The final game of Week 8 kicks off tonight as the New York Giants (2-5) face the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) in a must-win Monday Night Football contest for both teams.
New York has dropped two straight contests, falling in a close game against the Cincinnati Bengals before NFC East rival Philadelphia flogged the Giants 28-3. Now, the squad needs a strong performance tonight to avoid a 2-6 start and all but end their playoff hopes.
Pittsburgh is in a different spot than New York. The Steelers won three games to open the season, and own two consecutive victories over the Raiders and Jets – the latter with Russell Wilson starting as quarterback – has fans believing this team could make a special playoff run.
Will the Steelers march on toward the postseason with a victory tonight, or will the Giants earn an upset win over Pittsburgh? We’ll cover that and our top three player prop bets for the Monday Night Football contest between these two franchises.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Russell Wilson | Over 225.5 Pass Yards | |
| Russell Wilson | Under 225.5 Pass Yards | |
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson UNDER 201.5 Passing Yards
The Steelers made an unusual decision, benching a quarterback that had led the team to a 4-2 record (Justin Fields) in favor of the veteran Russell Wilson. The move – the first of its kind – paid off as Wilson finished with 264 passing yards and two touchdowns in his team’s 37-15 victory over the Jets.
Will Wilson’s presence continue to pay dividends for the Steelers? The smart choice is yes. The Giants will respect the passing game, and Wilson is certain to find a few deep throws to keep New York honest.
Still, after watching the Eagles record 269 rushing yards against the Giants last week, it’s hard to believe Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith isn’t licking his chops to showcase his run-oriented offense. Expect the Steelers to run the ball and Wilson to finish under 200 yards on Monday night.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Malik Nabers | Over 72.5 Reception Yards | |
| Malik Nabers | Under 73.5 Reception Yards | |
New York Giants WR Malik Nabers OVER 67.5 Receiving Yards
After a two-game hiatus, the Giants welcomed first-round pick Malik Nabers back into the fold last Sunday in the team’s 28-3 loss to Philadelphia. Nabers finished with the most receiving yards – 41 total – on four receptions. He was second on the team with eight targets.
His quarterback – starter Daniel Jones – struggled to get anything going last week. Still, Nabers continues to be among the top-targeted receivers in this offense. Expect him to finish with a double-figure target total and enough yards to cover this player prop bet on Monday night.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Najee Harris | Over 62.5 Rush Yards | |
| Najee Harris | Under 62.5 Rush Yards | |
Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris OVER 62.5 Rushing Yards
Pittsburgh continues to feature one of the league’s best rushing attacks, one that currently ranks eighth in the league this season. That’s because Najee Harris – a player in his fourth season – has averaged 4.1 yards per rush in a season where he’s amassed 478 rushing yards and two touchdowns in seven games.
As stated before, the Giants have surrendered 390 rushing yards over the past two games to Cincinnati and Philadelphia. A run-oriented team like Pittsburgh should feast tonight on this defense, and Harris will be the benefactor. Expect him to cover this player prop bet.
Best Bet: Steelers (-6)
The Steelers showed their ability to come back in contests last week, trailing 15-6 in the second quarter before scoring 31 unanswered points to win their fifth game of the season. Beating the Jets in Wilson’s first game under center shows this AFC North team is primed to make noise in 2024.
With the Jets being the better of the two New York teams, it’s hard to see why the Giants would be more competitive tonight on the road. Expect Pittsburgh to dominate this game from start to finish en route to their sixth straight victory.
