The Patriots lost, again, on Sunday afternoon in a 6-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, and fell to 2-10 on their miserable 2023 season.
There’s no time to sulk, however, as they’re right back at it on Thursday night. They’ll travel to Pittsburgh for a primetime, 8:15 p.m. kickoff against the 7-5 Steelers.
A friendly reminder that it’s an Amazon Prime game, so make sure to get your streaming ready. Oh, and we’re going to get on it. Here are the betting odds, according to our exclusive wagering partners at FanDuel Sportsbook:
Odds – Patriots vs. Steelers
Spread: Steelers -6
Moneyline: Steelers -245/Patriots +200
Total: O/U 31.5
Storylines
A quick turnaround for both teams, the Patriots are coming into this one off of a 6-0 loss to the Chargers, while the Steelers come off of not only a 24-10 loss to the Cardinals, but also the loss of their starting quarterback.
Kenny Pickett left Sunday’s contest against Arizona with what was deemed an ankle injury and didn’t return. The 2022 first-round pick was later seen on the sideline in a walking boot, and according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the injury is “not good”. Dulac reported late Sunday night that Pickett will have surgery on Monday and is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.
That’ll thrust backup signal-caller Mitch Trubisky into action on Thursday against New England. Trubisky finished Sunday’s game for the Steelers and, while he threw for 117 yards and a touchdown, fumbled in the third quarter and wasn’t able to help the Steelers get the win.
The Patriots, meanwhile, are in the midst of a five-game losing streak and don’t seem to be coming up for air anytime soon. They just lost to the Chargers 6-0 at home and, even after the switch to quarterback Bailey Zappe, weren’t able to get anything going. Despite no turnovers from the signal caller, New England totaled just 247 yards of offense in the defeat.
Predictions and Picks
Unfortunately, I think their losing streak continues against the Steelers on Thursday. The Patriots’ defense has allowed just 10, 10, and 6 points in their last three games, and even that hasn’t been enough for their offense to overcome.
With Trubisky under center, though the product won’t be great, I think Pittsburgh does enough to outscore New England. I like the Steelers -6 and, obviously, the under 31.5.
Score: Steelers 10 – Patriots 3
Side: Steelers -6
Total: UNDER 31.5
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick and head to FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook, for all of your sports wagering.
