Steelers Open as 5-Point Favorites over Texans

The Pittsburgh Steelers have opened as five-point favorites against the Houston Texans this Sunday at Heinz Field, according to odds released Sunday.

The Steelers sit at 2-0 on the season after victories at the New York Giants and at home over the Denver Broncos, while the Texans are 0-2, dropping games to the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.

The Steelers are 1-1 against the spread, covering a six-point line against the Giants, but failing to hit that same figure in Sunday’s five-point victory over the Broncos.

The Texans have twice been losers in the eyes of bettors as well as on the scoreboard. They could not cover a 9.5-point spread against the Chiefs or a 7.5-point line against the Ravens.

The point total of Sunday’s game, which will kick off at 1 p.m. at Heinz Field, is 44.5.

The Steelers and Texans have met six times since the Houston squad joined the league in 2002, and the upstarts have had a significant disadvantage, losing four of the six games and each of the last two contests in 2017 and 2014. The last Houston win over Pittsburgh came in 2011.

Pittsburgh has not started its season with three straight wins since beating Atlanta, Tennessee and Tampa Bay to start the 2010 season. The Steelers finished that year with 12-4 record, winning the AFC North and falling to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.