NFL Week 14 Best Bets: New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers Picks for Thursday Night Football
We are already here at NFL Week 14 and we’ve got one of the least-exciting games on the NFL schedule as Ezekiel Elliott and the New England Patriots head to the Steel City to take on Mitch Trubisky and the Pittsburgh Steelers. There is no precipitation in the forecast but temperatures will be in the low-40s so it could get a little uncomfortable. But just because we aren’t expecting a great game, doesn’t mean we can’t earn a few dollars along the way. This is not a game I recommend betting heavily, but we should be able to find a few football bets and player props to make Thursday Night Football a little more enjoyable.
NFL Thursday Night Football Best Bets: New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers
The Spread: Steelers -6
This is probably going to be one of the uglier games to watch this week, as the Steelers are playing with their back-up quarterback leading an offense that is under new management, so to speak. The Patriots run defense is solid, ranking second overall in DVOA, and while their pass defense is a bit sus it’s still Bill Belichick scheming against Trubisky and an inexperienced offensive coordinator. On the other side, the Patriots are rolling out Bailey Zappe but without Demario Douglas, so he’s going to be relying on some banged-up veteran receivers like DeVante Parker. Tough to trust, right? In a game like this where defenses are expected to shine and scoring is expected to be down, I want to be on the side getting the points.
Pick: Patriots +6 (-110)
The Total: 30
I mean, what more can we say about this game that isn’t going to push us into the under? You can try to be contrarian, but even though the last two prime-time games hit the over, I’m still going to lean on the trend of unders. I just don’t see either offense lighting it up enough to do any real damage. I’m feeling like a 14-10 kind of game here.
Pick: Under 30 (-115)
Favorite Thursday Night Football Player Props:
- Ezekiel Elliott Anytime TD +200
- Pat Freiermuth over 27.5 receiving yards (-110)
- Hunter Henry over 2.5 receptions (+100)
**all lines & odds courtesy of BetMGM
Player News
Browns OG Joel Bitonio told reporters he’ll take his decision to retire on a year-to-year basis.
Bitonio, 33, has mulled retirement in the past, but the long-time Brown refuses to say when he’ll officially call it quits. He did shoot down any ideas of a retirement tour, however, as he prepares for what will be his 12th NFL season. Bitonio signed a three-year, $48 million contract extension with the Browns in 2021 that would keep him under contract through 2025. With his deal set to expire at the end of this season, it wouldn’t be surprising if we learned later in the year that Bitonio will walk away from the game once his current deal expires. Bitonio has started all 161 games he has appeared in for the Browns and earned a PFF blocking grade of 63.9 last season, playing on more than 1,000 snaps for the eighth consecutive season.
Titans signed RB Tyrion Davis-Price, formerly of the Eagles, to a two-year contract.
A former third-round pick of the 49ers back in 2022, TDP’s career has barely gotten off the ground through three seasons. Davis-Price has appeared in just eight NFL games thus far, rushing for 127 scoreless yards on 43 carries. He spent last season with the Eagles and appeared in one game. The Titans giving him a two-year deal is interesting on the surface, but we wouldn’t assume he’s a lock for the 53-man roster after struggling to see action at this point in his career.
Free agent DE Jonathan Bullard is visiting the Saints on Monday.
Bullard has spent the last three seasons with the Vikings, starting 38 of the 46 games he appeared in over that span. The veteran lineman also spent two seasons with current Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley (2017-2018) during their time with the Bears, and would bring a sense of familiarity with the system to New Orleans if he were to sign. Bullard totaled 108 tackles and three sacks during his tenure with the Vikings and is more known for his impact in the running game than in the passing game. Per PFF, Bullard hasn’t totaled double-digit pressures since 2019 and has just three sacks to his name over that span.
Texans DC Matt Burke said LB Christian Harris is “on track” to return by training camp.
Harris dealt with calf and ankle injuries last season that resulted in him missing 14 regular season games. The fourth-year linebacker and former third-round pick racked up 101 tackles in 2023 after starting 12 of the 16 games he appeared in and broke up a career-best seven passes. While he has not been on the field for voluntary workouts, it sounds as if any absence pertaining to his injuries should be a non-concern by the time camp rolls around.
Scott Zolak of 98.5 The Sports Hub said the Patriots cutting Stefon Diggs is a decision that “is on the table.”
This stems from a highly publicized video from last week that featured Stefon Diggs on a boat that featured a pink substance that has been called into question. However, Zolak says, “It’s not just the boat. There are some other things that I’ve heard that raise questions. Are you all-in here?” on the possibility of the Patriots cutting Diggs, noting that while the former Pro Bowler did sign a three-year, $69 million contract with the team this offseason that “until (Diggs) passes a full physical, he’s entitled to nothing,” which could become meaningful should the team decide to explore his release. Head coach Mike Vrabel said following the video that he has been in communication with Diggs, but where things stand between Diggs and the Patriots is anybody’s guess at this time. He continues to recover from a torn ACL he suffered last season and is unlikely to see the field until training camp at the earliest, but it goes without saying that this could be a situation to monitor in the months ahead.
KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports C.J. Stroud “is dealing with a minor shoulder muscle issue.”
It was reported earlier last week that Stroud wasn’t throwing at OTAs, but head coach DeMeco Ryans dismissed any concerns over his QB by saying the team has players “on different schedules.” Now, according to Wilson, league sources have told him Stroud is dealing with a minor shoulder issue that “isn’t regarded as long-term,” while adding that he “could return to increased activity at practice as soon as next week.” The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year saw a bit of a sophomore regression last season, throwing for 3,727-20-12 in 17 games, and saw his offensive coordinator get fired at the end of the year. With a new system being implemented, it would make sense for Stroud to be on the field sooner rather than later, but the Texans clearly don’t want to put their franchise quarterback anywhere near harm’s way at this stage in the offseason. For now, this sounds like a minor issue, but it’ll be something to keep in mind if his absence becomes longer than expected.