Steelers vs. Saints Total Prediction
One week after upsetting the Patriots at home, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves as underdogs again this weekend as they visit the New Orleans Saints at 4:25 p.m. ET. With the total sitting in the low-50s, will the teams score enough to hit the over?
Game Snapshot
127 Pittsburgh Steelers at 128 New Orleans Saints
4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 23
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Saints are 5.5-point favorites to beat the Steelers. The total, meanwhile, sits at 53 points. As of this writing, 54% of the public betting tickets are on the Saints to cover the point spread.
Pittsburgh Steelers
JuJu Smith-Schuster (groin) was downgraded to limited participation at Thursday’s practice. Smith-Schuster suffered the injury at Thursday’s practice and wasn’t able to finish. Mid-week additions are never good news, though teammate James Washington expects Smith-Schuster to suit up in New Orleans. If Smith-Schuster can’t go, it would obviously open up looks for Antonio Brown downfield. Washington and Eli Rogers would also see more run in his absence.
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees completed 23-of-35 passes for 203 scoreless yards and an interception in the Saints’ 12-9, Week 15 win over the Panthers on Monday night. Brees has been a total bust for fantasy owners the last three weeks, averaging just 177 yards passing in that span with a 2:3 TD:INT mark in three consecutive road games at Dallas, Tampa, and Carolina. New Orleans has still won two of those despite Brees’ lack of production. Brees should bounce back in a big way next week at the Superdome against the high-flying Steelers.
NFL Betting Trends
Pittsburgh
The Steelers are 1-3-1 against the spread in their last five games overall and are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games in December.
New Orleans
The Saints 4-0 against the spread in their last four home games and 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
Prediction
Brees has struggled in his last three games as the Saints have had injuries along their offensive line. That’s not to say that they won’t rebound offensively now that they’re back at home after three straight road games but if you want to play the over you’re paying a premium. The Steelers can get after the quarterback and if they harass Brees, he could struggle again on Sunday. The under is 5-0 in the Saints’ last five games overall and is 4-1 in the Steelers’ last five games. The under is 36-15 in Pittsburgh’s last 51 road games as well.
NFL Week 16 Prediction: Steelers/Saints under 53