Steelers-Titans: What's the best bet to make tonight?

The Steelers take on the Titans tonight in a Thursday night matchup. I should be excited, especially since the Steelers are -2.5 for the spread. Kenny Pickett will be playing, but is that enough for the black and gold to come out on top tonight?

Week nine can be telling in the NFL, we are at the midway point of the season, and the Steelers are sitting at 4-3 right below the Ravens in the AFC North. By now, most fan bases have a pretty good feeling about how the rest of their team's season will go. The Steelers, however, are hard to put a finger on. Most fans you ask will flat-out tell you the Steelers stink, and there's no hope for playoffs. The fact that the organization didn't make any moves before the trade deadline should be telling as well.

I haven't given up on this team, as I sit here with my Troy Polamalu jersey so I can wear my jeans today at work. I still want to believe this team is a playoff contender, I want to believe that Pickett can be this team's franchise quarterback, but every week gets harder and harder.

There is still hope, and I think tonight will be very telling of what the rest of this season can be for the black and gold. Ideally, I want to see this offense have the time of possession go up. Yes, I want them to convert as well but if this team can come out with little to no three-and-outs in the first half, I'll be happy. I'm not asking for much, I just want to see this offense give the defense some time to breathe. With Minkah Fitzpatrick out, it is even more important to keep the Titans' offense off the field. 

This is probably wishful thinking, but I'm taking the over 36.5 points, and will parlay it with the -2.5 spread for the Steelers. I think this is Pickett's night to start his second half of the season on the right foot. Thursday nights can be a dud of a game, but I am banking on this to be a show. I think Will Levis is going to ball out tonight, and Pickett will have to keep pace. This offense has the potential to be great, we need to see that tonight. Canada needs to play to the Steelers' strengths and put Diontae Johnson in the slot and George Pickens down the sideline and maybe some trickery with Calvin Austin. Jaylen Warren should have a decent ground game and Najee Harris needs to be utilized in short passing. I would love to see Darnell Washington make an appearance or two in the red zone as well. 

The Steelers have a pretty easy schedule coming up with only the Bengals twice and the Ravens to round off the season. This team should make the wildcard with little issues, at least... If the Steelers can show a sign of life tonight, then the only worries I have are the Bengals and Ravens for the rest of the season. I am not settling for over 500 this year, it's playoff or bust, if the Steelers don't make the playoffs, it's time to clean house.