The Athletics let another lead get away, this time to the Diamondbacks with a pair of passed balls in the same inning figuring into the disappointment as the free play went south. A little something different today as I’m splitting a one unit play on an NFLx game, going half unit on both the side and total.
STEELERS @ BILLS
Take: STEELERS +2.5 and UNDER 42.5
This is generally “dress rehearsal” week in the NFL pre-season, with starters playing most of the first half and occasionally into the third quarter. That will be the case for the majority of teams in action today, but the Buffalo Bills will evidently be an exception to that rule.
The Bills have cluster injuries at the skill positions on offense. Buffalo will reportedly be sitting all of the following: RB’s LeSean McCoy, Boobie Dixon and Bryce Brown, as well as WR’s Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Percy Harvin and Chris Hogan. Head coach Rex Ryan is also starting EJ Manuel at QB. One never knows what Ryan has up his sleeve and he’s not saying, but all indications have been that Manuel is not a contender for the QB1 spot in Buffalo.
Perhaps that changes with a stellar showing by Manuel tonight. But the consensus seems to be that the Bills are going to go with what amounts to a vanilla game plan on offense tonight. In other words, it’s at least a possibility Ryan has decided that, in light of so many of the team’s top skill position guys not even dressing, he’s better off going with a backup under center as well.
Based on that information, I think an edge has to be accorded to the Steelers tonight as far as the game is concerned. I also think this leads to a worthwhile shot on the Total as well. If the Bills are going to run a simplified offense, that’s one thing. But Ryan figures to have the starters on defense logging plenty of plays here and that Buffalo stop unit will be facing a Pittsburgh offense that now has to live life without Maurkice Pouncey, who is expected to miss at least the first ten games of the season thanks to a broken fibula. The Buffalo defense looked very strong last week and they should be up for a good test against Big Ben and company tonight.
I’ll split one unit here, tabbing the Steelers minus the points against the patchwork Buffalo offense and I’ll also fire a half unit on this game to stay Under the number.
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