The Steelers and Panthers meet on Thursday with both teams looking to wrap up their preseason campaign healthily.
As for my Steelers vs. Panthers predictions, I'll be looking to the defenses to put the clamps on the offense.
Find out why in my NFL picks for Thursday, August 21.
Steelers vs Panthers prediction
Steelers vs Panthers Best bet: Under 36 (-110)
Quarterback is the most important position in team sports, with no other role, in any other sport, having the same level of responsibility on their shoulders. With that in mind, knowing who is playing under center is crucial for betting on preseason games.
Thankfully, we know who we are going to see suit up on Thursday, but sadly for fans, it won’t be either starting QB.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-1 in the preseason, but Mike Tomlin has had a relaxed attitude toward starters this summer.
We haven’t seen Aaron Rodgers out of street clothes yet, and that won’t be happening this week. It seems very unlikely that any of his playmakers will be asked to play in this game, which feels very much like two teams going through the motions and just wanting to reach the regular season in good health. The majority of the first string offensive line have seen reps in the previous two games, but again, will most likely be benched here. As for the defense, it’s the same story, with TJ Watt, Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, Patrick Queen, and Cam Heyward all likely to be standing on the sidelines.
That gives those on the roster bubble a chance to fight for a spot, but as a competitive game, it doesn’t do much.
The team used Mason Rudolph sparingly last week, and it’s fair to assume that he might not be on the field for long again, which means plenty of Skylar Thompson and Logan Woodside. Thompson is experienced but unspectacular, while Woodside has more interceptions (one) than touchdown passes (zero) this preseason.
On the Carolina Panthers sideline, things are even worse.
Bryce Young won’t be playing, but it now seems likely that he’ll be joined by the experienced veteran Andy Dalton, who is suffering from a muscle strain. With news coming from the QB room, the Panthers went from three-point favorites to 5.5-point ‘dogs, with the books not trusting Jack Plummer or Bryce Perkins to get the better of the Steelers’ second and third string defense.
Plummer, UDFA last year, has struggled in preseason, completing 16 of 24 passes for 161 yards and zero touchdowns across both games, while also turning the ball over twice. His performance in the 20-3 defeat to the Texans was particularly bad, and the team bringing in the reigning MVP from the United Football League doesn’t bode well for the team’s confidence in him. It’s probably too late for Perkins to make a push for the roster, but as a dual-threat QB, he could perhaps offer something that Plummer cannot.
Given how the Panthers' offense has struggled in both games so far, it seems like they’re likely to be even worse when splitting quarterbacking duties between a poor Plummer and a newly signed Perkins. When you also consider that the Steelers will be resting all their key players, it’s hard to see this being anything but a low-scoring game, take the Under.
Steelers vs Panthers odds
- Spread: Steelers -2.5 | Panthers +2.5
- Moneyline: Steelers -140 | Panthers +110
- Over/Under: Over 36 | Under 36
How to watch Steelers vs Panthers
| Location: | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Date: | Thursday, August 21, 2025 |
| Kickoff: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | KDKA-TV, CBS |
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