2005 · Week 1

Final

Titans

Tennessee

QB Steve McNair

7·34

Steelers

Pittsburgh

QB Ben Roethlisberger

Heinz Field · outdoors · dessograss · 75°F · wind 5mph

Closing spread

PIT -7

Total

40.5

Model margin

+7.7est.

PIT perspective

Push chance

5.0%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Steelers
  • Titans

How each play moved the game.

Steelers winsTitans wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Titansedge mapSteelers
  • -0.113EPA / play+0.057
  • 40.6%Success rate43.9%
  • -0.080EPA / dropback+0.202
  • -0.171EPA / rush-0.067
  • 6.1%Explosive rate9.7%
  • 34.5%Third-down rate35.7%
  • 51.6%Red-zone TD rate63.9%
  • 1.17Points / drive1.99
  • 2.5%Turnover rate2.0%
  • +0.045EPA / play allowed-0.084

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

PIT lead 11–10 since 1999

PIT have won 5 straight. Meetings average 44 points. PIT are 12-9 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2023 · W9TEN @ PIT1620PIT
2021 · W15TEN @ PIT1319PIT
2020 · W7PIT @ TEN2724PIT
2017 · W11TEN @ PIT1740PIT
2014 · W11PIT @ TEN2724PIT
2013 · W1TEN @ PIT169TEN
2012 · W6PIT @ TEN2326TEN
2011 · W5TEN @ PIT1738PIT

Box score

Individual performances

Titans

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Steve McNair18/2621911
Billy Volek0/1001

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Chris Brown11635.70
Travis Henry10353.50
Steve McNair2-1-0.50

Steelers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ben Roethlisberger9/1121820

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Willie Parker221617.31
Antwaan Randle El166.00
Ben Roethlisberger351.70
Noah Herron320.70
Hines Ward1-1-1.00

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +72.9%5.7%7.1%3.2%5.0%3.4%3.3%2.7%

Positive margins favour Steelers; negative favour Titans.

Half-point at risk

4.99%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

69.0%

Expected total

44.6est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+5.10
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+7.66