Can the Steelers steal one in Tampa? Coming off a statement win over the Cowboys, the Buccaneers may present a much tougher challenge than Pittsburgh and much of the nation expect. If this game truly projects to be competitive, and if the total is anywhere near as low as 39.5 suggests, every point becomes increasingly valuable. In lower-scoring games, underdogs tend to benefit from fewer possessions and fewer opportunities for favorites to create separation. That's especially relevant here, with Pittsburgh laying points on the road while also preparing for an upcoming trip to Europe, and Tampa Bay returning home riding the confidence and momentum gained from its victory at AT&T Stadium.
The Steelers enter at 3-2, though all three of their victories have come at home, while both losses have come on the road. Tampa Bay may be just 1-4, but every Buccaneers defeat has been by seven points or fewer, with two decided by four points or less. In other words, the Bucs have been far more competitive than their record suggests. Most people see Pittsburgh's more established quarterback situation, recent offensive success, and the franchise's long history of winning. What they may be overlooking is that this spread sits below a field goal for a reason.
The Buccaneers return home with plenty of confidence after their upset win in Dallas, and rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels appears to be growing more comfortable with each passing week. If oddsmakers truly believed Pittsburgh was the clearly superior team, this number would likely be north of a field goal. Instead, we're getting a home underdog in what projects to be a highly competitive game. That's a situation I love, and the extra 2.5 points only make it more appealing.
Buccaneers vs Steelers prediction: Buccaneers +2.5 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number to (-125).
