Steelers Keep Steaming Toward 16-0 With Washington Win

NFL Week 13 Odds & Predictions: Washington Football Team @ Pittsburgh Steelers 

Date: Monday, December 7

Time: 5 p.m. ET

Venue: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

TV Info: FOX

Washington are on a rocky run of six straight defeats against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who look all the more dangerous ahead of their Week 13 clash in the midst of a perfect season so far.

Pittsburgh (11-0) are looking to become just the second team in NFL history to complete a 16-0 regular season and hope to use Washington (4-7) as the next stepping stone in achieving that goal. 

They’re 6-0 at Heinz Field this season and come back as -455 moneyline frontrunners according to Unibet, or -110 against an 8.5-point spread. Washington won’t be fancied for the win at +340 odds themselves, though the handicap may appeal to some bettors who predict this will be a closer affair than the season records suggest.

Washington @ Steelers Moneyline Odds & Prediction: Steelers by 8

Washington Football Team: +340

Pittsburgh Steelers: -455

Odds via Unibet PA

Mike Tomlin’s side may have some fatigue concerns Sunday after grinding out a hard-fought 19-14 win over Baltimore, but the AFC North leaders should still have enough in reserve to extend their win streak. Tomlin himself was critical of his side despite toughing out that crucial clash in the AFC North, the exact kind of relentless attitude meaning he won’t allow complacency to set in among his squad:

While Pittsburgh have been a success since season’s start, Washington look like a team finally finding their feet, having recently sealed successive wins for the first time in more than a year. Rookie running-back Antonio Gibson is in breakout form after less involvement early in the campaign, having now scored eight touchdowns in Washington’s last five games.

Head coach Ron Rivera’s defense has also stepped things up a notch in recent weeks and is now the fourth best overall in the NFL. They’ve conceded only 25 points across their last two games, albeit against two of the league’s lesser offenses in the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys.

Despite their pickup in form, Washington will deal with a much different beast in Week 13. The Steelers have allowed only 1,163 rushing yards this year (eighth best in the NFL) and only six rushing touchdowns—only the New Orleans Saints (five) have given up fewer.

Much of that stellar defense is down to the spirited form of outside linebacker TJ Watt, who leads the league in several important fields through Week 12, per The Checkdown:

TJ Watt is an offense's worst nightmare 😈 @_TJWatt @steelers pic.twitter.com/R6QKGFcGmO

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 3, 2020

Each of Washington’s last three defeats have come by three points or less, and one can expect them to stick closer to a Pittsburgh team playing its second game in five days. The Steelers won 38-16 when these teams last faced off in September 2016, but their five wins previous to that were much lower-scoring affairs, four of which produced 29 points or fewer.

Tomlin’s favorites are +138 to win with under 42 points scored, while the safer money is on Pittsburgh winning the race to 20 points at -200.