Cardinals vs. Steelers Point Spread: NFL Week 13 Odds, Prediction
The Cardinals hit the road after being outclassed in last week’s 37-14 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Rams, and have now fallen to defeat by double-digit margins six times during a dismal 1-8 straight up run. The Steelers return home after posting a 16-10 win in Cincinnati last weekend, and have now surrendered just 15 points per game while winning five of their past seven overall.
The Steelers are listed as 5.5-point home favourites on the NFL Week 13 odds. The Cardinals arrive in Steeltown as +200 underdogs on the NFL moneyline. And the total is pegged at just 41.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Steelers have blazed their trail into NFL playoff contention with the league’s fifth-ranked defence, which has surrendered an average of just 18.6 points per game this season. And with opponents reaching 20 points just once, the Steelers have been a steady bet, covering the spread in five of their past seven overall, and four of their past five on home turf. However, the Steelers attack remains ranked a distant 28th in the league after scoring an average of just 16.5 points during their 7-4 start to the season. Accordingly, Pittsburgh has seen each of their past seven games settled by just a single score, and have seen their past three wins come by an average margin of just 4.7 points. The return of Kyler Murray has done little to spark a moribund Cards attack that has averaged just 14 points over the past seven games. Things have gone even worse on the road, where the Cardinals have scored just nine total touchdowns and averaged just 12.7 points during their nine-game slide.
Arizona Cardinals
The faltering Cardinals attack has not been helped by a recent rash of injuries that have impacted Kyler Murray’s receiving corps. Among the players who missed practice on Wednesday, and remain listed as questionable, are receivers Marquise Brown and Michael Wilson, and tight end Trey McBride. In addition, rusher James Conner has yet to rediscover his groove since his recent return from injury, and has averaged just 52 rushing yards and no scores in his past five outings. Indeed, it has been Murray who has picked up the slack in the backfield while recording three of the team’s four scoring runs since his return, and with his receivers hobbled, Murray is an intriguing -110 bet to top 30.5 rushing yards on Sunday.
Pittsburgh Steelers
While the Steelers defence has done its job while allowing just five total touchdowns over the past six games, more will be needed from the Pittsburgh offence if they are to keep pace in the fiercely competitive AFC North standings. The recent firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada has failed to provide a spark. Indeed, scoring passes remain a rarity for quarterback Kenny Pickett, who has found the end zone just once in the past six games. However, Pickett has seen four of his six TD passes come at home this season. Conversely, the Steelers ground game has averaged 174 rushing yards and produced five scoring runs over the past four games. Najee Harris has accounted form three of those rushing touchdowns, and is coming off a season-high 99-yard performance against the Bengals. Jaylen Warren ran for the other two scores, and has topped 100 rushing yards in two of the past three games.
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