Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Matchup Preview (11/14/21): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Matchup Preview (11/14/21)

The Steelers probably shouldn’t have beaten the Bears on Monday night, but they escaped a brilliant comeback effort from Justin Fields to end with a 29-27 win in a game full of mistakes and poor officiating decisions. The Lions didn’t lose for the first week all season, but that’s only because they had their bye week and didn’t have to take the field. Pittsburgh’s 5-3 record is misleading, but it’s hard to know if that will come to fruition against the lone team without a win this season.

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Odds

The Trends

• Lions are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games after an ATS loss
• Steelers are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games as a home favorite
• Under is 5-1 in the Lions’ last 6 games overall
• Under is 4-1 in the Steelers’ last 5 games after an ATS loss

The Pick

The Steelers have now won four straight games after a very bumpy start, and Mike Tomlin’s squad is looking like a potential playoff outfit. Meanwhile, the Lions suffered their worst loss of the season, a 44-6 defeat to the Eagles, before their bye last week. Trusting Detroit is a tricky proposition, but I also don’t know how you can possibly have confidence in Ben Roethlisberger covering a 10-point spread, even at home. The Lions have played hard all season and have kept things close against much tougher teams than the Steelers. With a significant rest advantage, I’ll take the points with the Lions in a low-scoring slugfest.

My predictions: Steelers win 20-17, Lions cover, under 42.5 points

TV Schedule

Date: Sunday, November 14
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Heinz Field – Pittsburgh, PA
TV Coverage: FOX

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Live Stream

Where can you watch Lions vs. Steelers online? You can stream this game, and many other NFL games live online with Hulu. Hulu has a 7 Day free trial and is cheaper than cable options at $5.99/month. Watch Lions vs. Steelers Free Online Now.

Injuries

Detroit Lions: RB Jamaal Williams (thigh) Q
Pittsburgh Steelers: DE Cameron Heyward (ankle) Q, WR Chase Claypool (toe) Q, TE Eric Ebron (hamstring) Q

Detroit Lions Analysis

Jared Goff is not good. Not with Sean McVay’s Rams, and certainly not with Dan Campbell’s Lions. Detroit’s quarterback has thrown for eight touchdowns to just six interceptions and has an awful QBR of just 28.9, higher than only Zach Wilson and Justin Fields among full-time quarterbacks. Detroit’s offensive struggles shouldn’t entirely fall on Goff as they have a poor offensive line and rank just 30th in overall offensive DVOA. Injuries to Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker have ultimately held back what should have been a solid offensive line this season, and it’s going to be a tough test for Detroit’s raw offensive line against the likes of T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward. D’Andre Swift has 704 yards from scrimmage in eight games, but T.J. Hockenson has been uneven, and none of the team’s wide receivers have stepped up consistently this year.

Defensively, the Lions likely weren’t going to be very good, to begin with. Still, season-ending Achilles injuries to Romeo Okwara and Jeff Okudah, arguably their two best defensive players, have made things even more challenging. This season, the Lions rank 29th in defensive DVOA and have not made the improvements they hoped after ranking 32nd in defensive DVOA last year. By all metrics, the Lions’ defense is one of the worst in the league. They’ve allowed 30.5 points per game (second-most) and 378.9 yards per game (eighth-most). To add insult to injury, they’ve allowed opponents to convert four of five fourth-down opportunities, highlighting their inability to get off the field. It’s hard to project turning around for Detroit defensively anytime soon, but this team plays hard under Dan Campbell and deserves credit for that.

Detroit Lions Depth Chart

QB: Jared Goff
RB1: D’Andre Swift
RB2: Jamaal Williams
WR1: Amon-Ra St. Brown
WR2: Kalif Raymond
WR3: Khadarel Hodge
TE1: T.J. Hockenson
TE2: Brock Wright

Pittsburgh Steelers Analysis

It’s been a tough season for Ben Roethlisberger as the 39-year-old passer’s best days are clearly behind him. He’s done a better job in recent weeks of taking care of the football, but he ranks outside the top 20 in passer rating, QBR, and yards per attempt, and his efficiency has been putrid this year. Roethlisberger’s complete lack of mobility behind an offensive line that has struggled all year has not been a good combination. Luckily for Roethlisberger, the team’s first-round investment in Najee Harris has proven to be a prudent one as the rookie running back has 830 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns this year. The offensive line’s struggles have limited Harris’s efficiency, but his presence as a consistent rushing threat and a release valve in the passing game has been integral. Pat Freiermuth scored two touchdowns last week and has emerged as a reliable target alongside Diontae Johnson. Chase Claypool has been marginalized with Roethlisberger’s unwillingness to push the ball downfield.

Pittsburgh’s defense still ranks as one of the best in the NFL, and they have allowed the eighth-fewest points per game on their way to ranking 13th in the league in defensive DVOA. That represents a significant drop-off from last year when they allowed the third-fewest points per game and finished tops in the league in defensive DVOA. However, all you need to do is look at the team’s personnel to know they are still an elite defense. T.J. Watt is the frontrunner for DPOY with 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles through just seven games, while the return of Devin Bush has been huge for the front seven. Melvin Ingram and Alex Highsmith have helped the team overcome the losses of Stephon Tuitt and Tyson Alalu. The secondary, particularly the cornerbacks, have been underwhelming, but Detroit isn’t well-equipped to exploit that weakness.

Pittsburgh Steelers Depth Chart

QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB1: Najee Harris
RB2: Benny Smell Jr.
WR1: Diontae Johnson
WR2: Chase Claypool
WR3: James Washington
TE1: Pat Freiermuth
TE2: Eric Ebron

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Daily Fantasy Picks

Based on my predicted score for this game, you probably already know I’m not going to be picking many players to succeed in DFS settings. As always, Najee Harris and D’Andre Swift are viable options, given the amount of usage they will see. In particular, Harris could have a big game against the Lions, who are allowing the third-most fantasy points to RBs. I’m not racing out to spend up on T.J. Hockenson with plenty of viable low-cost tight ends, and it’s hard to single out anyone on the Pittsburgh side with plenty of viable targets. If I had to pick someone other than Harris to have a big game, it’s definitely Diontae Johnson with his consistent target share in the offense.