Playoff contenders clash on Thursday Night Football when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Carolina Panthers at 8:20 p.m. ET from Heinz Field. Both teams are coming in hot. Pittsburgh has rattled off four consecutive wins, while Carolina has been victorious in five of its last six. On Sunday, the Steelers held off the Ravens 23-16, while the Panthers steamrolled the Buccaneers 42-28. For Thursday, Pittsburgh is a four-point favorite, while the Over-Under, which opened at 50, is 51.5 in the latest Steelers vs. Panthers odds. Before you make any Steelers vs. Panthers picks, check out what the SportsLine Projection Model has locked in.
In a straight-up, pick’em format, their proprietary computer model went 176-80 last season and beat over 95 percent of CBS Office Pool players in 2016 and 2017, performing better than 98 percent of experts tracked by NFLPickWatch.com during that span. Additionally, it went 48-34 on all A-rated picks last season, and $100 bettors who followed it the past two seasons are up nearly $4,000.
The model has continued to nail its top-rated picks in 2018, entering Week 10 on a strong 8-0 run. For the season, it is now 22-9 on all top-rated picks, extending its two-year run to a blistering 70-43. And when it comes to all straight-up picks, the model is 89-43 this season, again ranking in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch.com. Anybody who has been following it is way, way up.
Now, the model has simulated the Panthers vs. Steelers 10,000 times. We can tell you it’s leaning over, but it also has generated a spread pick that hits over 50 percent of the time. You can only see that one at SportsLine.
The model has factored in that the Steelers are averaging 31.3 points since their Week 4 loss to the Ravens, and at 36, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is enjoying an MVP-caliber season. He tossed two touchdown passes against the Ravens on Sunday, upping his season total to 16. He’s averaging an incredible 311 passing yards per game while completing 65 percent of his attempts. He’s also run in two more scores.
The emergence of running back James Conner has been key to Pittsburgh’s recent success. Le’Veon Bell’s replacement has racked up 1,085 yards from scrimmage, second in the league to Todd Gurley.
But just because the Steelers have been on a tear doesn’t mean they will cover against Carolina.
The model knows that Panthers quarterback Cam Newton can neutralize Pittsburgh’s front seven by getting the ball out quickly to his dangerous playmakers. Against Tampa Bay, Newton had one of his most accurate games of the season. He completed 76 percent of his attempts for 247 yards and two scores. He also picked up clutch first downs while scrambling for 33 yards.
Carolina asserts its will with an imposing ground attack that produces 143.9 yards per game. Second-year star Christian McCaffrey leads the Panthers with 502 rushing yards and 46 catches. He has also found the end zone five times. Wideout Devin Funchess is the primary deep threat with a team-high seven receptions of 20 yards or more.
Who wins Panthers vs. Steelers? And which side covers in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to be all over, all from the incredible computer model that has returned nearly $4,000 to $100 bettors.
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