Jets vs. Steelers Week 4 matchup preview and current betting lines
The New York Jets have thrown 156 passes in three games, which is tied for the second most to start a season since the 1962 Broncos (162). But the Jets are going to rest Joe Flacco’s arm as second-year quarterback Zach Wilson makes his debut after suffering an injury in the preseason.
Wilson is a total wild card in this matchup, which is often the case for a second-year quarterback coming off a poor rookie season. He could either stay bad like we are seeing with Justin Fields in Chicago, or he might be ready to take the next step like the way Trevor Lawrence has started this year for Jacksonville.
While Wilson at least brings hope, the Steelers are stuck with Mitch Trubisky being exactly who we thought he was. The Steelers are dead last in yards per drive, and they go three-and-out 33.3% of the time, the highest rate in the league. The boo birds will be out if offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s offense continues to stink in front of the home crowd on Sunday.
The NFL Week 4 odds have the Steelers as a 3.5-point home favorite in this matchup. With a brutal upcoming schedule, this is Pittsburgh’s best hope at a second win before the Week 9 bye.
Players to watch in the Jets vs. Steelers game
New York Jets
Garrett Wilson: The 10th pick in the draft is leading all rookies with 18 catches and is tied for second with Drake London with 214 yards as he looks like a legit No. 1 wideout already. Now we get to see him for the first time with quarterback Zach Wilson for some Wilson-to-Wilson action.
Pittsburgh Steelers
George Pickens: How do the Steelers get the best catch out of any receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014 and not go back to Pickens for more than 5 yards the rest of the night? He is starving for the ball, and he needs to be fed in this struggling offense.
Our Best NFL Bets for the Jets vs. Steelers game
We have two NFL Week 4 predictions we want to play for this game as the Jets try to pull off an upset.
Jets vs. Steelers Point Spread Pick: Steelers -3.5 (-105)
The Jets vs. Steelers spread opened with the Steelers as a 3.5-point home favorite and it has pretty much stayed at that mark despite the news that Zach Wilson will start instead of Joe Flacco.
Frankly, Flacco’s experience of playing in Pittsburgh probably would give the Jets a better chance to win this game. We will see if head coach Robert Saleh is content with letting Wilson throw more after he had just one game with more than 38 attempts last year. The Steelers do not have T.J. Watt, but they are still capable of getting some pressure, especially against mobile quarterbacks who may run themselves into pressures and sacks. The Steelers also get a boost with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick shaking off an injury and expected to play. He is a turnover machine and will need to be that player again in Watt’s absence.
The Steelers actually showed promise on offense for one half against Cleveland, then it was the familiar lack of explosive plays and failures on third down that caught up with them in the second half. But at home with a lot of pressure coming down on the coaching staff, maybe the Steelers can get it together for one home game against a weak opponent.
With games coming up against the Bills, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Eagles, Mike Tomlin may be sitting on a record he has never seen before heading into a Week 9 bye. If things go really poorly against the Jets, we may have to see Kenny Pickett at quarterback a lot sooner than Tomlin wanted to do. But for this week, we like Trubisky enough to get over the Jets at home.
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bet on NFL with betmgmTotal Points: Under 41.5 (-110)
Anyone betting unders in Pittsburgh games will likely be hit with instant PTSD after last week’s lateral return touchdown pushed the game to 46 points after an early line of 40.5 points. That was a bummer, but total fluke scores or non-scores really have been the only ways these two teams have had their games go over 41.5 points this season.
The Jets have games with 33 and 39 points, and in the 31-30 win over Cleveland, it was an ill-advised Nick Chubb touchdown that triggered the comeback ending. That game should have ended at 24-17, or once again hitting the under 41.5.
Pittsburgh had 31 points with New England, and in the 43-point opener against the Bengals, it was a missed extra point in regulation that prevent the Bengals from winning 21-20. Then the fumbled lateral in Cleveland on the final play last week as we mentioned already.
It is pretty sly to put the total at 41.5 when you consider how close these teams have been at skirting that line, but with this quarterback matchup and the Steelers looking to return to basics on defense, let’s go with under 41.5 as an NFL bet of the week.
bet on nfl with fanduel >Frequently asked questions about the New York vs. Pittsburgh game in week 4
The game is being played at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Since 2007, Pittsburgh under Mike Tomlin is 54-53-2 ATS as a home favorite. However, since 2021, the Steelers are 1-5 ATS as a home favorite.
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