It’s a matchup between two divisional leaders this week for Sunday Night 7!
Play for FREE for your chance to win or split a $100,000 jackpot every contest. Download the NBC Sports Predictor app to join the party right now. This week’s game features the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills, as the Steelers look to bounce back from their first loss of the season and the Bills look to inch closer to their first division title since 1995.
Here are the 7 questions for this Sunday’s game in Buffalo:
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#1 Ben Roethlisberger passing yards? Passing touchdowns?
< 220, 220-244, 245-267, 268-284, 285-309, 310+
0, 1, 2, 3, 4+
After recent aerial displays from Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes on Sunday Night Football, the expectations might be a little lower this week for Roethlisberger in chilly conditions. Big Ben threw for 305 yards last week while trying to erase a late deficit against Washington, but that was just the fourth time this year that he eclipsed the 300-yard plateau. The Steelers have increasingly leaned on the passing attack in recent weeks, with Roethlisberger averaging 49 attempts per game over their last four contests. That number should dip this week with the return of running back James Conner, but Roethlisberger will still have a few chances to air it out. The 285-309 yard window seems about right, and let’s pencil him in for two touchdowns through the air - a number he has hit or exceeded in six of the Steelers’ last seven games.
#2 Josh Allen passing yards? Passing touchdowns?
< 200, 200-244, 245-289, 290-329, 330-374, 375+
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5+
While the Bills’ passing defense isn’t among the league’s best, Allen will have his hands full with a Steelers unit looking to bounce back from their first loss of the year. The Steelers rank among the top in the league in nearly every defensive category, including sacks, interceptions and pass completions allowed. Allen aired it out to the tune of 375 yards Monday against the 49ers, but he has also been limited in other contests: just 154 yards passing last month against New England, and just 157 yards two weeks ago against the Chargers. While Allen has become a surprise candidate in the MVP race, the Bills don’t need to rely on him fully to have success. A balanced approach this week will likely be their best option in trying to hand the Steelers a second straight loss, which could mean a relatively quiet game for Allen. Let’s go with 200-244 yards and one touchdown pass.
#3 Stefon Diggs receptions? Receiving yards?
0-5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10+
< 45, 45-64, 65-84, 85-104, 105-124, 125+
Diggs has become Allen’s most reliable option through the air, averaging 7.5 receptions and 86.4 yards per game this season. He converted all 10 targets into catches against San Francisco, and over the last three games Diggs has 27 catches on 29 targets. The Pittsburgh defense is going to be more stingy than other recent opponents the Bills have faced, but Diggs will still see plenty of action and could become a key cog if the Bills need to forge a late comeback. He has notched at least six catches in nine straight games, and that trend should continue even against a stout pass defense. Put Diggs down for seven catches and 78 yards.
#4 Longest pass completion in the first quarter?
< 20, 20-24, 25-28, 29-32, 33-36, 37-40, 41-46, 47-54, 55+
In a matchup of two potential playoff foes, we could see a slow start as both sides try to feel the other one out. But inevitably there will be at least one significant pass play in the first stanza, and don’t be shocked if it comes from the home squad: Allen is connecting on 48.8 percent of his pass attempts over 20 yards this season, more than double his 2019 rate of 23.1 percent. Allen has at least one completion of 30+ yards in six straight games, and while the longest completion may not come in the first quarter, both he and Roethlisberger will try to open things up at least a couple times in the first 15 minutes. Expect one of them to connect on a pass in the 29-32 yard range.
#5 Last touchdown of the first half?
Benny Snell, Jr., Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Zack Moss, Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, Any other Steelers’ player, Any other Bills’ player
The safest bet here is on Claypool, who has been one of the best receivers in the NFL this season while accounting for 10 touchdowns. But Claypool has been held scoreless in two straight games despite the pass-heavy attack from Pittsburgh. Beasley is a promising option on the other side, having caught a touchdown in two of his last three games. But I’m actually going to go with Any other Steelers’ player, specifically relying on the return of Conner from the COVID-19 inactive list. The Steelers will surely try to ease him back into action, but he had a nose for the end zone early in the season. The Bills present a favorable matchup on the ground, and Conner could become a go-to option if the Steelers are trying to score from close range.
#6 Most total yards in the third quarter?
Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis, Any other Steelers’ player, Any other Bills’ player
This is where Beasley could shine, as the veteran has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in two of his last three games while averaging at least 12 yards per catch in four of his last five games. Roethlisberger could rack up plenty of yards in the third quarter, but who will get the brunt of that yardage is much harder to predict given the potent lineup of wideouts at Roethlisberger’s disposal. If Allen is going to pad his stat line after halftime, Beasley will almost certainly be the primary beneficiary.
#7 Winner? Margin of victory?
Pittsburgh Steelers or Buffalo Bills?
1-2, 3, 4-5, 6, 7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14, 15-16, 17-18, 19-20, 21+
While the Steelers are tied for the best record in the league, the Bills were installed as a slight favorite at PointsBet Sportsbook in what is shaping up to be one of the most-anticipated Sunday Night Football tilts of the season. While it’s hard to bank on the Steelers dropping two in a row after getting within reach of a 16-0 campaign, the Bills have plenty of firepower in their own right and will be looking for a statement victory. The fact that the Bills are betting favorites speaks volumes about the fact that this is a relatively even matchup among two of the AFC’s best teams. I’ll side with the home squad: Bills win, 28-24.
