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The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers line had San Fran as the -3 point favorite with a total of 38. The line on this game has not moved over the course of the past week. You can bet this game at Sportsbook.com here and receive up to $250 in FREE CASH.
A couple of 10-win clubs square off in a tremendous Monday Night Football matchup when the Steelers visit the 49ers.
Even with 11 days off since their last game, the Steelers are banged up. QB Ben Roethlisberger suffered a high ankle sprain last week, and while he limped through the second half, he didn’t look good playing through pain. A potential downgrade to Charlie Batch would be significant. The Niners are coming off an upset loss in Arizona, and they are susceptible to the big pass play. Their top-ranked rush defense should neutralize the Pittsburgh running game, but they’ll likely struggle to move the ball against a top-notch Steelers defense. San Fran has been held to less than 250 yards of offense in two of its past three games, both which resulted in defeats. The Steelers have a tendency to rise to the occasion in big games, going 34-13 ATS (72%) when playing a team with a winning percentage of greater than 75% since 1992.
Pittsburgh has won four consecutive games, holding opponents to a mere 36 total points during the win streak. Roethlisberger was nothing short of incredible last week, completing 16-of-21 passes (76%) for 280 yards, 2 TD, and 1 INT despite his painful injury. That equates to 13.3 yards per attempt and a 129.6 passer rating, his fifth passer rating of 115+ this year. If Roethlisberger is unable to go, Batch has done a decent job filling in as his backup, going 4-2 as a starter with an 84.2 passer rating (11 TD, 7 INT) in seven seasons with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh’s ground game has increased its yardage in each of the past four games, going from 70 to 105 to 108 to 136 and to 147 last week. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 76 yards last week, his second-highest total of the year. Although the 49ers sport the league’s top rushing defense (71 YPG), they could be without star LB Patrick Willis (hamstring), whose absence could pave the way for Mendenhall to have another quality performance.
San Francisco has been crushing teams at home this year, winning five straight at Candlestick Park by a combined 144 to 40 score. The Niners are 6-1 SU (6-0-1 ATS) at home on the year, and are out-rushing opponents by an average of 133 to 66 in these seven tilts. Offensively, San Fran continues to possess an erratic rushing attack, gaining 138, 77, 164, 74, 144 and 94 yards over the past six games. The 49ers could struggle again Monday against Pittsburgh’s sixth-best run defense (97 YPG).
But the Steelers also possess the league’s top passing defense, putting even more pressure on Niners QB Alex Smith to perform. Smith’s team has the fourth-fewest passing yards in the NFL, but he has been consistently solid all season, completing 62% of his passes for 2,565 yards (197 YPG), 15 TD and 5 INT. Smith will be able to breathe a bit easier if Steelers ruthless LB James Harrison is suspended for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns QB Colt McCoy last Thursday.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
