Tag: Steelers

Bills at Steelers: 5 matchups to watch

Five matchups to watch during the Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Week 15 meeting on Sunday Night Football.

The Bills and Steelers faceoff in a Sunday Night Football contest with massive AFC playoff implications.

With both teams at 9-4 and 8-5, respectively, both also hold the two Wild Card spots in the conference.

The games, within this game, will make a load of difference across the NFL.

With that, here are five matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills meeting with the Steelers:

Buffalo Bills wide receiver John Brown. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

WR John Brown vs. CB Joe Haden

Over the course of the last three games, the Bills haven’t gotten good production from John Brown. In the absence of their No. 1 wideout, slot target Cole Beasley has continually stepped up. In Brown’s last three games combined, he has eight catches for 91 yards. That’s not very good for a guy who was once leading the AFC in receiving yards. The only thing that salvaged three games ago against the Broncos was a late touchdown.

On the outside, Brown will likely draw cornerback Joe Haden. The former Brown is Pro Football Focus’ 27th best corner in the NFL this season, via their grading system. The Steelers also have some impressive safeties over the top, namely Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has five interceptions, so getting Brown involved in this one might be difficult.

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Report: Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster out vs. Bills

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers won’t get Smith-Schuster back from injury on Sunday Night Football.

The weekend is young, but it appears the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t have one of their big weapons against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Steelers won’t get Smith-Schuster back from injury on Sunday Night Football, when it was once expected they would.

Per the report, Smith-Schuster aggravated a knee injury he previously suffered.

 

Lorenzo Alexander says Bills need to clinch sooner rather than later

Buffalo Bills LB Lorenzo Alexander says his team needs to clinch playoff berth sooner rather than later.

The Bills have three games to get it right. Once Buffalo wins one more game this season, they’ll clinch a second playoff berth in three seasons.

Veteran linebacker Lorenzo Alexander says the waiting game could be a deadly game, though.

The Bills (9-4) start their final three-game slate against the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) on Sunday Night Football. Then there’s the Patriots, then there’s the Jets.

But the focus is on the Steelers, who are also in a Wild Card spot with tthe Bills, and nothing more, Alexander says.

The team captain said in his 13 years in the NFL, he’s seen this same scenario not turn out right for teams.

“Anytime you have this opportunity, you really don’t want to take it for granted,” Alexander told reporters. “You want to take hold of it and grab it and really try to achieve it as soon as possible.

“I’ve seen some crazy things where a team was supposed to go [to the playoffs] and they find their way out of it because they kind of relax and think have three games.”

Alexander wasn’t referencing his own organization, but the Bills’ history shows a team that has done just that before. A win would’ve gotten them in late in a season, but Buffalo loses. While Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott recognized that team history this week, he says his team is preparing to face the Steelers and that’s it. The past is the past and that’s the mentality he’s passing onto his team.

“Those past failures, not many of us were here. We certainly respect the past, but our eyes are set on the future,” McDermott said.

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Steelers’ QB Devlin Hodges says ducks play better in cold

The Bills will face a mostly unknown commodity at quarterback on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers in quarterback Devlin Hodges.

The Bills will face a mostly unknown commodity at quarterback on Sunday against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges.

The all-time leader in passing yards in the FCS level of college football, Hodges played for Samford University in Alabama before suited up for the black and gold this season. He signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2019 NFL draft.

That hasn’t stopped the Kimberly, Ala., native from starting his career with a surprising 3-0 record, though. But this week in the Bills he faces something he hasn’t often faced down south. The cold.

The longterm weather forecast shows a high of 37 and a low of 26 on Sunday so look for the temps to fall somewhere in between.

Playing off his nickname this week, which is “Duck,” the quarterback downplayed the idea of playing in the winter weather up north.

“We’ve had some cold days back home, obviously a little different. Just something to adjust to,” Hodges said. “Usually ducks like it when it’s a little colder anyway, so sounds good.”

But on a more serious note, Hodges knows the real test he’ll face this week is in the Bills defense. Currently the No. 4 defense in the league just behind the Bills, Hodges did defeat the Chargers earlier this year. But he wasn’t overly impressive as he only had 132 passing yards and his touchdown pass was a dump off to running back James Conners which he took 20-plus yards for a score. Having said that, the Bills themselves will respect Hodges’ abilities, but like he said, he’s doing the same for Buffalo’s defense.

“[Buffalo’s defense is] just a solid group. They’ve got really good players just all around, I don’t know if there’s anything they do that’s special, they’re just one of those solid, solid defenses that comes each and every week,” Hodges said.

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Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers sports betting odds and lines, with Week 15 NFL betting picks, tips and bets.

The Buffalo Bills (9-4) and Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) were flexed into the Sunday Night Football spot and they’ll meet at 8:20 p.m. ET at Heinz Field. We analyze the Bills-Steelers sports betting odds and lines, with NFL betting picks and tips for the Week 15 matchup.

Bills at Steelers: Week 15 preview, betting trends and notes

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  • The Bills will lean upon their suffocating defense, looking to shut down the Steelers. Buffalo ranks third in the NFL in total yards allowed (296.8), third in passing yards allowed (191.5) and second in points allowed (16.3).
  • Buffalo ranks fifth in the NFL with 135.3 rushing yards per game, but is just 27th in passing yards at 206.6 per outing.
  • The Steelers are also stout defensively, ranking fifth in the NFL with 310.9 total yards allowed and 209.8 passing yards allowed. They’re also ninth against the run, yielding 101.2 yards per game, and they’re sixth in the NFL in points allowed at 18.6.
  • Offensively it has been a struggle for the Steelers, checking in 28th with 290.1 total yards per game, and 31st in passing yards (195.5). They have managed just 19.9 PPG to rank 23rd
  • The Bills are 6-0-1 ATS in the past seven on the road, and 4-1-1 ATS in the past six overall.
  • The Steelers are 5-1 ATS in the past six overall, while going 5-1 ATS in the past six at home.
  • Buffalo is making its first appearance on SNF since facing the New England Patriots during the 2007 season.

Bills at Steelers: Key injuries

Bills: DT Corey Liuget (lower body) is a question mark, while RB T.J. Yeldon (illness) is under the weather.

Steelers: RBs James Conner (shoulder) and Jaylen Samuels (groin) are question marks, with Conner likely closer to a return. WR Juju Smith-Schuster (knee) is close to a return, while TE Vance McDonald (concussion) is in the protocol and a question mark.

Bills at Steelers: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 8:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Steelers 20, Bills 16

Moneyline (?)

The STEELERS (-129) have the advantage since they’re playing at home, but that’s about it. This is a coin-flip game with major AFC playoff implications. That’s why NBC flexed it to SNF. The difference in this one will be if Conner and Smith-Schuster both return. If so, advantage Pittsburgh on its home turf in front of a raucous crowd. Even if one or both cannot go, coach Mike Tomlin is doing an exceptional job with the personnel he has, and the Steelers are just finding ways to win.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Bucs moneyline returns a $7.75 profit with a Pittsburgh victory.

Against the Spread (?)

The STEELERS (-2.5, -106) are worth a small-unit play at home, again, especially if Conner and/or Smith-Schuster return. The bright lights of SNF might be a bit much for QB Josh Allen and the unproven Bills.

Over/Under (?)

PASS. The O/U of 36.5 (-106 Over; -1115 Under) is risky business, as both of these teams feature tremendous defensive units with unproven quarterbacks and a solid run game when healthy. If anything, the lean is to the Under, although this is the lowest game on the Week 15 board. Take a pass on the total.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. Looking for more sports betting picks and tips? Visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster admits he was paid $100k to watch TNF on Twitch stream

JuJu Smith-Schuster let it slip how much Twitch paid him to watch a football game on a live stream.

If you don’t know what Twitch is, it’s the largest streaming platform in the world. It is comprised primarily of gamers who stream games like Call of Duty and Fortnite. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is a Twitch streamer as well.

Last Thursday Smith-Schuster did a live stream with a popular game streamer and admitted during the stream he was paid $100,000 to watch Thursday Night Football on Twitch, according to ESPN.

Smith-Schuster was doing a live stream with popular Fortnite streamer THump when he admitted that when he did a stream on Thursday with another popular Fortnite streamer TimTheTatMan, he was paid $100,000 to watch the Chicago Bears beat the Dallas Cowboys 31-24.

Twitch as a platform averages around 15 million daily users. If you are wondering how Twitch could shell out that kind of money to Smith-Schuster just to watch a football game, keep in mind they are owned by Amazon.

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Bills offensive line recognizes test ahead in Steelers

Buffalo Bills C Mitch Morse, OL Quinton Spain, coach Sean McDermott on Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

The Bills offensive line struggled against the Baltimore Ravens last week. Upcoming in Week 15, an even bigger test might be awaiting in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was hit 12 times, sacked six times, and the Ravens had 12 total tackles for loss. With all those numbers in mind, here’s another: The Steelers have 48 sacks, the most in the NFL. That could be a problem.

Reflecting back on Wednesday, Bills center Mitch Morse said the type of game the Bills played last week is the type that causes some self-reflection.

“I think there’s definitely some good parts to the game, but you can’t let that clout what we have to work on,” Morse told reporters. “It’s always easier to find excuses outside of yourself for things that go array. You’ve got to look internally and there’s a lot that I can work on and learn on.”

Buffalo has a lot to work on looking at the film from Sunday against Baltimore. But lineman Quinton Spain things there’s a bit of a formula that might work well for the Steelers.

Spain said the Bills need to establish a running game early, which will then allow the Bills to open things up offensively.

“We’ve got to establish the run, that’s going to open up the passing protection,” Spain said. “We’ve got to do our job. They call the play, five man, six man, seven man protection, eight man protection, we just have got to hold up and let Josh (Allen) do what he’s got to do.”

That being said, it’s much easier said than done. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott knows that and said the Steelers will certainly have looked at the tape from last week.

“It’s a copycat league and we try and respect that as well, and make sure that we are dotting our I’s and crossing our T’s as relates to some of the challenges that we faced,” McDermott said. “We’ve got to make sure that we continue to grow specific to what happened [against the Ravens].”

And as mentioned, it’s not going to be easy by any stretch against the likes of TJ Watt, Bud Depree and the rest of the Steelers’ strong front-seven.

“They got great guys up there. They got Pro Bowlers, they’ve got All-Pros in that front-seven,” Spain said. “We’ve got to do our job a dominate the game.”

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5 storylines to watch for during Bills at Steelers

The Buffalo Bills and Steelers will play a big-time, primetime game in Week 15 as the two AFC opponents will faceoff in a pivotal late season contest. 

The Buffalo Bills and Steelers will play a big-time, primetime game in Week 15 as the two AFC opponents will faceoff in a pivotal late season contest.

Sunday Night Football will bear down on the Bills this week, and while Buffalo fell to the Ravens last week, they certainly held their own against the Cowboys during their Thanksgiving primetime showcase.

With that, here are five storylines to follow as the Bills take on the Steelers:

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Playoff implications on Sunday night

As mentioned, the Bills will have to handle their business in front of more eyes than usual this week. Buffalo and Pittsburgh will wrap up the Sunday slate of football at Heinz Field just a short drive from western New York. There should be a decent showing of Bills fans, and the team itself can be confident in their primetime abilities. Not only did they beat the Cowboys on the road, they also did so in the most watched Thanksgiving Day game in a couple of years. A lot of eyes saw that Bills team.

But this time around this one some huge playoff implications. The 8-5 Steelers host the 9-4 Bills. A win and the Bills are in. A win and the Steelers jump the Bills and hit the first Wild Card spot. For head-to-head purposes and their own fates, this game is massive for both sides.

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Sean McDermott not concerned with Bills’ past late-season failures

The Bills have a rich history, but some of it is overshadowed by more recent lapses.

The Bills have a rich history, but some of it is overshadowed by more recent lapses.

Buffalo’s football team most recently made the postseason in 2017, the first year Sean McDermott was the bench boss. The 2017 Bills had to win in their final game to get there, but they now famously needed help from an Andy Dalton miracle.

This season, with three games left, it’s a win-and-in scenario for the Bills. Their future is completely in their own hands and in the past, the Bills organization hasn’t always handled that well.

Despite that, no pressure says the coach.

“Those past failures, not many of us were here. We certainly respect the past, but our eyes are set on the future,” McDermott said on Wednesday.

Plenty of current Bills players will likely more recently remember 2017 and won’t be concerned with the past, either. Many big-time contributors for the Bills were there in 2017, huddled together, watching Dalton help snap a two-decade playoff drought for the Bills.

With the pressures of cracking the longest postseason drought in North American sports history in mind, what’s pressure, anyway? That was a tall task that many thought impossible at the start of the 2017 season, but it happened.

And let’s not forget, even thought the final stretch of Bills football this year includes some tough tasks with the Steelers, Patriots and Jets, that’s still three cracks at it. Three strikes and the Bills are out, there’s still plenty of pitches to come their way.

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Former Steeler Antonio Brown plays race card on NFL in latest Twitter tantrum

The former Steelers wr is at it again.

You can usually tell when things aren’t going well for former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. It typically turns in some sort of Twitter tirade aimed at those he feel has wronged him.

His latest diatribe is aimed squarely at the NFL and he doesn’t hold back as he chose to play the race card in a big way.

It’s sort of sad to see the way Brown’s situation of his own creation forces him to spiral at times. Look for these tweets to be deleted and likely followed with something more professional and coherent likely generated by someone else.

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