Thursday Night Football is back on NBC and they actually have a match up between contenders this time. The Tennessee Titans (6-3) travel to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2).
We’ll get a nice color rush contrast on your HDTV thanks to the NBC television network and its affiliates. Kick off is set for 8:25 p.m. EST.
The Game: Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7)
O/U: 44.0
The History
The Steelers and Titans/Houston Oilers were division rivals from 1970 to 2001. They’ve faced off against each other 77 times with Pittsburgh holding a 45-32 advantage in the all time series.
They last played on November 17, 2014 with the Steelers winning 27-24. Ben Roethlisberger out-dueled Zach Mettenberger with a 21 of 32 for 207 yards, one touchdown and one interception passing day. Mettenberger was Roethlisberger’s back up last season. He’s not currently in the NFL.
TENNESSEE TITANS (6-3)
If we were in uncharted territory last week with a Mike Mularkey coached team winning four games in a row, we’re on another planet this week. Mularkey brings his Titans into Pittsburgh looking at a possible five game winning streak. Is it possible? No, but I can explain how these four victories happened.
Tennessee has benefited from its schedule and just being better than every team its faced on this streak. Still, even though there’s a talent chasm between the Titans and three of their four opponents, they only managed some close victories. Against the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee had to hold on for dear life in the final minutes.
Their only comfortable win in this stretch was 36-22 over the Indianapolis Colts. I said on my radio show at the beginning of the season that Mularkey should get fired if the Titans don’t win the AFC South this season and, unfortunately for the team, it looks like they will. After the Steelers, Tennessee has the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers. They wrap up the season against the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars at home. Even if they lose both of those games and the Steelers game Sunday, we’re still looking at a 10-6 team here.
Mike Mularkey in the playoffs? My God.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-2)
Pittsburgh is riding its own four game streak, but their wins actually count. Among sacrificial lambs like the Bengals and Colts, the Steelers were the first team to knock off the Kansas City Chiefs and they handed the Detroit Lions a loss at Ford Field two weeks ago.
What’s worrisome about this Pittsburgh squad is its consistent ability to play down to opponents. Last week they barely beat the Colts, 20-17, and had to forge a fourth quarter comeback to do it. All the while Indy’s quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, may have been playing with a concussion. Under Mike Tomlin it seems like the Steelers drop what should be an easy win every season.
So that’s actually good news here. The Titans are good. Better than their record, actually and certainly better than the coaching they receive on a weekly basis. The Steelers should have no trouble getting up for this game against a fellow AFC division leader with playoff seeding on the line. Plus, there should be an advantage in Pittsburgh’s offense facing off against former defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau who runs the Titan’s defensive unit. They should know how to attack it. If anything, they can just watch all those old New England Patriots vs Lebeau’s defense game tapes. He hasn’t come up with a plan that could stop them in 15 years.
The only Steeler listed as out is cornerback Joe Haden. Everyone else should play.
The Pick
Here we are again. It’s Go Time and I’m making the same call I always make. It’s cost me games the last two weeks, but there’s only so far this train full of Mularkey can go. Five consecutive wins? And the fifth over Pittsburgh? It’s just inconceivable. That being said, that line is a little steep for a Thursday game. I’ll play it safe. Steelers 24, Titans 20
Last week
Straight up: 9-5
Against the spread: 6-8
Season
Straight up: 87-59
Against the spread: 75-70
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