Two teams on opposite ends of the football spectrum meet Thursday night to begin Week 16 as the Carolina Panthers travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers.
One team is coming off a win and the other a loss. But it’s not what most would think based on the team’s regular season records. The Panthers got just their second win of the year last week at home against the Cardinals. Meanwhile, the Steelers clinched a playoff birth, albeit with a loss against the struggling Jets. Pittsburgh will try to get back on track against a Carolina team that hasn’t won back-to-back games all season.
The Steelers can still get the number two seed in the AFC (and a first round bye) with a win on Thursday and a Baltimore Ravens loss on Sunday. If the Steelers and Ravens both win this week, Pittsburgh would need to beat the Browns in Week 17 to take their third AFC North division title in the last four seasons.
All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu will miss his second game in a row due to a leg injury. For those fantasy football owners playing in the championship game this week, the Steelers Defense/Special Teams is still a great start even without Polamalu. The Panthers rank last in the NFL in points scored, passing yards, and total yards per game. If RB Jonathan Stewart doesn’t have a big game, Carolina has trouble doing much of anything on offense. Stewart will have a tough task ahead as the Steelers boast the best run defense in the league.
Pittsburgh should win this game at home by a comfortable margin.
The Pick: Steelers 31 – Panthers 13
Week 16 Fantasy Football Must Starts: QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Mike Wallace, Steelers D/ST
