Titans-Steelers In Week 9 Will Be A Slug-Fest: Bet Accordingly

The Tennessee Titans (3-4) kickoff Week 9 when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) at Acrisure Stadium on Thursday Night Football. This feels like it's going to be an old-school smash-mouth football game won in the trenches.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin have defensive pedigrees and neither offensive is explosive. These teams are 3-11 Over/Under (O/U) record this season and primetime games are 7-19 O/U.

Titans QB Will Levis throws against the Atlanta Falcons at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Tennessee is coming off a 28-23 Week 8 win vs. the Atlanta Falcons in Titans rookie QB Will Levis' NFL debut. Levis completed 19-of-29 throws with a 4/0 TD/INT rate. However, heading to Pittsburgh on a short-week for you 2nd career start is a different animal.

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The Steelers lost at home last week 20-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett left the game early with a rib injury but is going to play Thursday. Regardless, the Steelers have one of the stalest offenses in the NFL under maligned offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers Week 9

Betting odds for the Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers on Week 9 as of Thursday, Nov. 2nd at 10:30 a.m. ET.

First of all, both coaches will try to hide their quarterbacks Thursday. Pickett is playing through an injury and ranks 26th in QB Rating this season. Whereas Levis is making his 2nd career start and Tomlin has game-film on him.

Furthermore, both teams play at a snail's pace. Pittsburgh 27th in plays run per game and Tennessee is tied for 30th. The Titans have the 9th-highest rushing rate in the NFL and the Steelers prefer to run the ball as long as they don't trail early.

The Steelers activated DT Cam Heyward off of the IR ahead of this game. Heyward is one of the best run-stopping defensive tackles in the NFL. His absence since Week 1 is the main reason Pittsburgh is 27th in yards per rush allowed. But, with Heyward back in action, the Steelers will be better against the run.

Steelers Cameron Heyward runs out on the field prior to a Week 1 game vs. the San Francisco 49ers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Tennessee's defense ranks 11th in yards per rush allowed. Since 2021, the Titans have been a top-five run defense. Injuries on their defensive line also contributes to their struggles vs. the run. Tennessee's front seven is at full strength as well.

With that in mind, I'm adding Steelers RB Najee Harris UNDER 45.5 RUSHING YARDS (-120) to my bet slip. No ball carriers have run for more than 40 yards vs. Tennessee in 2021-22. Only four ball carriers have rushed for more than 45 yards this season.

Steelers RB Najee Harris carries the ball vs. the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field in 2021 in Pittsburgh. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Harris is averaging 3.7 yards per rush and has rushed for more than 53 yards in three of his seven games in 2023. In his only game vs. Tennessee in 2021, Harris gained only 18 yards on 12 attempts.

Finally, both offenses are bad on 3rd-down and in the red zone while both defenses tighten up in the red zone. Meaning, the punters and place kickers are going to get a lot of action in Titans-Steelers.

My prediction: Steelers 16, Titans 14

Bet slip for Titans-Steelers in Week 9 courtesy of PointsBet as of 11:13 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 2nd.