Steelers vs. Patriots Same Game Parlay: Here's a +550 bet for Thursday Night Football
Week 14 of NFL action kicks off with an AFC matchup on Thursday Night Football in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) host the New England Patriots (2-10) in each team's final Thursday Night game in the 2023 season.
Pittsburgh lost 24-10 last time out against the Arizona Cardinals (3-10) in the first of back-to-back home games. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett suffered an ankle injury in the loss that'll keep him off the field for at least a couple games following surgery on Monday. Despite Sunday's loss, the Steelers remain the top AFC Wild Card team in the current playoff standings behind the sixth-best scoring defense in the league. Losing Pickett may hurt their chances on offense but the defense has stepped up, allowing 20 or more points just twice since the team's Week 6 bye.
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New England's offense is already in trouble. The Patriots are the lowest-scoring team in the league in points per game (12.3) this season but it's been especially bad lately. They've scored just 13 points in the last three games combined. Backup quarterback Bailey Zappe started last week in the Patriots' 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers (5-7) and managed just 157 total yards. On defense, New England boasts the eighth-best unit in yards allowed per game, including the third-best rushing defense. The Patriots haven't allowed more than 10 points in their last three games but went 0-3 over that stretch.
Thursday Night Football features two teams that haven't put up lots of points but there is a single-game parlay that could add some excitement to the viewing experience.
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Patriots-Steelers Same Game Parlay Bet for Thursday Night Football Week 14
All odds are courtesy of DraftKings as of Wednesday night.
New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe UNDER 156.5 passing yards, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens OVER 39.5 receiving yards, and Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott OVER 60.5 rushing yards (+550)
Zappe's thrown for more than 157 yards just three times in his career. Prior to last week's start in inclement weather conditions against the Chargers, he managed just 54 yards against the New York Giants after coming in for starter Mac Jones. Against the Steelers and star pass rusher T.J. Watt, it'll be hard for him to get much from the pocket. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray couldn't manage that many passing yards in Arizona's win over the Steelers last week. Zappe would be hard-pressed to do it on a short week for TNF.
Pickens has totaled at least 40 receiving yards in seven games this year, including Pittsburgh's last two matchups. On the other side, the Patriots' defense has allowed at least 40 yards to five receivers in their last three games. Pittsburgh will be starting backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky but he has a record of solid spot starts for the Steelers. He won't be throwing it a lot on Thursday Night Football but Pickens won't need him to cross that total.
The Steelers' defense just gave up 105 yards to James Connor last week. He joins the likes of Green Bay's A.J. Dillon (70 yards), Tennessee's Derrick Henry (75), Jacksonville's Travis Etienne (79), and the Los Angeles Rams' Royce Freeman (66) as the runners to surpass 62 yards since Pittsburgh's Week 6 bye. Most of those running backs have arguably played better than Elliott this season but the Steelers are allowing 121 yards rushing per game – 11th-most in the league. New England's leading rusher in 2023, Rhamondre Stevenson, is out with a high-ankle sprain. It'll be up to Elliott to carry the load and he can find 62 yards on the ground.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers-Patriots Same Game Parlay: +550 SGP for Thursday Night
