Steelers Open as 1.5-Point Underdogs to Panthers

The Carolina Panthers looked like the worst team in the NFL at one point this year, but things have changed under interim head coach Steve Wilks. The Panthers have won three of their last four games, which includes an impressive 30-24 win over the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday. With the Panthers’ recent success and the Steelers’ demoralizing loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, it makes sense that the oddsmakers have Carolina listed as 1.5-point favorites over Pittsburgh to begin the week.

The over/under for the game is currently at 38.5 points. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Steelers have a +114 money line. The Steelers are 6-6-1 against the spread this year and have gone under in eight of their 13 games. The Panthers are 6-7 against the spread and have gone under in eight of their 13 games, as well.

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The Steelers got gashed by the Ravens in the run game, as they surrendered 215 yards and got overpowered late in the game when they needed a stop. The Panthers rushed for 223 yards in their win over Seattle, so the Steelers better fix their dreadful run defense, which has been shaky since the second half of the Falcons game. Panthers running backs Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman each rushed for 74 yards against the Seahawks.

The Steelers are 6-1 all-time against the Panthers, the lone loss coming in the inaugural meeting in 1996. The Steelers are 3-0 against the Panthers under Mike Tomlin. The Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams are the only other teams that Tomlin has never lost to. The Steelers are 3-0 against NFC South teams this year.

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The last time the Steelers played the Panthers was in Week 9 of the 2018 season, a 52-21 thrashing on Thursday Night Football in Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger had one of the best performances of his career, completing 22 of 25 passes (88%) for 328 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3. The Steelers haven’t played the Panthers in Carolina since 2014, a 37-19 win. Le’ Veon Bell had a standout performance, rushing for 147 yards on 21 carries (7.0 average), which included a career-high 81-yard run. Antonio Brown had a standard mid 2010s game with 10 receptions for 90 yards (9.0 average) and two touchdowns.

Mason Rudolph is from Rock Hill, S.C., which is roughly 27 miles south of Charlotte. And with Kenny Pickett dealing with his second concussion this year and Mitch Trubisky throwing three picks against the Ravens. Who knows, maybe Rudolph will start on Sunday in a city that he didn’t grow up far from. In fact, a lot of Pittsburgh inhabitants think he should. Alex Highsmith and Larry Ogunjobi both player their college ball at the University of Charlotte, while Trubisky played at North Carolina. Backup offensive tackle Trent Scott played for the Panthers last year. In addition, offensive line coach Pat Meyer and wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson were in Carolina last season, as well.

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