Pittsburgh at Minnesota prediction, game preview, how to watch: Thursday, December 9
Pittsburgh at Minnesota How To Watch
Date: Thursday, December 9
Game Time: 8:20 ET
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Minnesota (5-7), Pittsburgh (6-5-1)
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Pittsburgh at Minnesota Game Preview
Why Pittsburgh Will Win
Minnesota lost to Detroit. There’s obviously a problem.
The Vikings can’t seem to do anything easy. It’s unbelievable how every game – every game – comes down to something dramatic. That’s fine against the better teams, but the inability of the secondary to hold up in key situations, the lack of a steady pass rush, and the problems putting games away are coming back to bite them.
Pittsburgh is one of those mediocre teams that could use the other side keeping both teams in the game.
The Steelers got the passing game going a bit more effectively over the last few games. The turnovers weren’t there in the win over Baltimore. The defense was able to toughen up against the run, and this week the ground game might actually work.
Najee Harris is being focus Nos. 1, 2, and 3 of every defensive game plan – everyone is forcing Ben Roethlisberger to win games – but the Vikings are getting hammered up front.
Keep pushing the ground attack, and things will pop open.
Speaking of running games …
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Why Minnesota Will Win
Yeah, Baltimore wasn’t able to get rolling with its ground game like it normally does, but the Steelers usually give up rushing yards in chunks.
Detroit ran for well over 200 yards. The Chargers ran wild – when the weren’t busy throwing it all over the yard – and Joe Mixon wore the Pittsburgh defense as a hat in Cincinnati’s 41-10 blowout win a few weeks ago.
After the embarrassment against Detroit, the Vikings will likely just keep this simple. Start running with Alexander Mattison, let the offensive line take over and control the tempo, and then let everything open up from there for Kirk Cousins and a downfield passing game that isn’t making any big mistakes.
Coming up with yards hasn’t been a problem for the Vikings, and it won’t be an issue this week. However …
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What’s Going To Happen
Can the Vikings score?
The offense went off for way 426 yards against Detroit, turnovers weren’t an issue, and moving the sticks wasn’t a problem. It still wasn’t enough because the defense couldn’t hold on.
Expect both running games to take over right away, watch for Najee Harris to finally get a run of more than ten yards without getting blasted first, and see the Vikings overcome the loss to Detroit with a balanced performance and a win.
It’s Minnesota, though. It’ll come down to the last few moments.
Pittsburgh at Minnesota Prediction, Line
Minnesota 30, Pittsburgh 26
Line: Minnesota -3, o/u: 43.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 3.5
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