First Call: National host mocks Steelers loss, strange gambling odds for Steelers-Bills

A national television host is wallowing in the Steelers’ defeat Monday night. But Steelers fans remain optimistic.

That’s how we start “First Call” Wednesday.

Plus, we look at some strange gambling odds on the Steelers-Bills game. And we find out how the Washington head coach is reacting to his team’s upset at Heinz Field.

Rubbing it in

If you thought the living members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins were yucking it up after the Steelers finally lost a game, wait ‘til you get a load of Colin Cowherd.

The FS1 host has been undercutting the Steelers unbeaten record for weeks. And during their loss to Washington on Monday, Cowherd took some time to bask in the defeat.

.@ColinCowherd would like an apology... pic.twitter.com/lBrMONMkKY

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) December 8, 2020

OK. I admit it. I was one of those who was chirping back at Cowherd previously. But apologize? No way.

I don’t know what everybody else was saying back to Cowherd following his previous statements. But what I said was right.

As I’ve said a million times over, if you want to predict that the Kansas City Chiefs, or Buffalo Bills, or Green Bay Packers, or New Orleans Saints are going to be better by season’s end and are more likely to win the Super Bowl than the Steelers, go right ahead and make that statement.

In some cases, I’d agree. Especially regarding the Chiefs.

But that’s different than suggesting the Steelers got to 11-0 fraudulently because of who they played or how they won their games.

I mean, the Chiefs lost to the Las Vegas Raiders once already, nearly did so a second time, had to cling to a win over the Carolina Panthers, and needed overtime to top the Los Angeles Chargers.

So let’s not pretend like they haven’t had their moments of being shaky either. Even the Denver Broncos gave K.C. everything it could handle this weekend, and the Broncos were allegedly one of the “weak” early-season wins on the Steelers schedule I kept hearing about.

There is a difference between analyzing what has happened and predicting what might take place.

Although the cigar and the cocktail while cutting a heel promo for Twitter was a nice touch.

Defeated but undaunted

Steelers fans may be bummed out about their team’s loss to Washington Monday. That ended Pittsburgh’s bid for an unbeaten season after 11 wins to start 2020.

But it doesn’t appear Steelers fans are expecting the wheels to fall off during the rest of the season.

Well, not entirely.

I posted a Twitter poll after the game asking what the Steelers record will end up being at the end of the regular season.

Keep in mind, they visit Buffalo this weekend to play the 9-3 Bills. Then they travel to Cincinnati to play the 2-9-1 Bengals before hosting the 8-4 Indianapolis Colts. They finish in Cleveland against the 9-3 Browns.

Not an easy road aside from the trip to Cincy. But Steelers fans are a bit more optimistic than I thought they’d be based on how poorly the team has played against Washington, the Baltimore Ravens, and even in Dallas during Week 9.

The Steelers will finish

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) December 8, 2020

See, I’d lean more to 12-4 or 13-3, than 13-3 or 14-2. And that’s where voters seem to have a rub. My guess is the Colts or Browns game is being viewed as a swing game in the eyes of most people.

I think the Bills will beat the Steelers convincingly Sunday night. Then the Steelers will win at Cincinnati. The last two games are tossups.

One thing is clear — nearly 80% of you see the Steelers beating the Bengals but losing at least one more. And I can’t argue with that logic.

Take the money and run

Before the Monday games, I got an email from BetOnline.Ag forecasting gambling odds for all the Week 14 games. Even the Sunday night contest between the Steelers and Bills.

The Steelers were listed as two-point favorites.

That was weird. Why publish odds on that game prior to the Steelers and Bills both playing on Monday night in separate venues? The Steelers went on to lose 23-17 at home to 4-7 Washington. And the Bills ended up swatting the San Francisco 49ers 34-24 in Arizona.

If you got the Bills as a two-point home underdog, good for you. I think you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. I would’ve taken the Bills as a field goal favorite even before the Steelers game against Washington.

Now that I know the Steelers’ performance the previous Wednesday against Baltimore was no fluke and they really are struggling that badly on offense, I’d give a touchdown in favor of Buffalo and still feel good about it.

To my point, the line has already shifted to Buffalo being favored by -2.5 points according to Oddshark. But 54% of the money was still coming in on the side of the Steelers at the time of this post.

Pfft! Based on what I saw Monday for both teams, I may bet on the Bills twice.

Rivera preaching humility

Washington head coach Ron Rivera doesn’t want his team to get too high on itself after winning in Pittsburgh.

“We’ll have a little lesson today about humility,” Rivera said Tuesday via the Washington Post. “I’ve got it all set on the PowerPoint because, again, just because we won this game doesn’t mean we’re going to show up somewhere else and win automatically. We’ve got to earn it. That will be one thing that we will talk about.”

You can see why the club might be a bit excited, being the first team to beat the Steelers. But Washington is still only 5-7, and the franchise would need to finish one game better than the New York Giants to win the NFC East. That’s because New York swept the season series.

Washington’s remaining schedule is at San Francisco (in Arizona), home for Seattle and Carolina, and then a road game in Philadelphia. Of that group, the Seahawks (8-4) are the only team with a winning record right now.

The Giants have games against the Cardinals, Browns, Ravens and Cowboys. Dallas is the only team on that list with a losing record.