NFL Expert Picks: Experts believe the Bills, not the Steelers, to get off to a red-hot start

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills are slated to face off in Week 1 of the 2021 regular season, and there are a lot of narratives between these two AFC power houses. For the Bills, they have championship aspirations, while the Steelers are a team who are trying to forge a new identity as they look to get the way they finished the 2020 season out of their mouths.

At this point it is time to check in and see who the pundits who call themselves experts like in this showdown in Orchard Park this Sunday.

For those new to this article, there are two types of experts, when it comes to NFL picks. There are those who just pick the overall winner, and those who expound on their picks and give a reason for their prediction.

When it comes to the former, sites like ESPN are very pro-Buffalo, with only two experts taking the Steelers. A similar story can be told at USA Today, where, like ESPN, only a pair of experts thinks the Steelers can somehow start the season 1-0.

As for the experts who explain their picks, here is what Pete Prisco of CBS Sports has to say about how he sees this game going down.

The Bills are my pick to win the Super Bowl, but this is tough way to open the season. The Steelers have won five of the last six at Buffalo, although the Bills won last year at home. The Steelers defense against Josh Allen will be fun to watch, but the game will be decided by the Buffalo defensive front against the Steelers offensive line. I think the Bills will get the best of that, which is why they win to open the season. But it’s close.

Pick: Bills 24, Steelers 20

The folks at the Sporting News also do more than just click a box, and they had a shocking prediction for the Steelers’ season opening game.

The Steelers are being left for dead despite an offseason spent revamping the offensive line. First-round pick Najee Harris is the answer at running back, and Ben Roethlisberger thrives with that support. Stefon Diggs torched the Steelers for 10 catches for 130 yards in a SNF victory last year. Pittsburgh, with a healthy defense that returns Devin Bush and added Joe Schobert, returns the favor. The over-reaction to Week 1 will follow. Blitzburgh is back.

Pick: Steelers 27, Bills 24

These are just a few sites who make weekly NFL picks. When you think about all those sites we didn’t list above, this is when we turn to our friends at NFL Pick Watch, a site dedicated to tracking NFL expert picks by the week. They take all expert picks and put them into an easy-to-read graph for fans to enjoy. When it comes to the Steelers vs. Bills game, a whopping 91% of NFL experts like the Bills to hold serve at home Sunday.

What do you think about the upcoming game? Will the experts have it right? Or are they way off? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the Bills in Week 1.