Raiders Vs. Steelers Prediction: NFL Point Spreads And Week 9 Picks Against The Spread
By Abraham Gutierrez
When the (4-3) Oakland Raiders travel to the Steel City for a Week 9 showdown with the (4-4) Pittsburgh Steelers, they will have to defy NFL betting odds in order to extend their win streak to a season-best three games. That's because NFL oddsmakers have Mike Tomlin and the Steelers defeating Jack Del Rio's Raiders by a narrow margin, despite the fact that the visiting squad has plenty of reasons to feel good about their chances.
Raiders vs. Steelers 2015 NFL Point Spreads (Week 9)
According to NFL point spreads for this AFC North vs. AFC West clash, the Steelers [-5] are listed as five-point favorites against a Raiders [+5] team that will enjoy a cushion of the same margin. The OVER/UNDER for this contest is set at a combined total of 48 points and straight-up money lines go as follows: Silver and Black [+170] vs. Steel Curtain [-200].
Oakland vs. Pittsburgh 2015 NFL Head-to-Head Stats
Before getting into each team's individual ATS stats, it's worth noting that the Raiders have lots of momentum on their side as an underdog bet. Pro-Oaktown figures dictate that the visiting Raiders are 5-1 in the last six meetings between these clubs, and that the betting underdog also has an identical (5-1) edge during that span.
Nevertheless, there's one ATS trend that suggest betting on Pittsburgh isn't such a bad idea at home, as the hosts are 4-1 against the spread the last five times the Raiders have invaded Heinz Field.
Raiders ATS Trends To Consider (Week 9)
Raider Nation should be able to bet freely on their team away from the East Bay, as Oakland has proven to be a profitable wager in a number of scenarios. For starters, Derek Carr & Co. come in sporting a respectable 4-1 record in their last five games against the American Football Conference.
Secondly, this team has proven to cover the spread on a consistent basis in the month of November, sporting a record of 5-2 in their last seven games, and after accumulating more than 250 yards the prior week.
Steelers ATS Trends To Consider (Week 9)
For those looking to bet on the favorite, Steelers, there's lots of optimism heading into this one as well. It should come as no surprise that Pittsburgh tends to pick up its level of play when facing a team with a winning record, earning a 10-2 record in 12 games versus those types of opponents.
Under Mike Tomlin, this team has no problem building off of good performances, especially on the defensive side of the football. It's worth noting that the Steelers are 5-1-1 in their last seven games after their "D" allows less than 90 rushing yards the game before.
But that's not the only time this squad shines, as they're also a resilient bunch, earning a 4-1 mark in 5 games following a straight-up loss. Finally, there's another set of ATS stats that every Steelers fan should consider prior to pulling the trigger:
- Pittsburgh is 6-2 in its last 8 games in Week 9.
- Pittsburgh is 9-3-1 in their last 13 games overall.
- Pittsburgh is 7-3-1 in its last 11 home games.
2015 NFL Week 9 Picks: Oakland Raiders +5
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.
