the Steelers, which saw Jones & Co blow an early 10-3 lead, shipping TWENTY-THREE unanswered points. Jones, who was in his second season as the starter, completed 26-of-41 passes for 279 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, while rushing for another twenty-two yards on four carries. The hosts were outrushed 141-29 on the day, with each of those interceptions leading directly to points for the visiting side. We’re not accusing the public of having a collectively long memory, but they don’t appear to be fancying the G-Men in any fashion, as roughly 16% of all wagers placed upon the spread thus far are siding with the Meadowlands outfit, while an even smaller share (14%) of the money has followed suit. On the injury front, it’s getting ugly for Daboll & Co, for if not having the services of (Sophomore Edge-Rusher) Kayvon Thibodeaux (wrist) and (veteran Kicker) Graham Gano (hamstring) was bad enough, (reliable Left Tackle) Andrew Thomas, who is one of the best blindside protectors in the league, is out for the rest of the season due to a lisfranc injury. Furthermore, (Punter) Jamie Gillan (hamstring), (Offensive Tackle) Evan Neal (ankle), and (veteran Cornerback) Adoree’ Jackson (calf) are listed as questionable with various maladies. Looking ahead, the Giants will return to the Meadowlands next week for their annual visit from the surging Commanders, before making the trip southward to Charlotte to battle the lowly Panthers followed by a sorely needed bye week.
Meanwhile, from one team that can’t seem to figure out its perpetual quarterback issues to one that appears to finally be on to something, the Steelers (5-2, T-1st in AFC North) have now won two consecutive games after suffering a two-game losing skid to maintain a share of first place within the division. Ever since (longtime QB) Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 campaign, Pittsburgh has struggled like hell to successfully replace their former franchise passer. Big Ben was 165-81-1 (.668) in eighteen years with the club, taking them to the playoffs twelve times, including three trips to the Super Bowl where he earned a pair of Lombardi Trophies. However, since he rode off into the sunset, (Head Coach) Mike Tomlin has managed a 24-17 (.585) team that has overachieved despite some truly poor play at the game’s most important position. Whether it was Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, or even Justin Fields, whom they took a flyer on this Spring, the quarterback play has left a lot to be desired in Western Pennsylvania. Remember, this is a team that was outgained in each of their first ten games last Fall despite managing a 6-4 record. Simply put, with one of the better defenses and special teams in the NFL, the Steelers have been crying out for somebody who can steady the ship on the offensive side of things. As such, Tomlin rolled the dice and handed (veteran Quarterback) Russell Wilson his first start since signing as a free agent back in March. With a CV that can challenge Roethlisberger’s, Wilson (pictured below) is 116-72-1 (.613) as a starter over the course of thirteen seasons, including nine Pro-Bowl selections, eight trips to the playoffs, a pair of Super Bowl appearances, and a Lombardi of his own in 2013. After a successful decade in Seattle, he was traded to Denver for a king’s ransom, while being made (briefly) the highest-paid QB in the league at 34-years-old, which is where everything went off the proverbial tracks; he plummeted statistically before eventually being ostracized due to his contract before ultimately being released by the Broncos, who opted to eat the remaining $80+ million on his deal. Presented with an opportunity to change the narrative of his career, he was expected to earn the starting job with relative ease, though he suffered a calf injury in training camp pushing a sled, sidelining him for the first six weeks of action. However, even after a 32-13 victory over the lowly Raiders in which the defense feasted with three takeaways, Tomlin felt that he should hand the reigns to Wilson, who did not disappoint in Sunday night’s 37-15 romp over the Jets. Despite a slow start in which the hosts trailed 15-6, the defense once again rose the occasion with an interception just before halftime that led directly to a touchdown, as Wilson found (young Wideout) George Pickens for an 11-yard touchdown. After a field goal gave them a 16-15 lead, (Rookie Cornerback) Beanie Bishop logged his second pick of the night, leading to another Wilson touchdown, this time a short sneak across the goal line. From there, the home side poured it on, scoring THIRTY-ONE points of the affair, resulting in a season-high in points and perhaps a new hero in Western Pennsylvania. In the end, the Steelers pummeled a tough Jets defense for 149 rushing yards, while Wilson completed 16-of-29 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns, mixing in deft touch passes into the flat with his signature moonshots downfield to the approval of the crowd at Acrisure Stadium. Pickens hauled in five receptions on nine targets for 111 yards and a score, while (veteran Tailback) Najee Harris plowed his way to 102 yards and a touchdown of his own on twenty-one carries. Everyone loves a good comeback story, folks, with Wilson’s having the potential to be award worthy.
From a betting perspective, the Steelers are 5-2 both straight-up and against the spread thus far, resulting in one of the most profitable sides in the NFL at 2.55 units. The spreads have been manageable both ways for this team, though it should be noted that tonight’s affair will see them favored by more points (6.5) than they have in their last FIFTY-THREE games. Under the long stewardship of Tomlin, they are 152-137-11 versus the spread, including 78-65 at home, 94-103 when favored by the oddsmakers, 86-85 when coming off a win, and 16-14 when coming off scoring 35+ points, which is notable given their recent outburst last Sunday night. Speaking of that, Pittsburgh is 9-1-1 ATS in their last eleven outings after scoring thirty or more points, while owning a 7-1-1 ATS ledger after winning by at least fourteen points. Furthermore, they have covered six consecutive contests when favored by fewer than two touchdowns and after scoring 35+ points, which is the case tonight. Oh, and this is a franchise that has historically been very successful on Monday nights, posting a 14-10-mark ATS as a home favorite in such primetime affairs dating back to 1990. As we covered earlier, the relationship between these two sides goes waaaaaaaaaay back to before the NFL/AFL merger, though they have met just six times since the turn of the century. The Steelers have taken four of them, including each of the last three encounters, with the most recent coming four years ago in the Meadowlands. While there aren’t very many players from either side left from that tilt, (veteran defenders) T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward were active, with each stalwart snaring an interception, while combining for six pressures, four hurries, and a pair of knockdowns of the quarterback. However, Wilson has faced the Giants four times over the course of his long career, owning a 3-1 record and completing 65.0% of his throws for an average of 243.8 yards on 6.93 net yards per attempt, with six total touchdowns in comparison to committing five turnovers. on the injury front, Tomlin has been dealing with his share of injuries too, particularly in the trenches where the offensive line has been hit the hardest; Nate Herbig (shoulder), Dylan Cook (foot), James Daniels (ankle), and (Rookie) Troy Fautanu (knee) are all out for the season with various maladies, while Zach Frazier (ankle) has already been pronounced out for tonight’s primetime affair. Furthermore, (Linebackers) Cole Holcomb (knee) and Nick Herbig (hamstring) are also out of action, while (emerging Defensive End) DaMarvin Leal (neck) is out indefinitely, though (veteran Cornerback) Damontae Kazee is questionable to return from a sprained ankle that caused to sit out of last weekend’s win over the Jets. Looking ahead, Pittsburgh will enjoy their bye next week in an attempt to get healthy before business picks up; they face Washington, Baltimore (twice), Cincinnati (twice), Philadelphia, and Kansas City over the final nine weeks, which is a hellish run to say the least