NFL
Ricky Rothstein
October 23, 2017

Steelers vs. Lions Point Spread: NFL Week 8 Odds, Prediction

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions are two of the flagship franchises of the NFL and began playing each other in 1934. Sunday night will be their first-ever prime time meeting. The Steelers are 3-point Sports Interaction betting favourites on the road.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions

When: Sunday, 8:30 PM ET
Where: Ford Field, Detroit
Point Spread: Steelers -3

Point Spread and Betting Analysis

What I find fascinating about these teams that have been around for more than 80 years is that the Steelers have made eight Super Bowl appearances and have won a record six. The Lions? One of four current franchises never to reach a Super Bowl along with the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars – the latter two are fairly new teams.

The Lions have lost eight of the past nine vs. the Steelers. They last played in 2013, a 37-27 Pittsburgh home win. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns. Two of those came in the final five minutes as the Steelers rallied from a 27-23 deficit. Matthew Stafford threw for 362 yards and two scores. Both quarterbacks are of course still playing for their teams. The Steelers are 1-1 vs. NFC North clubs this year, routing Minnesota and losing in Chicago. It’s the first of four games vs. the AFC North for Detroit, which has covered its past five coming out of a bye week as it does here.

Detroit Lions

The Lions (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS) are on a two-game losing streak. Detroit’s defense largely played well the first four weeks but has been shaky the past two games in a 27-24 loss to Carolina and a 52-38 defeat at New Orleans in Week 6 – the NFL’s highest-scoring game of the year. What was wild about that New Orleans game is that Detroit was down 45-10 at one point but made the Saints sweat with a defensive and special teams touchdown in the fourth quarter. When a team scores on defense and special teams in a game, it almost always wins.

However, the Lions had five turnovers and the Saints scored a whopping three defensive touchdowns off those. The bye week arrived at a good time for Stafford, who was questionable vs. New Orleans with an ankle injury but played and was picked off three times. Top receiver Golden Tate (36 catches, 363 yards, 2 TDs) injured his shoulder in the game and likely won’t play vs. Pittsburgh. The Lions need to start faster in games as they have been outscored 37-17 in the first quarter this season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Somewhat of a homecoming for two Pittsburgh stars as running back Le’Veon Bell played at Michigan State and receiver Antonio Brown at Central Michigan. Steelers fans travel exceptionally well, so there will be plenty of black & gold at Ford Field on Sunday as Detroit isn’t that far from Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) is in control of the AFC North and has won two straight.

They took out visiting Cincinnati 29-14 on Sunday. Roethlisberger threw for two scores and Bell carried 35 times for 134 yards. The Steelers, who are now 11-0 all-time when Bell rushes at least 25 times, had 420 yards against what had been the NFL’s No. 2 defense while holding the Bengals to 179 yards.