The Atlanta Falcons will open a new era when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers to open the season on Sunday afternoon. Atlanta signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a $180 million contract this offseason following several tumultuous years at that position. Pittsburgh will have a new quarterback as well, with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields set to start. Wilson was named the starter, but he is dealing with a calf injury and is listed as questionable.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons are favored by 3.5 points in the latest Falcons vs. Steelers odds, while the over/under is 42 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Steelers vs. Falcons picks, you’ll want to see the NFL predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 181-129 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 35-21 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
The model has set its sights on Pittsburgh-Atlanta. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NFL betting lines for the game:
- Falcons vs. Steelers spread: Falcons -3.5
- Falcons vs. Steelers over/under: 42 points
- Falcons vs. Steelers money line: Falcons: -171, Steelers: +144
- Falcons vs. Steelers picks: See picks here
Why the Falcons can cover
The Falcons are coming off their sixth straight losing season, but they upgraded their quarterback situation in the offseason. Cousins agreed to a four-year contract following an Achilles injury that ended his final season with the Vikings. He has been among the best quarterbacks in the league for years, so he will be a big improvement for Atlanta’s offense.
Cousins has plenty of talent around him, including tight end Kyle Pitts, wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson. All three players were top-10 picks in the last three NFL drafts, and Atlanta’s defense also took major steps forward last season. The Falcons could be even better on that side of the ball this year, as they added four-time Pro Bowl edge Matthew Judon and two-time Pro Bowl safety Justin Simmons. See which team to pick here.
Why the Steelers can cover
Pittsburgh revamped its offense heading into the 2024 season as well, signing Wilson and trading for Fields. Wilson beat out Fields for the starting job in training camp, but Wilson is dealing with a calf injury and could be sidelined on Sunday. The Steelers have cycled through several quarterbacks since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, so they are happy to have two options.
Their offense should also be improved due to the hiring of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who was fired as Atlanta’s coach in January following three straight 7-10 seasons. He is very familiar with Atlanta’s personnel, and he will be motivated to put a perfect game plan together on Sunday. The Steelers have covered the spread in nine consecutive games against NFC South opponents, while the Falcons only covered once in their final five games last season. See which team to pick here.
How to make Falcons vs. Steelers picks
The model has simulated Steelers vs. Falcons 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Falcons vs. Steelers on Sunday, and which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Steelers vs. Falcons spread you should be all over Sunday, all from the model on a 181-129 roll on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
