Considering the fact that most of the educated NFL world determined before the start of the season that the San Francisco 49ers would closely resemble a circus, the fact that they are 1-0 is quite impressive.
If they manage to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road on Sunday, they'll surely turn some heads once and for all.
WHEN THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS HAVE THE BALL
DeAngelo Williams is surely a different type of back than Le'Veon Bell is. Bell is going to catch more passes out of the backfield, and he is going to be a more explosive runner.
That said, Williams was effective in Week 1 against the Patriots, and we have no doubts that he is going to be effective again in this game on the ground. The Steelers won't miss a beat offensively as a result even though more passes are going to have to head towards Antonio Brown and Heath Miller as a result.
Pittsburgh racked up 464 yards of offense against New England a week ago, and it has had nine days to prepare for this game against what could be one of the weakest defenses in the NFL. Yes, the 49ers didn't look weak allowing just three points to the Vikings, but this is a significantly different task, and all 11 players on the field are going to be called upon at all times to cover every inch of the field.
WHEN THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS HAVE THE BALL
This is where live bettors are really going to have their opportunity to make some money on Sunday. The 49ers might have put up 20 points against Minnesota, but they aren't doing that again in this game if they play the same way they did last Monday.
Colin Kaepernick has no passing chops whatsoever. The Niners didn't have a single play for more than 20 yards on the night, and Kaepernick didn't even take a single shot down the field the entire game. Instead, the game plan was all about Carlos Hyde running the ball, something that continually happened even though the Vikings consistently put eight men in the box to defend against him.
The Steelers don't have a great defense, but they had all week to study that tape and game plan for what is absolutely one of the most basic offenses in the NFL. They've got the speed to stick with Kaepernick when he gets out of the pocket and starts to run, and Hyde won't have nearly as much room to rumble either.
Remember too, that we never saw the 49ers play from behind against Minnesota. Give them a double-digit deficit, and let's see whether they can go the whole game without turning the ball over. We doubt it. We're not sure we would be live betting on Pittsburgh early on in this game, but once the Steelers get out in front, this is a lead which could grow and grow exponentially in a hurry.
TREND TO TRACK
Do remember though, that the 49ers are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 road games dating back three seasons. That's a tough trend to ignore for sure, especially knowing that Pittsburgh is going to end up being a very square team on Sunday when push comes to shove at less than -7.
That said, this San Fran team is still just 1-5-1 ATS in its last seven games overall, and it has had some games in that mix when it has been thoroughly embarrassed, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
BookMaker opened the spread for this Sunday game at -6.5 in favor of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL odds total surfaced at 44. Minute-by-minute spreads, totals and props are available for this game using the live betting platform at BookMaker.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. ET at Heinz Field. The game will be broadcast on FOX.
