Free Betting Tips – Steelers, Raiders Clash In Pursuit Of Respective Division Leads

While many NFL betting tips prognosticators projected before the season started that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be challenging the Baltimore Ravens for AFC North supremacy, few would have predicted that come week 11 the Oakland Raiders would be tied for the top spot in the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs.

That is the case however, heading in to this week’s matchup between the Raiders and Steelers at Heinz Field, as Pittsburgh aims to rebound from a tough loss to the New England Patriots against an Oakland team coming off its bye week.

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Free Betting Tips: Oakland Raiders @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Sunday November 21, 2010 – 1:00 PM ET

Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Broadcast: CBS

Football Odds: Raiders +7, Steelers -7

Total: 39.5

The Raiders have won three straight games including a 23-20 victory over the Chiefs to pull within a tie for the division lead, one game ahead of the San Diego Chargers. Oakland’s merit in the AFC will be tested this week however, as they clash with one of the best in the conference.

Free Betting Tips: What The Raiders Will Have To Do To Win?

Darren McFadden has arrived. The third-year running back out of Arkansas has rushed for 757 yards and four touchdowns this season, including 89 against Kansas City in the overtime win. The Raiders rank second in the league in rushing yards, but will have to find holes against a Steelers’ defense that ranks first in the league against the run. Quarterback Jason Campbell will be relied on heavily if Oakland is unsuccessful running the ball, and another performance like the 229 yards he put up against the Chiefs would be more than welcomed by head coach Tom Cable. The Raiders rank second in the league defending the pass, but will need to do a better job of forcing turnovers by getting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger.

Free Betting Tips: What The Steelers Will Have To Do To Win?

Pittsburgh will need to continue to win the battles at the line of scrimmage, particularly on defense where they can take the Raiders’ best weapon away by stopping McFadden. Roethlisberger is coming off his shakiest performance of the season, and will need to rebound to balance out a Steelers’ offense that has struggled to find its rhythm so far. Running back Rashard Mendenhall is averaging 4.2 yards per carry through the first 10 weeks of the season, but will need to play a bigger role in the offense this week, even with Roethlisberger under center.

Free Betting Tips: Outlook & Pick

The Steelers haven’t lost consecutive games this season, and as a team understand that they will need their record at home to be better than .500 to have any chance of winning the division. Oakland has won three straight but despite some solid performances in key areas, they may not be ready to challenge one of the best in the AFC, particularly given that the Steelers head on the road for two in a row including a trip to Baltimore after this game.

Free Betting Tips: Steelers -7