First Call: Steelers fan confidence grows; Ravens, Super Bowl gambling lines shrink

For Wednesday’s “First Call” we look at how much confidence is rising within the Steelers fanbase.

We also see a correlation in the gambling world. And can things really get worse for the Dallas Cowboys?

Yes. Yes, they can.

Direct correlation

As confidence grows in the 2020 Steelers, the gambling line for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens shrinks.

In the wake of the Steelers beating the previously unbeaten Tennessee Titans on Sunday, I posted this web poll on Twitter to gauge the level of fan optimism in Pittsburgh.

It is … as you may expect.

The #Steelers have beaten Tennessee on the road. They've started 6-0. You see the remaining schedule. Has your anticipation for 2020 changed? How many regular season wins will they get?

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) October 27, 2020

So if you add up those first two categories, 55% of voters say that the franchise will wind up with at least 13 wins this season.

Not only are Steelers fans voting with their hearts on Twitter, they appear to be putting their money where their mouth is. The gambling line opened at 5.5 points for Sunday’s AFC North showdown in Baltimore in favor of the Ravens at BetMGM.com.

It quickly got gambled down to 3.5, before going back up to 4.0 points.

The over/under has steadily dropped, too, falling from 49.5 down to 46.5.

As we were saying

Big picture, the Steelers have also moved into fourth place when it comes to Super Bowl odds.

As TribLive’s Chris Adamski points out, the money is coming in faster on three other teams that have — shall we say — some interesting Pittsburgh connections.

Per @betonline_ag, the Steelers are now the #4 pick to win the Super Bowl at 13/2 odds.

The teams ahead of them?

The rival Ravens
The Le'Veon Bell Chiefs
The Antonio Brown Bucs

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 27, 2020

Picture it. The Steelers go through the Baltimore Ravens and/or Le’Veon Bell and the Kansas City Chiefs for their AFC playoff competition. Then they go to Tampa for the Super Bowl to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Tom Brady and Antonio Brown for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Let that sink in.

Big bucks on Big Ben

Meanwhile, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is moving up the list of MVP favorites. He’s now at +3300 to win the award. That’s tied with Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Titans running back Derrick Henry for sixth place.

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is the favorite at -110.

That’s according to PointsBet, the NBC Sports official betting partner.

Familiar face, new place

The Steelers are all too familiar with Calais Campbell.

The defensive end was part of that Jacksonville Jaguars team that won at Heinz Field twice during 2017.

Once in the regular season. Once in the playoffs.

Now he’s a member of the Baltimore Ravens. And he is ready to be part of the infamous AFC North rivalry.

"You can tell that this game carries a lot of weight. There's no bigger rivalry." @CalaisCampbell pic.twitter.com/YQjAO5PWMD

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 26, 2020

On Tuesday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin gushed about Campbell.

“His unique physical traits, he brings something. You lean on that, and you utilize that. I see him disrupting passes, getting in passing lanes and things of that nature,” Tomlin said.

Campbell had three sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles during the Ravens’ last game, a 30-28 victory for Baltimore.

“That’s a goon, man, that really gets after people,” Tomlin added. “We’re familiar with him over the course of his career, playing him a number of times. He has been an awesome addition to them. You just put that Philadelphia Eagles game on, and it speaks for itself.”

"@CalaisCampbell is having a field day for Baltimore!"

Bye this week, back in action 11/1 vs. the Steelers at 1 p.m. on CBS! pic.twitter.com/06LwyHAL87

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 19, 2020

Campbell has 2.5 sacks in four games against the Steelers.

It’s been that kind of year

After the Steelers play Baltimore, they travel to Dallas on Nov. 8.

The struggling Cowboys have lost four of their last five. Not to mention starting quarterback Dak Prescott to a broken ankle and Andy Dalton to a concussion.

Pine-Richland graduate and one-time Pitt Panther Ben DiNucci is handling the QB duties for now.

Meanwhile on defense, Dallas is yielding an NFL-worst 34.7 points per game. That stat is bringing defensive coordinator Mike Nolan to tears.

Well, it’s either that or the hot sauce he rubbed into his own eye during a live interview.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Nolan had to stop a call with reporters because he accidentally rubbed hot sauce in his eye ️ pic.twitter.com/nXSCjcBIqx

— ESPN (@espn) October 27, 2020

That’s what we call a self-inflicted wound.