Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers Public Play

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2, 4-2), 10/28/23

Date/Time: 1 pm ET Sunday, Oct. 28

Where: Acrisure Stadium

TV: CBS

NFL Betting Odds

Point Spread: Jack -2.5 / Pitt +2.5

Moneyline: Jack -150 / Pitt +130

Total: 41

Two teams playing some winning ball as of late meet when the Jaguars take on the Steelers Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh. Jacksonville started 1-2 this season; they’re 4-0 since. The Steelers started 0-1; they’re 4-1 since.

Quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence from Clemson and Kenny Pickett from Pitt faced off a couple of times in college, both resulting in Tigers blow-out victories over the Panthers. Sunday will be their first meeting as pros.

NFL Betting Lines

The Week 8 NFL betting market opened Jacksonville as a one-point road favorite for Sunday, with an over/under of right around 41. Early betting action then bumped the Jaguars to -2.5.

Jaguars-Steelers NFL Betting Preview

Jacksonville rides a four-game winning streak into Sunday after outlasting the Saints at the Superdome last Thursday 31-24. The Jaguars drove the opening possession of the game 75 yards to a touchdown and led 17-6 at the half. Jacksonville used a pick-6 to push its advantage to 24-9 in the third quarter, then allowed the Saints to tie it at 24-24 midway through the fourth. But the Jags responded immediately with a touchdown and held on – with a late goal-line stand – from there.

The Jaguars actually got out-gained by New Orleans 407-330 and lost time of possession by a 36:24 split. But that pick-6 and a late gift in the form of a dropped pass in the end zone by the Saints made all the difference.

Jacksonville started 1-2 this season, and we were concerned they might be suffering a letdown under heightened expectations, following that great finish to last season. But the Jaguars have since beaten Atlanta, Buffalo, Indianapolis, and New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is 4-1 both SU and ATS in its last five times out after winning at the Rams last Sunday 24-17. The Steelers trailed 9-3 at the half and 17-10 through three quarters but scored touchdowns on consecutive possessions to take the lead and hung on from there.

Pittsburgh got out-gained by Los Angeles 354-300 and got out-rushed 135-86. But with help from a generous spot on a late 4th-and-1, the Steelers were able to run the last five minutes off the clock.

Pittsburgh opened this season with a bad loss to San Francisco, won a game against Cleveland it should have lost and later lost badly at Houston. The Steelers then came from behind to beat Baltimore 17-10, then did the same thing last week.

Somehow, Pittsburgh is 4-2 without out-gaining any of its six opponents this season.

These two teams last met three seasons ago, a 27-3 Steelers victory in Jacksonville. Ben Roethlisberger quarterbacked Pittsburgh that day against Jake Luton for the Jags.

NFL Betting Trends

After going 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS last week, home dogs are 18-26 SU, 22-20-2 ATS in the NFL this season.

Totals Report

The overs are 4-3 in Jaguars games this season, which are averaging 46 total points.

The unders are 5-1 in Steelers games this season, which are averaging 38 points.

After going 9-4 last week, the unders are 65-41 in the NFL this season.

Free NFL Betting Pick

Jacksonville owns the better quarterback in this match-up, the better running game, and the better defense, especially against the run. The Jaguars proved something to us when they won two games in London, then came home and won two more. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, has yet to out-gain an opponent this season. And how long can they keep winning games doing that? We like the Jags minus the short spread.