Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Predictions, Odds, Picks

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

Nov. 14, 2021

Jonathan Willis
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

The Detroit Lions are searching for the elusive win as they head to Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kick off is set for 1:00 p.m. ET and will air on FOX from Heinz Field.

Score Prediction

Steelers 20, Lions 17

Best Bets

Lions +8.5

Under

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Predictions

Mike Tomlin will likely finish with a record of .500 or better for the 15th straight season. He has done an incredible job with the Pittsburgh Steelers during his tenure in the Steel City, but this team’s continued relevance has made it hard for them to rebuild. While they are 5-3, they are likely to be one and done in the playoffs once again unless they get home field advantage by winning the NFC North. The Steelers can’t afford a bad loss with first place up for grabs, so they will look to take care of business against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Detroit is the last winless team in the NFL. The Lions are 0-8, but they lost to both Baltimore and Minnesota by last second field goals of more than 50 yards. They are coming off a bye week and should be able to use the extra preparation to keep it within the number

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Odds

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Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Resources

• Matchup: NFC North vs. AFC North
• Date: Sunday, November 14, 2021
• Venue: Heinz Field
• Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• TV-Time: FOX - 1:00 p.m. ET

• Weather Report
• Injury Report
• Super Bowl 56 Betting

Detroit Lions Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 0-8
• ATS: 4-4
• O/U: 3-5
• ATS - Home: 2-2
• ATS - Away: 2-2

The Lions have struggled without Matthew Stafford under center. It’s clear that Stafford was undervalued during his time in the Motor City, and Jared Goff hasn’t been an adequate replacement. His numbers are very similar to Big Ben’s stats though.

D’Andre Swift is averaging just 3.2 YPC, and he has been supplanted as the primary back by Jamaal Williams. Williams is averaging 4.4 YPC for the Lions. Swift is the second leading receiver behind tight end T.J. Hockenson though.

That stat shows the issues with Detroit’s receivers. Kalif Raymond, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Quintez Cephus make up the worst receiving trio in the NFL. None of the three wide outs might have more than 750 yards in 2021.

Detroit’s defense was gashed by Philadelphia two weeks ago. There is reason to believe that the Lions are improving though. They have had two weeks to prepare for the Steelers, and Matt Canada doesn’t have a creative scheme once you account for all the motion.

Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 5-3
• ATS: 3-5
• O/U: 2-6
• ATS - Home: 1-4
• ATS - Away: 2-1

Ben Roethlisberger is no longer one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL, and he might not be one of the top 20 signal callers. Roethlisberger doesn’t have horrible stats, completing 65.6% of his passes for 6.6 YPA, but he can’t stretch the field like he did in the past. That’s why the Steelers are in the bottom ten in scoring offense (20.1 PPG) and total offense (324.1 YPG).

This is a very young and inexperienced offensive line. There are two rookies starting up front in left tackle Dan Moore Jr. and center Kendrick Green, and Kevin Dotson is in his second year. Trai Turner is the veteran of the group, and he is the anchor of the unit.

That has made this ground game very ineffective. Najee Harris is averaging just 3.6 YPC despite being one of the league leaders in yards after contact. Harris is still getting the bulk of the carries with no running back toting the ball more than 10 times.

Pittsburgh has some stars on defense. T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick are all probable Pro Bowl selections. Devin Bush is playing at a high level too, but this defense has really struggled stopping the run without Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alualu up front.

The Steelers have failed to cover the spread in eight straight games when playing as favorites. (AP)

Inside the Stats - Detroit Lions

• Record: 0-8
• Division Standing: 4th - NFC North
• Points Scored: 134
• Points Allowed: 244
• PS/G: 16.8 (29th)
• PA/G: 30.5 (31st)

Inside the Stats - Pittsburgh Steelers

• Record: 5-3
• Division Standing: 2nd - AFC North
• Points Scored: 161
• Points Allowed: 169
• PS/G: 20.1 (23rd)
• PA/G: 21.1 (8th)

Key Players to Watch

• DET: Jared Goff - QB (206/308, 1,995 yards, 8 TD, 6 INT)
• DET: D'Andre Swift - RB (90 carries, 704 total yards, 5 Total TDs)
• PIT: Ben Roethlisberger - QB (196/299, 1,986 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT)
• PIT: Diontae Johnson - WR (45 catches, 530 yards, 3 TD)

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Conclusion

Take the points with the Lions on Sunday. Pittsburgh played on Monday night, giving Detroit a significant rest advantage. The Lions might even be able to win outright with a break or two.

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Trends

• Detroit has lost 12 straight games.
• Detroit has gone UNDER the point total in five of its last six games.
• Pittsburgh has failed to cover the spread in eight straight games when playing as the favorite.
• Pittsburgh has gone UNDER the point total in six of its last eight games.

Where to place a bet this NFL Season?

• Use our exclusive BetMGM Bonus Code VIBONUS1500 to unlock BetMGM’s welcome offer for new sportsbook users!
• Compare the latest NFL Odds from the best sportsbooks before placing a bet on this week's games.
• Check out the North Carolina Sportsbooks just before they launch legal online sports betting.

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