It's a wonder if the NFL Network gets frustrated, considering they do not seem to have the ability to flex their own games.

Thursday's Houston (-3) at Jacksonville game couldn't have been expected to be a match-up with more in it for the loser (draft positioning) than the winner (worse draft positioning), but these things happen. Houston wasn't expected to be in contention for the bottom spot, and while speculation surrounding them drafting either Teddy Bridgewater or JaDaveon Clowney would easily fill a draft speculator's plate for several months after the season, it still seems like a game they should win.

Famous last words.

We're going with the Jags +3.

As for the game you actually care about...Miami (+3) at Pittsburgh...

The Steelers simply do not have depth along their offensive line to have much optimism. In fact, no team could suffer this many injuries along its offensive line and expect things to be all peaches and power draws. Even in the friendly confines of Heinz Field, a place where the "good" version of the Steelers often appear, the Dolphins are a quality team on the road, and they're going to pull out a close game.

As for the rest of the week:

JAGUARS (+3) over Texans

Chiefs (-3) over REDSKINS

RAVENS (-7) over Vikings

PATRIOTS (off) over Browns

Raiders (+3) over JETS

Colts (+6) over BENGALS

EAGLES (-3) over Lions

BUCCANEERS (-3) over Bills

PACKERS (off) over Falcons

BRONCOS (-13) over Titans

CARDINALS (-6) over Rams

Giants (+3) over CHARGERS

Seahawks (+3) over 49ERS

Panthers (+3.5) over SAINTS

Cowboys (off) over BEARS

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/12/5/5180226/nfl-week-14-picks-point-spread-odds-betting-lines

           The beautiful pooch punt from two time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger has won him his second straight weekly award. The outstanding kick that landed Cleveland on their
own 1 yard line has earned Ben "Special Teams Player of the Week (QB's)" from Peter King. 

         Big Ben is playing some of the best ball of his life, leading a 2-6 team to a 5-6 team, the Steelers are inching closer, and closer to .500, and the playoffs. 

          Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook for more awesome stuff. 

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Date & Time	Favorite	Line	Underdog	Total
11/24 1:00 ET	At Detroit	-9	Tampa Bay	49
11/24 1:00 ET	At Houston	-10	Jacksonville	43.5
11/24 1:00 ET	At Green Bay	-4.5	Minnesota	44
11/24 1:00 ET	At Kansas City	-4.5	San Diego	42
11/24 1:00 ET	Carolina	-4.5	At Miami	41
11/24 1:00 ET	At Cleveland	-2	Pittsburgh	40
11/24 1:00 ET	At St. Louis	-1.5	Chicago	45.5
11/24 1:00 ET	At Baltimore	-3.5	NY Jets	39
11/24 4:05 ET	Tennessee	-1	At Oakland	41.5
11/24 4:05 ET	At Arizona	-2.5	Indianapolis	45
11/24 4:25 ET	At NY Giants	-2.5	Dallas	45
11/24 8:30 ET	Denver	-2.5	At New England	54

Monday Night Football Line

11/25 8:40 ET	San Francisco	-5.5	At Washington	47

SteelersGab.com

             Rarely is a division so mediocre, three of its teams are under .500 heading into Week 12, yet, all three of them are still in the playoff race. That's what will happen when the Browns host the Steelers Sunday.

Cleveland, losers of four of their last five games, hope Jason Campbell can reclaim whatever magic he had when he reeled off a win over Baltimore in Week 9, while the Steelers look to thrive off newfound huddle-less life on offense.

It's really tough betting on the Steelers when they're on the road. They have to be good enough to win the game if they're a smart pick.

We're going with the Steelers (+1) over Cleveland.

Thursday, what is usually a good match-up, isn't, because of the Hindenburg-like season currently being suffered by the Falcons. Saints (-9) will take this one.

Bucs (+9) over LIONS

TEXANS (-10) over Jaguars

PACKERS (-5) over Vikings

CHIEFS (-5) over Chargers

Panthers (-4.5) over DOLPHINS

Bears (+1) over RAMS

RAVENS (-4) over Jets

RAIDERS (+1) over Titans

Colts (+1) over CARDINALS

Cowboys (+3) over Giants

Broncos (off) over PATRIOTS

REDSKINS (+6) over 49ers

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/21/5127500/nfl-week-12-picks-afc-north-has-the-action-heading-down-the-stretch

   In leading the Steelers to their second consecutive victory, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was 29-for-45 for 367 yards and four touchdowns, not turning the ball over once.

For that, Roethlisberger was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week.

It's the 10th time in Roethlisberger's career he's earned the award, but the first since Week 8 of 2011.

Roethlisberger has thrown for four touchdown passes in two of the team's last three games, and his 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Brown was the first scoring drive the Steelers have had on their first possession of a game this season.

It's been up-and-down for the franchise quarterback this year. Between multiple turnover games and trade allegations, Roethlisberger has vowed he won't quit on the season or the team. The Steelers have won four of their last six games after an 0-4 start, and sit just one game behind the New York Jets for the AFC's sixth-seed in the playoffs.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/11/20/5125774/afc-offensive-player-of-the-week-11-ben-roethlisberger-career-award

    The Steelers are a never-fun three-point underdog at home. On one hand, you look at how their offense handled a good defensive front in Buffalo, and think maybe there's a chance they can get some explosion offensively, and ride a steadily improving defense to a win.

Then, you take the same scenario and apply it to the Lions, and realize that's far more realistic. It's tough betting against the Steelers at home, but that's really the smart money here.

Lions (-3) over STEELERS

Colts (-3) over TITANS

BUCCANEERS (+1) over Falcons

Jets (+1) over BILLS

EAGLES (-4.5) over Redskins

BEARS (-3) over Ravens

Browns (+6) over BENGALS

TEXANS (off) over Raiders

JAGUARS (+8) over Cardinals

Chargers (-1.5) over DOLPHINS

SEAHAWKS (-13) over Vikings

SAINTS (off) over 49ers

GIANTS (-6) over Packers

Chiefs (+8) over BRONCOS

PANTHERS (-1) over Patriots

Hat Tip to BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

              Once competitors for the ball in Pittsburgh, now competitors for statistical superiority among the rest of the league. Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace are moving in opposite directions.

Wallace, the recipient of a $60 million contract from Miami this offseason after playing four years in Pittsburgh, has 40 catches for 495 yards and one touchdown. Brown (67, 805, 3) beats Wallace in all three categories by significant margins.

Not that Brown is gloating. The opposite, in fact.

According to Alan Robinson of the Tribune-Review, Brown sent a message of encouragement to his former teammate - just a few days after Wallace was held to four catches for 15 yards in a loss to previously winless Tampa Bay.

"I think he's handling things well," Brown told Robinson. I told him to have fun — and let him know he's one of the best when he's out there having fun and being positive," said Brown, who leads the NFL with 67 catches. "I just reminded him to get back to that. He's a great player … a great dude to be around."

The Dolphins are averaging 21.4 points a game - 20th in the NFL. That's up from the 18 points the team scored per game in 2012, but a far cry from what was expected with the insertion of a big-play threat like Wallace.

But with Wallace on pace for 71 catches, 880 yards and two touchdowns (making him one of the most expensive players per touchdown in the NFL), not to mention the team-dividing scandal involving offensive tackle Jonathan Martin and guard Richie Incognito, it may be difficult for Wallace to get back to being positive - assuming that is, in fact, something for which he's known.

It's reasonable to suggest Brown has more reason to be optimistic. He leads the NFL in catches with 67 receptions and has an outside chance of notching his second 1,000 yard season against the Lions Sunday.

The Steelers host the Dolphins in Week 14, and there's basically no chance Steelers fans extend the same kind of message to Wallace upon his arrival. But at least he knows one of his former teammates has his back.

Hat Tip to BehindTheSteelCurtain.com

The NFL started its investigation Monday into the situation surrounding Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin. With guard Richie Incognito suspended indefinitely by the team, new details emerged about the veteran guard's involvement in Martin's absence from the Dolphins.

NFL Media's Albert Breer reported Monday that Martin shared texts and voice mails with his parents on Saturday, and turned them over Sunday to the Dolphins and the league, according to sources close to Martin and involved in the investigation. The evidence implicates Incognito and, to a lesser extent,Dolphins center Mike Pouncey. Breer reported that Incognito used a racial slur and threatened violence in one of the voice mails. The NFL and theDolphins have heard the voice mail.

"Hey, wassup, you half (expletive) piece of (expletive)," according to a transcript obtained by Breer of an Incognito voice mail to Martin. "I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. I'll (expletive) in your (expletive) mouth. I'm gonna slap your (expletive) mouth, I'm gonna slap your real mother across the face (laughter). (Expletive) you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you."

The transcript was among the evidence given to the NFL and NFL Players Association.

Martin, who is expected to be placed on the non-football injury list this week, notified the Dolphins on Sunday about alleged player misconduct. Incognito was suspended later in the day for conduct detrimental to the team.

"We received notification today from Jonathan's representation about allegations of player misconduct," theDolphins said in a statement Sunday. "We are taking these allegations very seriously and plan to review the matter further. We have also reached out to the NFL and asked them to conduct an objective and thorough review. As an organization, we are committed to a culture of team-first accountability and respect for one another."

A Dolphins source, who was addressing Incognito as a player, told NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport last week that the team wasn't planning to bring back the 30-year-old -- who's due to earn $4 million in 2013 -- after this season.

NFL.com