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The Steelers Chiefs betting line had Pittsburgh as the -10.5 road favorite. You can bet this game at Sportsbook.com, offering up to $250 in FREE CASH. Bet from your mobile phones, live in-progress wagering and more.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Pittsburgh -10.5 & 40
Opening Line & Total: Steelers -10.5 & 40.5
Pittsburgh aims for its sixth victory in seven games when it pays a visit to slumping Kansas City on Sunday night.
When the Chiefs don’t show up, they really don’t show up. Going back to last year, they’ve lost by three touchdowns or more in four of their past seven home games. They also got pummeled 34-3 on Monday Night in New England. Back-up QB Tyler Palko will start under center against an aggressive Steelers defense that’s just getting healthy and should have especially fresh legs coming off their bye week. Palko’s first start didn’t go very well as he threw 3 INT and posted a 49.9 QB rating. There’s some concern over Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger’s broken thumb, but he’s consistently performed through injuries over the years, and this is the kind of game that the Steel Curtain defense can outright dominate.
Roethlisberger will be suiting up with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, a major injury considering the Steelers’ pass-first offense. Roethlisberger said he injured it at some point in the third quarter of their last game, at Cincinnati two weeks ago, and he went just 3-for-6 for 24 yards in the fourth quarter of that game, with one badly missed throw to an open Mike Wallace. The game plan could call for more RB Rashard Mendenhall, who has surpassed 70 rushing yards just once this season and is averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
K.C. figures to have little chance of putting up points with back-up QB Tyler Palko facing a well-rested Steelers defense, but the Chiefs upset the then-defending champs 27-24 in 2009. The problem for K.C. is that Pittsburgh has been tough in all areas, ranking third in pass defense (183 YPG) and sixth in rushing (97 YPG). The Chiefs might be able to rush the football though, averaging 159 YPG in their past five games. Jackie Battle has averaged 4.6 yards per carry this season, and backups Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster combined for 87 yards on 16 carries (5.4 YPC) in the loss to New England.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
