The bookmaker may have to reconsider his odds going forward on the Pittsburgh Steelers as it appears as if they do not need a top shelf quarterback to beat the line.
Fourth String QB
Charlie Batch, who threw a total of 2 passes in the past two seasons and who had only 4 starts since 2005 led the Steelers to an easy payout at Sbg global.com on Sunday as Pittsburgh manhandled the previously undefeated 2-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-13 as 2 point road favorites.
Batch did his best Ben Roethlisberger imitation as he passed for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns and was over 90 for his QB rating in the game. Pittsburgh now stands at 3-0 both straight up and against the spread as they prepare to meet the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at 1:05 PM Eastern on CBS. The online bookmaker opened with Pittsburgh as a 1 point home favorite.
The Ultimate Question
If Pittsburgh can go 3-0 to start the season and payout in all three of those games what is going to happen when suspended starting quarterback Roethlisberger returns after the Ravens game? That is the ultimate question that is haunting a lot of NFL teams and appealing to handicappers looking to beat the bookmaker.
Back to Basics
As was the case in their Steel Curtain glory days of the 1970’s the Steelers are relying on a defense that is ranked 6th in the NFL for total yards allowed and best in pro football for points permitted. The Steelers running game is another key asset with the online bookmaker as they rank 3rd in the NFL for rushing yards. Rashard Mendenhall has been a workhorse so far with 64 carries, 332 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 5.2 yards per carry average. With a strong running game, the Steelers can keep heat off the quarterbacks and keep their defense well rested and fresh as they chew up the clock.
Character Counts
The Roethlisberger saga embarrassed the franchise and the Rooney family considered trading him after his second sexual assault accusation in the past two off seasons. The great start by the Steelers is a testament to their character as a team. The fact that they can beat the bookmaker without Roethlisberger is proof that they will be a dangerous contender with plenty of ways to win all season long.