The Pittsburgh Steelers reach the midway mark of their 2014 NFL campaign on Sunday when they take on the red-hot Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field. It has been a wildly inconsistent first half of the season for the 4-3 Steelers, who have alternated between wins and losses through their first seven games and have been a betting disappointment, posting a mediocre 3-4 record ATS.
Still, despite their struggles, the Steelers enter Week 8 in the playoff conversation and just a game off the division lead in the AFC North, held by the 5-2 Baltimore Ravens.
Pittsburgh are coming off a tough 30-23 win over the Houston Texans on Monday night. The offense dusted off a rarely used playbook against Houston, establishing an 11-point halftime lead on an unexpected TD pass from WR Antonio Brown late in the second quarter which they would not come close to relinquishing.
The Steelers’ other SU wins have come against Cleveland, Carolina, Tampa Bay, with the team holding opponents to an average of 19.5 points per games in each win.
Opposing quarterbacks combined for just four TDs in those victories, but the Steelers have yet to encounter a pivot like the Colts’ Andrew Luck, who has made himself an MVP candidate with a league leading 2331 passing yards and 19 TD throws.
Facing Luck and the Colts on Sunday will be a true challenge for Pittsburgh’s defense, which has allowed just 230 passing yards per game so far in 2014.
The early betting odds have not favored the Steelers, who opened as slim 1.5-point home underdogs at sportsbooks presented by bettingsports.com. But the line has moved quickly in the Colts’ favor, making them stronger 3-point favorites by midweek.
Fortunately for Pittsburgh, the Colts have enjoyed little success in recent visits to Heinz Field, winning just one of their last nine, while going 3-6 ATS.
If the Steelers can pull off the upset, they can keep pace with Ravens, who visit the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. The Bengals, who went undefeated at home throughout the 2013 regular season, won their first AFC North title in five years last season with 11 wins, but have stumbled to a 3-3 start in 2014, and out of top spot in the division.
A Bengals win over Baltimore combined with a Steelers’ upset of the Colts would make things crowded at the top of the division, setting the stage for a showdown between Pittsburgh and the Ravens next weekend at Heinz Field.
The Steelers have lost four of their last six against Baltimore, including two of their last three home meetings, putting additional pressure on the squad to come up big against Indy. But if they can endure the toughest part of their schedule, Pittsburgh may be in the hunt come December to claim their first berth in the NFL postseason since 2011.
