The New York Jets (0-1) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) in NFL preseason action tonight. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa. The game will be broadcast live on NFL Network.
The Jets are favored by -1.5 with the over/under set at 37.5 total points. The Jets are a -120 favorite to win outright, while the Steelers are +102 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Jets vs Steelers predictions and NFL picks for Friday, August 21.
My Jets vs Steelers Prediction
- Jets vs Steelers pick: Steelers +1.5
My Jets vs Steelers best bet is one the Steelers moneyline, with the best price currently available at FanDuel. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Jets vs Steelers Odds
| Jets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 37.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
| Steelers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 37.5 -110o / -110u | +102 |
Jets vs Steelers NFL Preseason Preview
New York Jets Betting Preview: The Return
Good news for New York Jets fans: Geno Smith is set to make his preseason debut.
Last week, we saw the Jets’ starters play — minus Smith because of ankle soreness — and head coach Aaron Glenn stated that we’ll see the same here.
We probably won’t see too much of Smith, though, which likely means more of rookie Cade Klubnik. The fourth-round pick looked decent enough in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but only completed 5-of-7 passes for 56 yards.
The Jets also have Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe battling for a roster spot.
We haven’t seen T’Vondre Sweat or Joseph Ossai in preseason yet and there’s a slim chance that the two defensive stars might suit up. Even if they do play, they'll likely be on a limited snap count.
The defense is in need of an injection of confidence after allowing the Bucs’ backups to put up 24 points on them last week.
The big question is just how much of the first stringers we’ll see here, and with the Jets already dealing with injuries to Breece Hall and Kenyon Sadiq, it feels in their best interest to keep that time limited.
Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Preview: Fountain of Youth
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has outlined exactly how he plans to use his quarterbacks against the Jets on Friday.
It’s not a surprise that Aaron Rodgers will be missing, but perhaps more revealing is that Mason Rudolph will be rested too, further proof that he’s seen as the backup QB for the Steelers.
With both Will Howard and Drew Allar in a battle for that QB3 spot, we’re set to see a half for each, with Howard probably getting the first half, and Allar taking over after the interval.
Beyond that, we’re expected to see a few of the Steelers' starters, although they’ll likely be on snap counts and withdrawn early.
Against the Packers, we saw rookies Gabriel Rubio, Kaden Wetjen and Daylen Everette impress. McCarthy declared that the preseason will be more youth-focused, so expect to see plenty more of them.
One player that needs a big performance is running back Kaleb Johnson. The sophomore is at serious risk of being cut if he doesn’t show something soon.
Jets vs Steelers Prediction, Betting Analysis
The news of Smith starting, while Rudolph and Rodgers are rested, has seen the Jets become favorites for this game but that feels like a huge trap.
The Jets' first-stringers, albeit without Smith, struggled last week. Since Smith won't be seeing a ton of action, it feels like the same will happen tonight.
For Pittsburgh, the young quarterback duo of Howard and Allar actually looked good in the first week of preseason, combining for 239 passing yards and three touchdowns.
The comeback story of RT Broderick Jones has been impressive and he is looking like he could play his way into starting if he continues an excellent preseason. Combine that with a defense showing real fight and a surprising amount of depth and it’s the Steelers who are the best value on the spread.
Historically, the second week of preseason has been the strongest for McCarthy, with his teams 12-5 straight up in that time, compared with an overall record of near .500 with 33-34 in preseason throughout his career.
Pick: Steelers +1.5 (-110, FanDuel)
