For the second week in a row, sportsbooks aren’t giving the Pittsburgh Steelers much respect.
Last week, the Steelers were 3.5-point home underdogs against the Baltimore Ravens despite having numerous trends in their favor. Sure enough, they covered and won outright, beating the Ravens 26-24 on Sunday Night Football.
Now, Pittsburgh is once again a 3.5-point home underdog in the Wild Card Round, this time against the Houston Texans.
The oddsmakers consider the Steelers the worst playoff team in the AFC, even though they’re the No. 4 seed. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Pittsburgh has the longest odds to win the AFC at +1700. The Steelers also have the second-worst Super Bowl odds in the NFL at +4500, behind only the Carolina Panthers at +15000.
One on hand, there are numerous factors working against Pittsburgh. The Steelers have the worst record of any postseason team in the AFC and made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. They also have a 42-year-old quarterback, a flawed roster and haven’t won a postseason game in nine years.
Story continues below advertisement
On the other hand, Pittsburgh has real momentum after finishing the season 4-1. Rodgers and Mike Tomlin are both Super Bowl champs with tons of playoff experience, so they know how to navigate the postseason and win big games.
The Steelers have overachieved and defied the odds all season, including last week. It wouldn’t be surprising if they did so again, especially in this year’s wide-open AFC.
More Steelers: Aaron Rodgers Propels Steelers To AFC North Title With Clutch Fourth Quarter
Story continues below advertisement
Featured image via Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images