NFL Football
2009-09-10 - Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
A Sports Betting Pick by Gooner
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
Thursday, 10th September 2009 - Kickoff 8:35 ET
What a game to get the new season started - as the Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers host last the Tennessee Titans who had last seasons best regular season record at 13-3.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
The Steelers return 19 of 22 starters from last season, that's exceptional for a Super Bowl-winning team in these days of free agency, meaning that Pittsburgh should be at least as good as last year.
And that was pretty good as the Steelers won their last six games here at Heinz field (including the playoffs) - and the last five victories were by an average 15 point margin.
TENNESSEE TITANS
The Titans started 10-0 last season, finished 13-3 during the season (and 7-1 SU at home) earning top seeding and an armchair ride and then promptly screwed it up when they lost 10-13 at home to the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs.
That got to have meant that much of the off-season was spent wondering what could have been.
LAST SEASON
The Titans beat the Steelers last season in regular season play, winning 31-14 in an impressive display.
However, the antics of the Titans players in stomping on the "Terrible Towels" on the sideline and LenDale White yaking it up saying that he'll do it again is boneheaded. Talk about firing up the defending champs early.
Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher has tried to quell it - saying his players now understand the history and the tradition behind the towel - and that it was an emotional moment ..
But let's just say that Pittsburgh won't have forgotten.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Titans have won four of their last five against the Steelers, which sounds impressive, but only two of those games have been played in the last four seasons - and they were split 1-1.
Dec 21, 2008 --- PIT 14 TEN 31
Sep 11, 2005 --- TEN 7, PIT 34
THE BETTING VERDICT
There is not much between these two great sides, but home advantage, and also possibly the motivation to avoid "Towel Stomp II" should mean that Pittburgh find a way to find the game - albeit narrowly.
Oh - and weird stas fans should also know that since the NFL began the season on Thursday with the kickoff game, the home team has won six of seven times.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Tennessee 17-20 Pittsburgh
BEST BETTING TIP :
I expect PITTSBURGH to win this game by a 2-3 point margin.
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
So the ATS play has to be to take TENNESSEE +6 START
(main bet).
(main bet).
