I have to say that I'm not sure how to be clever about this. It's a game that the Steelers have to win, it's a game that the Steelers can win, and it's a game that the Steelers should win. If they're going to be the #2 seed in the AFC, this is a game they cannot honk.
The Carolina Panthers are like the Oakland Raiders if the Raiders had a less dynamic running back, a crappier quarterback, and an older defense. This is a bad team. At the NFL level, everyone is talented. I've covered this. We know this. But, the Panthers are less talented than every other team in the league.
I've watched bits and pieces of some of their games throughout the season and what I've witnessed has ranged from horrendous to respectable. I haven't seen them play good football at any point this season. I saw the Bengals, Bills, Buccaneers, and Browns play good football at various points during the season before they played the Steelers. They are all decent teams and have the potential to be good. Carolina doesn't seem to have a ceiling that even reaches as high as good.
I know that the Steelers are going to play this game on four days rest. But, so are the Panthers. It's not like they've had the past three weeks off to rest and prepare. Sure, the Steelers are only 4-3 at home, but... this is a pretty bad team that they're playing on Thursday night.
I think this is a game that they should dominate, but I'm not sure that this is a game that they will dominate. For this reason, I can't predict them to cover.
Prediction:
Steelers 24, Panthers 13
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