NFL Experts Favor Steelers Ahead of Monday Night Clash vs. Giants

There’s no such thing as a slam-dunk win for any NFL team, but as far as the experts are concerned, a Pittsburgh Steelers win over the New York Giants is about as close to being a sure thing as they come. 

Per NFLPickWatch.com, only 3% favored the Giants to win (out of 202 registered picks). The 3% tied for the lowest pick selection in Week 8 (Cleveland) and is just below the 4% who picked the Panthers.

Pittsburgh has won three of their past five encounters with New York. The last time the pair faced off was Sep. 14, 2020, when the Steelers won 24-16. When numbers are taken into consideration, this upcoming clash may be viewed as one-sided.

In addition to being among the league’s top teams, the Steelers (5-2) are tied for the second-lowest number of points allowed in the NFL with 14.1 compared to the Giants, who are tied with New England for scoring the second-fewest points in the league.

The Giants (2-5) have struggled to find a consistent rhythm offensively, and the odds of ending their recent losing skid are low. In their seven games as the underdog this season, the Giants have won two of them.

Another concerning stat for the Giants is being 0-7 in Monday night games with Daniel Jones at the wheel.

On a positive note, the Giants are 2-1 on the road this season. Although they have yet to win a game at MetLife Stadium, New York has shown better production playing on an opposing team field. And Jones has played far better on the road, posting a 106.7 passing rating compared to 63.2 at home, and throwing six touchdown passes on the road versus none at home. 

In the quarterback battle against the Steelers, Jones is the only one with two-plus TD passes and a 100-plus rating in three road games this season. Combining Jones’ better performance on the road with rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, the chances of capturing an upset, however slim, are there.

Nabers caught a season-low with four passes, largely due to returning after a concussion in week four, which caused him to miss two games. Before the injury, Nabers was getting many looks from Jones with 45 targets. 

What can the Giants expect from the Steelers?

Assuming the Giants are a little more competitive in Week eight, the defense will have to hold up for any shortcomings they may have offensively. They must have all their ducks in a row before going up against a rejuvenated Steelers offense.

Against the New York Jets last week, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson made his first start of the season and completed 16 of 26 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Besides Wilson, the Giants must also be prepared for a Justin Fields appearance.

Besides the quarterback duel, the Giants must contain one of the best pass rushers in the league with inside linebacker T.J. Watt. Watt had 19 sacks last year and has four-and-a-half this season.

When the Steelers host a Monday night game, it normally goes in their favor in a major way. Pittsburgh holds a 21-game winning streak and hasn’t lost a home Monday night game since 1991.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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