Steelers 2013-14 Season Odds
PITTSBURGH, PA (The Spread) – After failing to make the playoffs last season, will the Steelers win a wide-open AFC North this year?
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Steelers are 28/1 long shots to win the 2014 Super Bowl and 12/1 to win the AFC Conference this season. They’re also +200 to win the AFC North Division and have an over/under of 9 for number of wins in 2013. Their odds have making the playoffs are -115 for and -115 against.
This offseason the Steelers released running back Rashard Mendenhall and watched as receiver Mike Wallace signed a lucrative long-term contract with the Dolphins via free agency. They also re-signed wideout Emmanuel Sanders and cornerback William Gay, added quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and decided against bringing back veterans James Harrison and Willie Collon (who was also released).
In the draft, the Steelers selected Georgia pass rusher Jarvis Jones with the 17th overall selection and nabbed Michigan State running back Le’Veon Bell in the second. In the third round the team drafted Oregon State receiver Markus Wheaton and in the fourth they used their two selections on Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas and Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones, respectively.
If Ben Roethlisberger is healthy the Steelers will be competitive, but they have plenty of question marks heading into the new season. Their running game took a hit when Bell injured his foot in preseason and the loss of Wallace hurts their deep passing game. (Tight end Heath Miller’s absence will also be felt until he can return from knee surgery.) That said, the defense remains a strength under DC Dick LeBeau and given how up-in-the-air the AFC North is, you can’t write off Pittsburgh as playoff team. And once they reach the postseason, they’ve proven time and time again that they have the ability to make a deep run.
2013-14 Pittsburgh Steelers Odds
Super Bowl Odds: 28/1
AFC Conference Odds: 12/1
AFC North Division Odds: +200
Over/Under Win Total: 9
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