Preseason football is coming to an end.
One more week of key players avoiding the pitfalls of preseason injuries.
One more week of players vying for bottom-of-the-roster spots.
Then, it’s time for Week 1. Pro football bettors across Pennsylvania now have access to four online sportsbooks (with a fifth on the way before kickoff) and seven retail sportsbooks.
A Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl has been predicted for years by residents of the Commonwealth. It’s hasn’t come to fruition…yet. According to PlaySugarHouse Sportsbook, the Eagles are +1,400 and the Steelers are +1,800 to win the Lombardi Trophy. The journey to Super Bowl LIV in Atlanta starts Week 1.
Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles preview
Preservation has been the name of the preseason games for the Philadelphia Eagles. Starters played sparingly. In the case of quarterback Carson Wentz, not at all.
The last time the Eagles faced Washington Redskins quarterback Case Keenum was the NFL Championship in 2017 when he was with the Minnesota Vikings. Keenum was picked off twice and coughed up a crucial fumble in the second quarter. The Eagles punched their ticket to Super Bowl LII with a 38-7 win. The Redskins later traded to get Keenum. The team recently named him their starter over first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins.
The Eagles added wide receiver DeSean Jackson and running backs Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders to their already potent arsenal of offensive weapons. It will be interesting to see how head coach Doug Pederson unleashes, or slowly teases, the full power of the offense.
The Eagles are one of the heaviest Week 1 NFL betting favorites at -8.5.
PA lines for Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Here is a look at the spreads, moneylines, and totals at the top PA sportsbooks, SugarHouse, BetRivers, and FanDuel. (Last updated Sept. 7):
| Spread | Total | Moneyline | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlaySugarHouse | PHI -10.5 | 44.5 | PHI - 560 WAS +400 |
| BetRivers | PHI -10.5 | 44.5 | PHI - 560 WAS +400 |
| FanDuel | PHI -10.5 | 44.5 | PHI - 450 WAS +360 |
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots Preview
The Pittsburgh Steelers head to New England to play the defending Super Bowl Champions on Sunday night.
This one is rife with storylines for new chapters for each team. The Steelers have officially moved on from running back Le’Veon Bell and traded Antonio Brown. Will running back James Conner, who racked up 973 rushing yards and averaged 4.5 yards per carry last season, continue to fill Bell’s void?
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster produced 111 catches, 1,426 yards, and seven touchdowns last year. Can he beat that when he doesn’t have Brown to draw the attention of coverages? The Steelers rewarded quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with a two-year, $68 million extension in the offseason. Is the beginning of his final chapter?
The usually stingy Steelers defense ranked sixth last year.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady captured his sixth Super Bowl ring in February. At 42, he shows no signs of slowing down. The Patriots have won five of the last games versus the Steelers.
However, this season the Patriots will be without tight end Rob Gronkowski who retired in the offseason. His replacements, Lance Kendricks (violating the league’s substance policy) and Benjamin Watson (PED suspension) will not play Week 1. Safety Patrick Chung was indicted on a felony charge of cocaine possession on Aug. 8. It remains unclear how it will affect his availability against the Steelers.
The Steelers currently sit at +6 road underdogs. The last two Patriots vs. Steelers games were decided by seven and three points.
PA lines for Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New England Patriots
Here is a look at the available spreads, moneylines, and totals for Pennsylvania sports bettors (Last updated Aug. 28):
| Spread | Total | Moneyline | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlaySugarHouse | PIT -3.5 | 45 | CIN +155 PIT -190 |
| BetRivers | PIT -3.5 | 45 | CIN +155 PIT -190 |
| FanDuel | PIT -3.5 | 44.5 | CIN +152 PIT -176 |
| Fox Bet | PIT -3.5 | 45.5 | CIN +150 PIT -175 |
