Detroit Lions vs Pittsburgh Steelers Matchup

Keep reading to see our NFL pre-season week 3 Steelers vs Lions pick and preview. In this article we will outline who will come away with the win and cover the spread.

The Lions are +212 on the money line as they host the Steelers at 1:00 ET on Saturday, August 24th at Ford Field in Detroit. The Steelers are favored by -6 on the road, with the game being televised on NFLN. The Steelers are looking for their first pre-season win, as they are 0-2, while the Lions are 1-1. The over/under line is set at 35.5 points.

Steelers vs. Lions Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions
Where: Detroit at Ford Field
Date: Saturday, August 24th
Betting Odds PIT -6, PIT -262 | DET +212 O/U 35.5

Steelers Preview:

Pittsburgh is now 0-2 in the pre-season after their 9-3 loss to the Bills. The Steelers were favored by -2.5 but lost straight-up and against the spread. The 12 combined points were well below the over/under of 38.5 points.

There was no scoring in the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, both teams added field goals, and the score was tied at 3 heading into halftime. Buffalo took the lead with another field goal in the 3rd quarter, and they added to it with another field goal in the 4th. Pittsburgh missed a chance to score in the 2nd quarter when Chris Boswell missed a 52-yard field goal with 6:45 remaining.

Steelers Offense Breakdown

In a 9-3 loss to the Bills, the Steelers' offense struggled to generate much of anything, finishing with just 113 yards through the air. They managed only 13 first downs and 106 yards on the ground. Justin Fields, filling in at quarterback, went 11/17 for 92 yards and added 42 rushing yards, but the Steelers' offense failed to find the endzone.

Fields was sacked four times, and the Steelers converted on only 30.8% of their third down attempts. Dez Fitzpatrick was their leading receiver with 32 yards, and Fields led the team in rushing with 42 yards, including a 20-yard run.

Steelers Team Defense

In their 9-3 loss to the Bills, the Steelers' defense held Buffalo to just 14 first downs and 245 total yards. Despite their strong effort, Pittsburgh's run defense struggled, allowing 167 rushing yards on 34 attempts. The Steelers' run defense gave up 9 rushing first downs and allowed Buffalo to average 4.9 yards per attempt on the ground.

Against the pass, Pittsburgh limited the Bills to 78 yards through the air. They also recorded three sacks, held Buffalo to a 20% third-down conversion rate, and came up with one interception. Although the defense played well overall, the Steelers lost the game and the tackles for loss battle.

Lions Preview:

Lions Offense Breakdown

The Lions' offense put up 342 yards through the air in their 24-23 win over the Chiefs, with 24 first downs. Nate Sudfeld, who threw for 196 yards (14/27), led the passing attack. Detroit's running game managed 117 yards on 31 attempts, with Zonovan Knight as the top rusher with 36 yards.

Isaiah Williams was the leading receiver with 71 yards. The offense converted on 43.8% of their third down attempts, and Sudfeld threw one touchdown and one interception. The Lions' defense held the Chiefs to just 276 total yards.

Lions Offense Breakdown

In their 24-23 win over the Chiefs, the Lions' offense picked up 24 first downs and gained 342 yards through the air on 42 passing attempts. Nate Sudfeld, who threw for 196 yards (14/27), led the passing attack. Detroit's running game saw 117 yards on 31 attempts. The offense also converted on 43.8% of their third down chances and allowed just one sack.

Isaiah Williams was the leading receiver with 71 yards. Zonovan Knight led the team in rushing with 36 yards. The Lions finished with one passing touchdown and one interception. Sudfeld's passer rating was 72 in the win.

Lions Team Defense

The Lions' defense came up with three sacks and limited the Chiefs to just 2-of-7 on third down in their 24-23 win. Detroit's defense also allowed just 13 first downs and 74 rushing yards on 18 attempts. However, they did give up two passing touchdowns and 202 passing yards, with a collective quarterback hit of -2 compared to the Chiefs.

Even though they defended the run well and held the Chiefs to 276 total yards, the Lions lost the turnover battle, giving up two more turnovers. The Lions' defense allowed the Chiefs to complete 60% of their passes.

Steelers vs Lions Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Steelers are 2-1 ATS in their three last road games and 2-1 straight-up.
Across their last three home contests, Detroit has a 3-0 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 26 points per game.
In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Lions have a straight up record of 2-3 and an ATS mark of 4-1.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting favorite, the Steelers have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.