2024-09-16 08:45:04
The Pittsburgh Steelers hit the road for a second consecutive week and hope to make it a 2-0 road trip. The Denver Broncos, on the other hand, are playing their first home game after dropping their season opener.
The Steelers vs. Broncos odds for NFL Week 2 odds show the Steelers are favored by 2.5 points at most online sportsbooks.
Is that a fair number for a team that didn’t score a touchdown last week? Keep reading for our Steelers vs. Broncos prediction and best bet for NFL Week 2.
Steelers vs. Broncos NFL Week 2 odds
With the Steelers listed as 2.5-point favorites at all of the top online sportsbooks, I believe oddsmakers are teasing sports bettors.
While it’s tempting to bet on Pittsburgh knowing a win by a field goal is good enough, it’s a slippery slope betting on the road team.
If you want to take the point spread out of it, you can bet on the Steelers’ moneyline at -140 odds up to -154 odds at FanDuel.
Think the Broncos can score a win on their home field? Their moneyline price is anywhere from +118 to +130.
The over/under is 36.5 points, and that’s the lowest total on the board in NFL Week 2.
Why Pittsburgh could win as the favorite
The Steelers have a solid defense and a veteran coach, and that’s a great combination to have in the current NFL.
Their offense may not blow you away, but they’re still going to be in most games because of defense and coaching.
It’s not ideal that they didn’t score any touchdowns in last week’s win over Atlanta, but QB Justin Fields did lead six scoring drives on the road.
Sunday’s game in Denver could be a similar grind-it-out game, so that recent experience of doing just enough to win will come in handy.
Fields is expected to start again this week with Russell Wilson sidelined due to a calf injury. He got his feet under him last week with a new team, so he should be able to do more this weekend.
Why Denver could win as the underdog
The Broncos have a veteran coach of their own in Sean Payton, so he knows how to prepare and motivate after a loss.
It was asking too much for the Broncos to win last week’s season opener at Seattle with rookie QB Bo Nix making his first start.
This week is different. Denver gets to be at home for the first time and acquitted itself well against Seattle.
The Broncos led early but couldn’t hold off the Seahawks in the second half. Being at home should help them play a complete game against the Steelers.
Steelers vs. Broncos Prediction
Pittsburgh did well to win last week at Atlanta, but don’t forget that the Steelers didn’t get into the end zone. Defense and coaching are great, but at some point, you need to get 6 instead of 3.
The Steelers certainly will be in this game, but it doesn’t seem right for them to be favored in this road game. The point spread is an overreaction to Week 1 results.
The fact that Denver didn’t get blown out against Seattle says that this team may be more ready than expected with Nix leading the way.
Look for the Broncos to cover this number and perhaps even pull off the outright victory.
