The Seattle Seahawks head to Heinz Field to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday night, and both teams open the 2022 NFL preseason facing a critical question. Can they find adequate replacements for their Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks? The Seahawks will be a vastly different team, with both star quarterback Russell Wilson and longtime defensive leader Bobby Wagner no longer around. Meanwhile, the Steelers are looking to replace Ben Roethlisberger, who retired after spending 18 seasons with the team and winning two Super Bowls. Neither team has an obvious option, with Geno Smith set to start for Seattle on Saturday and Mitchell Trubisky scheduled to lead the Steelers. Drew Lock also is vying for the job in Seattle, and rookie Kenny Pickett is battling to at least be the backup ahead of Mason Rudolph for the Steelers.
Kickoff in Pittsburgh is set for 7 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh is a 1.5-point favorite in Caesars Sportsbook's latest Seahawks vs. Steelers odds, with the over/under for total points scored set at 37.5. Before making any Steelers vs. Seahawks picks or 2022 NFL preseason predictions, be sure you check out what SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White has to say.
CBS Sports' Fantasy and gambling editor, White has gone 329-250-21 (56.8 percent) in the world's most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest. He also is SportsLine's No. 1 NFL expert, going 445-378-24 on his against-the-spread NFL picks from 2017-21, returning $2,542 to $100 players.
In addition, White has gone 53-29-4 on his last 86 picks involving the Steelers, returning almost $2,100 for $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, White has set his sights on Seahawks vs. Steelers, and he just revealed his expert picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see White's picks and analysis. Now, here are several NFL odds and betting trends for Steelers vs. Seahawks:
- Seahawks vs. Steelers spread: Pittsburgh -1.5
- Seahawks vs. Steelers over/under: 37.5 points
- Seahawks vs. Steelers money line: Pittsburgh -125, Seattle +105
- SEA: Jacob Eason was fifth in the NFL in completions (41) in the 2021 preseason
- PIT: Mason Rudolph completed 75 percent of his throws last preseason
- Seahawks vs. Steelers picks: See picks here.
Why the Steelers can cover
Pittsburgh has gone 3-1 in three straight preseasons, which is a credit to coach Mike Tomlin and his ability to motivate players. Trubisky threw for more than 10,000 yards with 64 TDs and 38 interceptions to go 29-21 in his four seasons with the Bears. He spent an uneventful season in Buffalo but is the presumed Week 1 starter. Pickett was the ACC Player of the Year and won the nation's Johnny Unitas Award for Pitt last year. He was taken with the 20th overall pick in the first round after he threw for 4,319 yards, 42 TDs and seven interceptions as the Panthers went 11-2.
There is a fierce battle for spots in a talented receiver corps, with second-round pick George Pickens and fourth-rounder Calvin Austin III among those looking to impress. They got a lot of looks while Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson dealt with injuries in camp. Anthony Miller, a second-round pick of the Bears who formed a strong bond with Trubisky there, is a big-play threat. They should be able to exploit a Seahawks secondary that was the NFL's second-worst last year (265.5 passing yards per game) and comes in dealing with injuries and upheaval.
Why the Seahawks can cover
The quarterback competitions on both sides could decide this matchup. Pickett is likely to get the bulk of the work to sharpen his game and assimilate to the pro speed. That means the Seahawks should be able to harass him into mistakes, while Smith is a steady hand and Lock is laser-focused on taking care of the ball. Lock has thrown just one interception in 11-on-11 drills in workouts after turnovers plagued him throughout his time in Denver. He threw for 151 yards in the Broncos' preseason opener last year and has been gaining ground on Smith in camp.
Third-stringer Jacob Eason threw for 389 yards in three exhibition starts for the Colts in 2021. Second-round pick Kenneth Walker also will be eager to make a splash in his NFL debut. The Doak Walker Award winner averaged almost 6 yards per carry for his Michigan State career. DeeJay Dallas hopes to raise some eyebrows after posting just 590 total yards and five TDs in his first two NFL seasons. The 2020 fourth-round pick shined on special teams last preseason, including blocking a punt, and put up 69 total yards and a TD in the team's preseason opener.
How to make NFL preseason or Seahawks vs. Steelers picks
White has analyzed this matchup from all angles, and he is leaning Over on the point total. He also has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He's only sharing what it is, and the rest of his expert NFL analysis, at SportsLine.
So who wins Seahawks vs. Steelers in Saturday's NFL preseason matchup? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see R.J. White's Steelers vs. Seahawks picks and analysis, all from the NFL expert who is 53-29-4 on his latest picks involving the Steelers, and find out.
