If you like offensive football, Week 14's edition of Thursday Night Football featuring the New England Patriots (2-10) at the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) probably won't be for you. Both offenses are massively struggling and deploying their backup quarterbacks in Bailey Zappe and Mitchell Trubisky. The usual starters weren't playing well themselves before getting benched (Mac Jones) or hurt (Kenny Pickett). The Steelers, who still have playoff hopes, are 6-point favorites on the SportsLine consensus with a total of 30 points. That's a number we usually only see in Iowa Big Ten games. It's the lowest total yet this NFL season and for any regular-season game since 2005 (Steelers vs. Bears).

Why is the number so low? In large part because New England, after losing 6-0 at home to the Chargers on Sunday, is the first team since 1938 to lose three straight games while allowing 10 or fewer points in each of them.

The Pats also have the worst ATS mark in the league at 2-10. The covers came in their two outright wins -- Week 3 at the Jets (15-10) and Week 7 vs. Buffalo (29-25). That New England was able to score 29 points against a very good Bills defense now seems almost impossible. Yet believe it or not, the Pats are not eliminated from AFC wild card contention despite sitting dead last at 16th. They would have to win out and essentially be struck by lightning and win the lottery, but it's mathematically possible. 

The only NFL team eliminated entering Week 14 is 1-11 Carolina, but the Patriots would join the Panthers with a loss or tie. New England also would be out with a win if Houston wins or ties, Cincinnati wins or ties, Las Vegas wins and Buffalo wins or ties, or Las Vegas ties and Buffalo wins on Sunday. The odds are so astronomical that no sportsbook is offering odds on the Pats to reach the postseason -- nor should they. Yet you can bet on when aliens might land on earth.

Pittsburgh is coming off a truly devastating home loss to the awful Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and if the Steelers miss the postseason (by a game) for the second straight year and fourth time in the past six, circle that 24-10 defeat. Kenny Pickett injured his ankle in the first half and was relieved by Trubisky, who played well enough (11-for-17 for 117 yards and a TD). But Pittsburgh scoring just 10 points against one of the NFL's worst defenses playing on the road is unacceptable. If head coach Mike Tomlin hadn't fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada a few weeks ago, he probably would have Monday after that debacle. 

Pickett has a high-ankle sprain that required surgery, which usually means 4-6 weeks of recovery. That means it's surely up to Trubisky, the former No. 2 overall pick, to steer the ship and carry the burden of keeping Tomlin's amazing streak of non-losing seasons alive. Tomlin has not ruled out Pickett for the season.

The Steelers still sit fifth in the AFC, so they are in solid shape if they win here. They finish at Indianapolis, vs. Cincinnati (without Joe Burrow), at Seattle and at Baltimore. Maybe the Ravens have nothing to play for by then with their playoff seeding locked up. But you can pretty clearly see at least nine wins for Tomlin's club, assuming a victory Thursday. At DraftKings, the Steelers have an updated over/under season win total of 9.5 (Under a short favorite) and are -130 to reach the playoffs and +110 to miss. 

We'll take you through every aspect of the Patriots-Steelers game that you need to know before you lock in your bets, including SportsLine expert picks, props, trends, injury information and everything else that will help you know which plays are worth making for the primetime matchup.

Who wins Patriots vs. Steelers in the Week 14 Thursday night game, and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread hit HARD? Join SportsLine right now to see everything you need to know about the game in the Thursday night matchup to kick off Week 14 of the 2023 season!!