Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0) vs Buffalo Bills (0-0)
Game Info: Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 7:00 pm (Acrisure Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Steelers -2.5 / Buffalo Bills +2.5 — Over/Under: 33.5
The Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers meet Saturday in NFL preseason action from Acrisure Stadium. Here’s a Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Bills vs Steelers pick. We will examine:
The Pittsburgh Steelers recent form and player performance
The Buffalo Bills recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Pittsburgh Steelers
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Buffalo Bills
Recent betting trends in games played between the Steelers and Bills
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Steelers vs Bills game
Buffalo Bills Betting Preview
Last year Buffalo had a pretty nice run with a sour ending in the postseason. The Bills would go 11-6 overall, taking the AFC East title along the way. In their fifth consecutive playoffs appearance, Buffalo dispatched the Steelers in the Wild Card Playoffs before losing to the Chiefs in the Divisional Playoffs 27-24.
The Bills matched up against the Chicago Bears in their first preseason game. Buffalo was down 13-6 going into the fourth quarter, then gave up 20 points from there in a 33-6 blowout loss. QB Josh Allen completed two of his three passes for 22 yards, and Frank Gore Jr. rushed for 21 yards off seven carries.
Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Preview
Over on the Steelers’ side, they posted a 10-7 overall record in 2023. That would leave Pittsburgh in third place among a competitive AFC North, but it was also good enough for a Wild Card berth (and a loss to the Bills in that game). That makes 20 consecutive non-losing records for Pittsburgh, though.
Last week in their preseason opener matchup, the Steelers were down 17-0 to the Texans by halftime. Pittsburgh got better from there but still lost 20-12. QB Kyle Allen logged 193 yards with a TD and a pick. Daijun Edwards rushed three times for 28 yards and a score of his own.
Buffalo Bills Player Prop Facts
- Ty Johnson has recorded 22+ rushing and receiving yards in each of the Bills’ last five home games.
- Mack Hollins has recorded 31+ receiving yards in each of his last six September appearances with his team as a favorite.
- Josh Allen has scored a touchdown in each of the Bills’ last five September games against NFC opponents.
- Josh Allen has recorded 270+ passing yards in each of the Bills’ last six September home games.
- Ty Johnson has recorded 11+ rushing yards in each of the Bills’ last five games as home favorites.
- Josh Allen has recorded 24+ completions in each of the Bills’ last six September home games.
- Josh Allen has thrown three or more touchdowns in four of the Bills’ last five games in September at Highmark Stadium.
- Rasul Douglas is just one away from 20 career interceptions (including playoffs).
Pittsburgh Steelers Player Prop Facts
- Van Jefferson has recorded 13+ receiving yards in seven of his last eight Sunday appearances with his team as a road underdog.
- Russell Wilson has recorded 221+ passing yards in each of his six previous appearances with his team as an underdog against NFC South opponents.
- Jaylen Warren has recorded 38+ rushing yards in each of the Steelers’ last four games as road underdogs.
- Najee Harris has scored at least one touchdown in each of the Steelers’ last three regular season games.
- Najee Harris has recorded 77+ rushing and receiving yards in four of the Steelers’ last five Sunday games.
- Russell Wilson has thrown two or more touchdowns in each of his last five appearances with his team as an underdog against NFC South opponents.
- Russell Wilson has recorded 20+ completions in each of his last five September appearances with his team as an underdog.
- George Pickens ranked 1st amongst qualified players for Yards Per Reception (18.1) last season.
Buffalo Bills vs Pittsburgh Steelers Prediction
I’ll probably lean toward the Steelers here. That said, preseason games are always a dice-roll proposition regardless. In any case, Pittsburgh managed 344 yards of offense (235 passing) and 6.0 yards per play in their loss to Houston. The Steelers weren’t spectacular on third and fourth downs though (a combined 2-of-10) and coughed up two turnovers.
Pittsburgh gave up the fifth-fewest points in the league last year, but they scored the fifth-fewest as well. The offense will be a focal point this year, and hopes are that Russell Wilson can be the answer—at least temporarily. It’ll be an interesting season no matter what happens.