New Orleans Saints vs Pittsburgh Steelers Point Spread Picks

This has been a challenging season for New Orleans at 3-6. They have had to go with Andy Dalton at QB and he has done a respectable job, but the Saints are not winning games - yet. It is a similar fate for Pittsburgh behind Mitchell Trubisky as the Steelers are just 2-6. Pittsburgh is averaging just 15 points per game and have to call on their defense to stay in games, which has been very difficult. The Steelers are generating just 4.9 yards per play on the season. New Orleans is 62-40 ATS in their last 102 road games vs. winning teams. And, over the past two and a half seasons, they are 8-1 ATS vs. teams that allow 375+ yards per game. The Steelers are 33-23 UNDER the last 4 years and 75-49-5 UNDER since the start of 2015. A team in the 2nd half of the season that is off a road loss of 21 or more points, and has a losing record on the season is 57-23 to the UNDER. Take the Saints and the UNDER both as Max Plays.

Talented Pittsburgh has been an underdog four times this season...and won all four. That included last week, a 17-10 win over the Patriots as the ground game busted out for 158 yards. Pittsburgh is on a 79-54 ATS run as an underdog. They are capable of beating anyone, anywhere, 19-6-2 ATS on the road versus a team with a winning home record. The Steelers are on a 7-4 run UNDER the total with a defense that is ninth in yards allowed, sixth against the run. Pittsburgh is also on a 36-15 run UNDER on the road. The Steelers have plenty of motivation, a half-game ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North. They take on a New Orleans team that can also play tough defense, tops in the NFL in rush defense, seventh in points allowed (20.6 pg). New Orleans hasn't allowed more than 17 points in any of its last six games, 12-4 UNDER the total after getting 150+ yards rushing in their previous game. But they are in an offensive slump, averaging 16.7 points the last three contests, and this is a tough matchup.  Winning NFL teams like the Steelers off a win as a home underdog are 174-104 ATS. Look for a close, low scoring tilt between two of the best teams in each conference. Play Pittsburgh and the UNDER.

Pittsburgh heads out on the road with a no-nonsense coach in Mike Tomlin who has had to watch his team through two awful performances. The Steelers have a very good August QB rotation in Ben Roethlisberger, Landry Jones and Bruce Gradkowski -- three quarterbacks who have started regular season games. Receiver Markus Wheaton returned to practice after missing two weeks with an undisclosed injury. It was a welcome sight for Roethlisberger, who had been hoping to develop more chemistry with his other starting receiver. After sleepwalking through the first two games, the talented Pittsburgh offense finally gets a chance to look more like the regular season juggernaut they should be. They face a New Orleans defense that was abysmal last year and looks just as bad in starting this year's campaign. The Saints have surrendered 50 points in two games, tied for second most in the league. The offense has been frustrated in games and in practice because of a porous O-line, allowing four sacks in two games along with just 78 and 82 yards rushing. They lost at Houston last week scoring nine points as QB Drew Brees was five-for-eight for 29 yards and an interception. The Saints are really gambling at guard, where they’re starting 2015 first-round tackle Andrus Peat on the right side and either Senio Kelemete or Tim Lelito on the left. In the past, the Saints have always invested in premier guards because, having a 6-foot quarterback and an aerial attack focused on the middle of the field, it’s imperative that the interior pocket stay firm. With Brees’s arm strength in decline, it’s more imperative than ever. Look for a strong effort by the talented visitors against the shaky host. Take the points on Pittsburgh.