The Washington Commanders open as 2.5-point favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers for Sunday’s showdown in the DMV, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under point total is currently set at 44.5 points.
The Steelers are 6-2 against the spread this season and 2-0 when underdogs. The Steelers beat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 as 4-point underdogs and dismantled the New York Jets as 2.5-point home underdogs in Week 7.
The Steelers are atop the AFC North at 6-2, while the Commanders are in first place in the NFC East at 7-2. Washington is coming off a 27-22 win over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Steelers had their bye in Week 9.
Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has turned heads this season. It appears that Washington finally has a franchise quarterback. New head coach Dan Quinn has also done a remarkable job. He is currently the leading candidate for NFL Coach of the Year.
Pittsburgh’s defense will be battle-tested in the final nine games, and it starts this Sunday against Washington. In points per drive, the Commanders rank first in the NFL. New offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has made a profound impact.
While Daniels has been impressive this season, Mike Tomlin is 25-6 against rookie QBs during his tenure as Pittsburgh’s head coach. Daniels will be the second rookie quarterback to face the Steelers this season. The first was Bo Nix in Week 2, who the Steelers deconstructed in a 13-6 win at Mile High. Daniels will certainly be a tougher test.
The last time the Steelers played the Commanders on the road was in 2016, a 38-16 Week 1 win on Monday Night Football. It will be the Steelers third regular season game at Northwest Stadium, formerly known as FedEx Field. The Steelers beat the Commanders at FedEx Field in 2008, as well. Before 2008, the last Steelers’ regular season game in Washington was in 1988, a 30-29 loss at RFK Stadium.