The Titans (3–4) have suddenly found life while the Steelers (4–3) are in a precarious position ahead of a matchup to kick off Week 9.
Rookie Will Levis threw four touchdowns in his NFL debut on Sunday. The Titans' win over the Falcons put an end to a two-game skid. Meanwhile, the Steelers' two-game win streak came to an end against the Jaguars at home as Kenny Pickett was sidelined for the second half by a rib injury.
Pickett’s status is up in the air with only a few days to recover before the Titans come to town. As a result, SI Sportsbook lists the Steelers as 2.5 point favorites at Acrisure Stadium. The 36.5-point over/under is the lowest of the week.
Titans vs. Steelers Odds and Game Info
Moneyline: Titans (+125) | Steelers (-150)
Spread: TEN +2.5 (-110) | PIT -2.5 (-110)
Total: 36.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Game Info: Thursday, Nov. 2, 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video
Titans vs. Steelers Best Bet: Under 36.5 (-110)
Tennessee and Pittsburgh Key Stats and Fun Facts:
Both the Titans and Steelers are 4–3 against the spread this season.T.J. Watt’s 8.5 sacks are tied for third-most in the NFL. Tennessee quarterbacks have combined for 25 sacks on the year.Pittsburgh has one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, allowing 4.5 yards per carry to opponents. Led by Derrick Henry, the Titans are top 10 in yards per carry (4.5).
Tennessee had its best offensive performance of the season after its bye week. Levis’ four passing touchdowns doubled Ryan Tannehill’s season total, Derrick Henry had over 100 rushing yards for the second time this year and DeAndre Hopkins had his best game as a Titan by far with three touchdown grabs.
Those performances translated into a 28–23 win over the Falcons, which improved Tennessee’s home record to 3–1. The Titans are winless on the road so far, having dropped tight games and blowouts alike.
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Pittsburgh showed it’s not infallible at home in its 20–10 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday and in its season-opening blowout to the 49ers. But the Steelers do have signature wins over the Ravens and Browns at Acrisure Stadium — the defense forced a combined seven turnovers in those two games. However, All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) has been ruled out for Thursday’s game, a huge blow to one of the league’s best defenses.
Pickett’s availability could potentially swing this game in Pittsburgh’s favor as Mitch Trubisky threw two interceptions and took two sacks in relief. The running game continued to struggle as Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined to gain 32 yards on 12 carries.
Tennessee ranks just outside the top 10 in defensive DVOA and holds up better against the run than the pass. The Steelers are one of the worst teams in the NFL in both regards, ranking in the bottom 10 in passing yards per game and bottom five in rushing yards. Pickett and George Pickens have occasionally linked up for big plays, but the second-year receiver was only targeted once against Jacksonville and found the end zone on that lone catch.
This contest is shaping up to be a defensive battle and it could end up being a rookie and a backup under center for these teams, hence the sub-40-point over/under. Even in seemingly optimal conditions, the under has hit at a high rate for both teams (5–2 for the Titans, 6–1 for the Steelers). Strange things tend to happen on Thursday nights, but it’s hard to envision either team hitting 20 points.
