NFL Betting News and Notes Thursday 10/11

NFL: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans

Both squads in this week's Thursday night'r will be looking to throw a bone to their backers. Steelers 1-3 against-the-number on the year are ridding a 2-7 ATS skid overall dating back to last season. As if that was not enough to have faithful backers jittery, the Steelers head to 'Music City' 2-10 against-the-oddsmaker the past twelve away from Heinz Field and have a 1-6 ATS road slide going against AFC South opponents. However, there is a silver lining for Pittsburgh supporters. The Steelers have handed out their share of treats on the road during pumpkin month going a solid 18-9-1 ATS and could easily pad betting accounts here as Titans are plain awful being outscored by 18.6 points/game cashing a single ticket going back to week-14 of last season (1-7-1 ATS).

NFL Week 6

Steelers (2-2) @ Titans (1-4) -- Tennessee is awful, with all four losses by 21+ points; in their only win, they scored three TDs via defense/special teams and still needed OT to win. Pitt won last three series games, by 3-8-21, but they're 2-7 overall in Tennessee- they beat Titans 38-17 at Heinz LY. Steelers finally ran ball better vs Philly (136 YR) after averaging 65 ypg in 1-2 start; they're 0-2 on road this year, giving up 31-34 points at Denver/Oakland. Pitt is 10-20-1 vs spread in last 31 games as a road favorite. Titans are 10-6 in last 16 games as a home underdog- they've allowed 34-41 points in splitting first two home games. AFC North favorites are 1-6 vs spread in non-divisional games, 0-3 on road.

Armadillosports.com

Steelers at Titans: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans (5.5, 42.5)

The Pittsburgh Steelers try for their first road win of the season Thursday, when they kick off Week 6 against the struggling Tennessee Titans. Pittsburgh has lost both of its games away from home thus far, dropping its season opener in Denver on Sept. 9 and allowing 13 fourth-quarter points in a 34-31 setback in Oakland. The Steelers evened their overall record Sunday with a 16-14 home triumph over Philadelphia.

Pittsburgh will be without safety Troy Polamalu, who aggravated his strained right calf in the first quarter of the victory over the Eagles. The All-Pro originally suffered the injury in the season opener and missed the team's next two games. That is good news for Matt Hasselbeck, who will make his second straight start at quarterback for Tennessee. With Jake Locker still recovering from a separated left shoulder, Hasselbeck gets the call despite passing for only 200 yards in Sunday's 30-7 loss at Minnesota. The Steelers lead the all-time series 44-30 and have won each of the last three meetings.

LINE: Steelers -5.5, O/U 42.5.

WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for temperatures in the low-60s with a slight chance of a thunderstorm late in the evening hours. Wind shouldn’t be a factor.

ABOUT THE STEELERS (2-2): Ryan Mundy is expected to fill in at safety for Polamalu, but Will Allen also may receive more playing time as a result of the star's absence. While Polamalu definitely is out, linebacker LaMarr Woodley is considered doubtful with a strained right hamstring. Shaun Suisham booted a 34-yard field goal as time expired Sunday, helping Pittsburgh avoid its first 1-3 start under coach Mike Tomlin. Tight end Heath Miller made four catches for 43 yards, becoming the eighth player in franchise history to surpass 4,000 yards receiving.

ABOUT THE TITANS (1-4): Running back Javon Ringer is expected to miss four to six weeks with a sprained left MCL suffered in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss. Tennessee has to be pleased with the news as it feared Ringer, who was carted off the field, tore his ACL. Hasselbeck completed 26 of 43 passes and threw for a touchdown, but the majority of his success came with the game's outcome already decided. Running back Chris Johnson's next 100-yard rushing game will be the 30th of his career. Only Earl Campbell (39) and Eddie George (36) have had more for the franchise.

TRENDS:

* Steelers are 1-5 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Steelers are 0-6 ATS in their last six road games.
* Underdog is 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings.
* Under is 5-1-1 in Titans’ last seven home games.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Pittsburgh has lost four of its last five road games dating to last season.

2. The Titans gained only 52 yards on the ground against the Vikings, with Johnson rushing 15 times for 24 yards.

3. Tennessee has allowed a league-worst 181 points.

Steelers at Titans
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

This week’s Thursday night NFL game takes us to Nashville, where Tennessee is set to host Pittsburgh on the NFL Network at 8:20 p.m. Eastern.

As of Wednesday afternoon, most betting shops had Pittsburgh (2-2 straight up, 1-3 against the spread) installed as a six-point favorite with a total of 43. Gamblers can take the Titans to win outright for a plus-200 return (risk $100 to win $200).

Pittsburgh came off an open date and got a last-second field goal from Shaun Suisham, who buried a 34-yard boot as time expired to lift his team to a 16-14 win as a four-point home ‘chalk.’ The Steelers disappointed their backers after leading 10-0 at intermission. The 30 combined points stayed ‘under’ the 44-point total.

Ben Roethlisberger completed 21-of-37 passes for 207 yards, while Rashard Mendenhall rushed 14 times for 81 yards and a 13-yard touchdown scamper. Antonio Brown hauled in seven receptions for 86 yards.

Prior to the win over the Eagles, Pittsburgh let a pair of second-half leads get away in losses at Denver (31-19) and at Oakland (34-31). Between those defeats, the Steelers captured a 27-10 home win over the Jets.

Along with Mendenhall and defensive end James Harrison, safety Troy Polamalu returned to the starting lineup last week after missing games with a calf injury. However, Polamalu aggravated his injury and is ‘out’ against the Titans.

Also, linebacker LaMarr Woodley is ‘doubtful’ with a hamstring injury. CB Ike Taylor is ‘questionable’ due to back pain.

Tennessee (1-4 SU, 1-4 ATS) can relate to the injury bug with starting quarterback Jake Locker ‘out’ for a second straight week with a shoulder injury. Without Locker, the Titans got pounded 30-7 at Minnesota last week.

Chris Johnson was limited to merely 24 rushing yards on 15 carries. Veteran back-up QB Matt Hasselbeck completed 26-of-43 passes for 200 yards with one TD and one interception. Rookie WR Kendall Wright had nine catches for 66 yards.

With the exception of a 44-41 home win over Detroit in overtime, Mike Munchak’s squad has been taking woodshed treatment on a weekly basis. Tennessee lost its season opener at home to New England by a 34-13 count as a 4½-point underdog. The Titans have been drilled in all three road games at San Diego (38-10), at Houston (38-14) and at Minnesota.

Tennessee is ranked last in the NFL in scoring defense, giving up 36.5 points per game.

For the year, Johnson has rushed for a pedestrian 210 yards on 73 totes. That equates to a meager 2.9 yards per carry.

For the season, Roethlisberger has connected on 65.6 percent of his throws for 1,111 yards with an 8/1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Brown has 25 catches for 326 yards and one touchdown, while Mike Wallace has made 19 receptions for 251 yards and three TDs.

Mike Tomlin’s team has beaten the Titans each of the last three seasons, including a 38-17 win as a three-point home favorite last season. Roethlisberger threw for 224 yards and five touchdowns.

The ‘over’ is 3-2 overall for the Titans, 1-1 in their home games. With that said, we should note that Tennessee’s two home games resulted in 47 combined points and 85.

The ‘over’ has hit in both of the Steelers’ road assignments.

Tennessee is 2-2 both SU and ATS as a home underdog on Munchak’s watch. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has limped to a 10-17-1 spread record as a road favorite during Tomlin’s six-year tenure.

B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets

Tennessee is one of three home underdogs on the board in Week 6. The others are the Browns (+1 vs. the Bengals) and Seahawks (+3.5 vs. the Patriots).

Seattle owns a 9-5 spread record in 14 games as a home underdog on Pete Carroll’s watch. The Seahawks have won outright in both of their home games this year as ‘dogs vs. Dallas and Green Bay.

The only team favored by more than a touchdown in Week 6 is the Falcons, who are 8½-point home ‘chalk’ vs. the Raiders.

Atlanta owns an 18-8-1 spread record as a home favorite during Mike Smith’s five-year tenure.

Houston was the final remaining unbeaten team ATS until it failed to cover in Monday’s 23-17 win over the Jets as a 9½-point road favorite. There are now six teams with 4-1 spread records, including the Texans, Falcons, Rams, Bears, 49ers and Patriots.

Detroit remains the only winless team ATS with a 0-4 ledger. The Lions, 4½-point ‘dogs Sunday at Philadelphia, are 8-11-2 ATS as road ‘dogs under Jim Schwartz.

The ‘under’ is a perfect 5-0 for the Seahawks. They are second in the NFL in scoring defense, surrendering only 14.0 PPG.

The ‘over’ is an NFL-best 4-1 overall for the Saints, Redskins and Bills.

Minnesota WR Percy Harvin is enjoying an outstanding season to date and along with Christian Ponder and Adrian Peterson, has played a huge role in the team’s surprising 4-1 start. Harvin has 814 all-purpose yards on 60 ‘touches’ (38 catches, 13 carries and nine kick returns), averaging 13.6 yards per touch.