Steelers vs. Raiders Final Score Prediction for NFL Week 6 (Can Las Vegas Cover?)

Can the Raiders cover as underdogs in Aidan O'Connell's first start of the 2024 season?

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Aidan O’Connell will make his first start of the 2024 season for the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, as they take on the 3-2 Pittsburgh Steelers.

After starting 3-0, the Steelers have dropped back-to-back games, and their lack of weapons on the outside is starting to show.

Still, the Steelers have an elite defense that may be able to tee off on a Las Vegas squad that hasn’t been able to run the ball well in the 2024 season.

Can O’Connell turn around the Raiders season? Or will they fall further into a hole in the AFC West?

Using the latest odds and analysis, I’m attempting to predict the final score in this game — giving bettors an idea of which side to bet on in the process.

Steelers vs. Raiders Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Spread

• Steelers -3 (-105)
• Raiders +3 (-115)

Moneyline

• Steelers: -162
• Raiders: +136

Total

• 36.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Las Vegas is just 2-3 against the spread after failing to cover in a blowout loss to Denver. 

Both of these teams have interesting quarterback situations with O’Connell taking over for Minshew and Russell Wilson waiting in the wings in Pittsburgh. 

Steelers vs. Raiders Final Score Prediction

Pittsburgh got off to a fast start, but NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan is having a hard time laying the points with Mike Tomlin’s group. He shared his best bet for this game in his Road to 272 bets:  

It's hard for me to lay a field goal on a Steelers team that is tough to trust offensively. They rank inside the bottom 10 in virtually every single metric and overall, this team ranks 23rd in Net Yards per Play (-0.3), only two spots above the Raiders (-0.5).

The Steelers' defense isn't as dominant as the public discourse would make you think they are. They're just 21st in opponent yards per play (6.8) and 17th in opponent success rate. They do a fantastic job of stopping the run, but the Raiders don't rely on their run game to begin with. The Raiders' defense outranks the Steelers in opponent Dropback EPA, 13th to 15th.

MacMillan is expecting the Raiders to hang around, but I’m not sold on them winning this game outright. 

The Steelers may make things tough on O’Connell, who lost the job to Minshew in camp for a reason. 

I’ll back Pittsburgh to win – but not cover – in Week 6.

Final Score Prediction: Steelers 17, Raiders 16

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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