Dazed, confused Steelers leaving backers empty

Dazed and confused most accurately describes how Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked at the end of a long Sunday afternoon in Kansas City.

If you're betting on the Steelers every week, you probably feel the same way, in addition to bankrupt and disillusioned.

Roethlisberger appeared to suffer a concussion near the end of the Steelers' 27-24 overtime loss to the sad-sack Chiefs. He denied it and said he was OK. But there's no denying something is wrong with the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Steelers were 11-point favorites, and the betting public fearlessly laid the points in straight bets, parlays and teasers. Every one of those bets blew up like a joke with a lame punch line.

"The Steelers are a popular team that is constantly attracting wagering," MGM Mirage sports book director Jay Rood said. "But the Steelers are up and down. One week, they look pretty good. The next week, they look mortal.

"You can't quite put your finger on what exactly the issue is."

Allowing kickoff returns for touchdowns is part of the issue. Roethlisberger throwing an interception in the end zone doesn't help. And the loss of safety Troy Polamalu, arguably the NFL's most valuable defensive player, seriously hurts.

Pittsburgh is 6-4 straight up, which still is respectable, but its 3-7 record against the spread is pathetic.

The odds on the Steelers to win the Super Bowl have slipped to 8-1 at MGM Mirage books. With a manageable schedule ahead, they still can win 10 games, but they're not among the top four teams in the AFC today.

Indianapolis, New England and San Diego are rolling. The public was rewarded for backing all three of those teams in Week 11.

The Colts, 10-0 straight up and 6-4 ATS, beat Baltimore 17-15 by holding the Ravens to five field goals. Indianapolis closed as a 11/2-point road favorite at most books. The MGM Mirage line was the highest at Colts minus-2.

''We lost a big decision with the Colts,'' Rood said. ''Everybody loved that side.''

There was a lot to like about the Patriots, too. New England led 24-0 in the second quarter and held on to cover the 11-point spread with a 31-14 victory over the New York Jets.

Jets coach Rex Ryan was crying before the game, and he had to be cussing after it as rookie Mark Sanchez threw four more interceptions.

The Chargers crushed the Denver Broncos 32-3 to assume control of the AFC West. The Broncos went off as 6-point home underdogs, and with Denver quarterback Kyle Orton hobbled and unable to start, bettors wisely put their money on the favorite.

The Cincinnati Bengals took a step back by blowing a 14-0 lead in a 20-17 loss to the Oakland Raiders, who were 9-point home underdogs. I even bet the Raiders -- mostly because JaMarcus Russell finally was benched -- and that happens as often as the Cleveland Browns score 24 points in a quarter.

As more proof that truth is stranger than fiction, Brady Quinn passed for three touchdowns in the first quarter, and the Browns led the Lions 24-3. At the end of an insane game, the Lions were 38-37 winners. The total was 371/2, and almost everyone bet it under.

"With the perception of the two teams, I can understand why," Rood said. "Nobody thought there was going to be much scoring."

Rood said a good day for the sports books was dampened when Philadelphia scored a late touchdown to beat Chicago, 24-20. The Eagles opened as 21/2-point favorites, and the line closed 31/2 almost everywhere. (If you laid four points with the Eagles, learn this lesson: Don't wait until the last minute to bet a Sunday night favorite when the line obviously is going up.)

Underdogs went 7-6-1 ATS on Sunday, counting San Francisco-Green Bay as a push. The line dropped from 61/2 to close at 6 and 51/2, and the Packers blew a big lead in a 30-24 win.

Minnesota and New Orleans, on an apparent collision course in the NFC, covered in blowout wins as Brett Favre and Drew Brees combined for seven touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Three mildly interesting games are on the Thanksgiving schedule.

But next Monday, the Patriots visit the Saints in a game that will have a Super Bowl feel to it.

The defending champs, Roethlisberger and the Steelers, are just feeling ill.

Sports betting reporter and columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or at 702-383-2907.