The Pats are American football betting road favorites in a new installment of the New England Patriots-Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry. It’s just a field-goal advantage, but it’s still better than many people who bet on NFL expected following the Pats’ shocking 20-27 loss, as 10.5-point chalk, to the Dolphins on Monday. The reason is simple. Do you know what “nemesis” means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent. Personified, in this case, by the Steelers’ nemesis: Tom Brady, whose passer rating of 114.2 against Pittsburgh is his highest among teams he has played more than five times. Furthermore, he is 6-1 in his last seven games against the Steelers, with 22 TDs and no picks.
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A new installment of the New England Patriots-Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry
- Date: Sunday, 17th December
- Time: 4:30 PM
- Venue: Heinz Field
Online sportsbook NFL betting spread:
Patriots -3 (-105) 54 (-110) -150
Steelers +3 (-115) 54 (-110) +130
Patriots bounce back, and cover, with a vengeance after losing outright
It’s not just Brady who “breaks you down before the play’s even snapped,” as Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward described it. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, who will return from a one-game suspension, scored three TDs on Pittsburgh in his rookie season. He also tied Stanley Morgan’s franchise record for most touchdowns and most touchdown receptions in last season’s installment of the New England Patriots-Pittsburgh Steelers rivalry. Heinz field was the site of the Gronk’s heroics on both occasions. “It’s a great environment, a great football area. Pittsburgh has had a lot of great players and great coaches. It’s great history and tradition there,” Pats head coach Bill Belichick said.
The Pats are 6-0 SU and ATS in their last six games after a straight-up loss. They have won those games by a margin of 10.5 points. Additionally they are 10-3 SU and 9-3-1 against the American football betting spread against the Steelers in the Brady/Belichick era, including four straight wins, three of which were by double digits.
The Steelers nigh unbeatable after failing to cover
Le’Veon Bell, who, according to FiveThirtyEight is one half of “best running back-wide receiver tandem in NFL history,” is eager to play more than the 11 snaps he had in the Steeler’s 36-17 humiliation at the hands of the Pats in the in the 2016 AFC Championship. “This is the game everyone has been waiting to see,” Bell tolled. “It’s the No. 1 and 2 teams in the AFC going at it head-to-head. This is obviously a game that a lot of people, even before the season started, probably circled on their calendars. I’ll definitely embrace the game. The Patriots are the team that’s always in the hunt for the Super Bowl.”
The Steelers beat the Ravens by one point on Sunday. That means they didn’t cover. However, they are 9-0 SU in their last nine games following an ATS loss. They American football betting total for this game is the highest of the week at 54 points. The total has gone over in the Steelers’ last four games straight, with an average combined score of 59 points.