Patriots-Steelers Thursday Night Football predictions

FOXBORO -- Thursday Night Football asks a lot of everyone involved. The two teams have to play a football game just four days after playing a football game, which doesn't always lead to a great product on the field.

Chances are if the Patriots and the Steelers played on a Sunday, it wouldn't be a great game anyways. But now they're both playing on short rest, and both will send out their backup quarterbacks to lead offenses that haven't been able to score many points in even the best of circumstances. 

If you like defense, this is the game for you. If you like offense... well chances are tonight's Amazon stream will cut out more than the two teams find the end zone.

Could this favor the 2-10 Patriots, who are looking to snap a five-game losing streak? The WBZ-TV and WBZ.com sports team makes their predictions for what should be a .... a .... (struggling to find the proper adjective here) well it will be a football game, in theory.

Steve Burton, WBZ-TV

The Patriots are due for a win, but they are six-point underdogs and playing on a short week. And they're the ones who had to travel.

Steelers 17, Patriots 10

Dan Roche, WBZ-TV

Both the Patriots and the Steelers are coming off disappointing losses. Both dealing with injuries on offense. Both bring strong defenses to the field.

The Patriots would like to play spoiler in this one, but I don't know if they're capable of outscoring anyone right now.

Steelers 13, Patriots 10

Michael Hurley, WBZ.com Sports

There's a lot of doom and gloom out there. Understandable.

But, well, don't go penciling the Patriots in for a 2-15 season just yet. The Pittsburgh Steelers might be the most unimpressive 7-5 team of all time.

Hyperbole? I'm not so sure. I do know Mitch Trubisky is quite bad. So whatever offensive issues the Patriots have, they should be neutralized by Mitch. The Steelers definitely have the better running back duo in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, compared to Ezekiel Elliott and ... Ty Montgomery? But let's not ignore the fact that the Steelers' offense overall is just about as bad as New England's.

With Trubisky, it could be worse. I expect a lot of runs and a lot of punts. Whichever team turns it over least will win. That could be the Patriots, so here goes.

Patriots 13, Steelers 10  

Matthew Geagan, WBZ.com Sports

The Patriots need to feed Zeke all night. But their best chance is if the defense forces a few turnovers. And the D probably has to score a touchdown too.

It could happen against this Pittsburgh team. It probably won't, but it could.

Steelers 13, Patriots 10