Broncos vs. Steelers NFL injury report, odds, spread, pick: Teddy Bridgewater on track to play, Denver may close as favorite; bettors hammering under total

No NFL spread among Sunday's games has been pinballing around quite like the Broncos at Steelers. Early this week, it looked likely that Denver would have to start Drew Lock over Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback because Bridgewater was in the concussion protocol. Thus, the Broncos dropped from as high as 2-point favorites to 1.5-point underdogs. However, now it looks as if Bridgewater will play and the spread is moving again to where Denver likely will be favored by kickoff if not sooner. Pittsburgh has taken about 68 percent of the spread action as of this writing at Caesars Sportsbook.

Bridgewater didn't play in the second half of the Broncos' 23-7 home loss against Baltimore last Sunday after taking a helmet to his chin from Ravens rookie Odafe Oweh. Bridgewater was 7-for-16 for 65 yards with a TD and his team trailed 17-7. That offense did little in the second half under Lock, who was 12-for-21 for 113 yards and a pick while being sacked three times.

While Bridgewater didn't practice Wednesday in the protocol, he did in limited fashion Thursday and that usually indicates a player will be cleared Friday. Bettors are obviously aware that Teddy is money in his career on the road at 23-3 against the spread, easily the best mark among NFL QBs with at least 10 starts this century.

It used to be very tough winning in Pittsburgh, but these aren't your father's Steelers at 1-3 and on a three-game skid – including home losses by nine points to the Raiders and 14 against the Bengals. Pittsburgh has not lost four straight games overall since 2016, Ben Roethlisberger personally hasn't lost four in a row since 2013 and he has never lost three straight at home in a single season.

Apparently, there are no plans to bench struggling Big Ben for backup Mason Rudolph even though Roethlisberger is dealing with a hip injury. Wideout Chase Claypool missed last Sunday's loss in Green Bay but is expected to return. A sensation as a rookie, Claypool has 15 catches for 211 yards and zero TDs this year, but frankly no Pittsburgh offensive player has good numbers.

First-round running back Najee Harris is averaging only 3.4 yards per carry and is now +1200 to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Pittsburgh, once one of the most dominant running teams in the league, has rushed for fewer than 100 yards in 10 straight games, one shy of tying the franchise record. Denver is allowing only 70.0 rushing yards.

Broncos-Steelers has a tiny total of 39.5 points and is +550 to be the lowest-scoring game of Week 5. At Caesars Sportsbook, 81 percent of money wagered on the total and 58 percent of tickets are on Under 39.5 points. 

This writer is backing desperate Pittsburgh whether Bridgewater plays or not. 

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