Simulation Picks
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Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Maximize Your Odds of Winning with SportsLine Model and Our Top-Rated Picks!
Understanding Public and Money
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Expert Picks
With Ben Roethlisberger now having practiced and the Steelers wanting desperately to bounce back from their Week 1 tie with the Browns, I love Pittsburgh in this spot. Not only will Kansas City be playing consecutive road games, 23-year-old Patrick Mahomes will be playing in the most difficult atmosphere of his young career at Heinz Field. I love KC's electric playmakers, but I'm getting the best value on the board here and will happily roll with the Steelers in this one. James Conner could have himself another great day, and Roethlisberger will be tossing it all over the place.
I missed the best number here, but I was waiting on the status of Big Ben. My simulations make the Steelers -7 in this game, so there's still a little value left in this line. Overall I'm high on Pat Mahomes, but I'm concerned in backing him in his first true road start (last week was neutral at worst). Mahomes ranked 32nd in on-tgt % at 63% in week 1. Big Ben and the Steelers should carve up this awful Kansas City defense. Lay it.
I wanted to jump on this earlier at a better number but just couldn't until Ben Roethlisberger got a practice under his belt. He did just that on Friday, so I'm getting this in before it reaches six. By my DVOA calculations, the line should probably be Steelers -6.5 with Big Ben in there, and I'd probably lean slightly to the home team at that number. The Chiefs are playing back-to-back road games and could be in for a bit of a letdown after a huge win against their division rivals in Week 1.
Yes, 53! The total skyrocketed after opening at 49.5. Acknowledgement: Both squads might need to replace starters on defense from last week, and Kansas City S Eric Berry (hip), who skipped the opener, likely needs more time to heal. Still, Pittsburgh would have flirted with a shutout of Cleveland if not for a half-dozen turnovers. The Chiefs were downright dazzling under young QB Patrick Mahomes against the Chargers but should retreat as they complete a mini-gauntlet of tough road games to start the schedule. Totals this high should be reserved for December games involving a team in tank mode.
I was quickly turned into a Patrick Mahomes believer after being skeptical before Sunday's start at the Chargers. He was amazing, and so was his supporting cast. I'm looking for him to put some points on the board Sunday at Pittsburgh, and at the same time finally make some mistakes. I'm also looking for Pittsburgh to have an easier time moving the ball than it did last week against a swarming, hungry Browns defense. Over is the top play Sunday.
The Cleveland weather matched the Steelers' fourth-quarter performance on Sunday -- sloppy. Pittsburgh settled for the tie after blowing a late 14-point lead. Their schedule gets tougher when the Chiefs come to town, fresh off an impressive road win against the Chargers. My simulations indicate the Chiefs are seriously devalued in this game and win 63 percent of the time. Don't be surprised if K.C. wins this one straight-up.