The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Carolina Panthers will finish off their preseasons against each other on Friday afternoon. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Steelers-Panthers prediction and pick.
The Steelers have been one of the best teams of the preseason so far. They've won all three of their games so far and will be looking to be the only team with four wins in this preseason. The Panthers haven't quite had the same success, as they've dropped their first two contests. Carolina looked good in week one, but they completely fell apart in their second game against the Baltimore Ravens. Head coach Matt Rhule will be looking to get his team back on track in the last rehearsal before the regular season.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the odds for Friday's game.
NFL Odds: Steelers-Panthers Odds
Pittsburgh Steelers +3 (-115)
Carolina Panthers -3 (-105)
Over 36 points (-110)
Under 36 points (-110)
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Why The Steelers Could Win
The biggest factor in all of Pittsburgh's wins has been competent quarterback play. The trio of Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins, and Joshua Dobbs has been a solid rotation. All of them have taken care of the football and made the easy plays that the defense gave them. That's essentially all it takes to win preseason games. As long as these guys can continue to keep the ball in their hands and make simple reads and throws, the Steelers have a great shot at winning this game.
Pittsburgh's defense has also looked solid throughout their last couple of contests. They've forced multiple turnovers in two of their three appearances, along with scoring multiple sacks in two contests. This is also the final week of the preseason, so there's a decent chance that the Steelers' starters see the field for an extended period of time. If that happens, the Panthers should be in store for a long, unproductive day on offense.
Why The Panthers Could Win
The Panthers can't maintain the same level of quarterback play as the Steelers for four quarters, but they do have some decent signal-callers. Sam Darnold should see a decent amount of run in this game as Carolina preps for the regular season, giving the Panthers an immediate leg up on the Steelers. When Darnold is pulled, ex-XFL star Phillip Walker will take over. Walker has been decent this preseason, and he should be good enough to lead one or two scoring drives late in the game.
The Panthers will be deploying a deep wide receiver corps for whoever plays quarterback for them. Carolina has five wide receivers who are capable of seeing snaps in a regular season game, ensuring that they have legitimate weapons on the field at all times. The Panthers are probably the best offense that the Steelers have seen all preseason, so expect Pittsburgh to regress defensively in this game.
Final Steelers-Panthers Prediction & Pick
This is an easy pick when taking the odds into account. The Steelers shouldn't be underdogs in this contest, and they should cover with ease. The combination of good defense and solid quarterback play is a strong one in the preseason, and both of those things will still be present against a Carolina team that struggled in week two. Taking the Steelers straight up is also a decent option.
FINAL PICK: Pittsburgh Steelers +3 (-115)
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