NFL Preseason Preview 2012: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Todd Haley is one of the key figures to examine when handicapping the preseason opener between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, Aug. 9 at Lincoln Financial Field, as the former Kansas City Chiefs head coach doesn't care for exhibition play.  

The Steelers opened as 2.5-point road underdogs in the NFL betting odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), but that number has fallen by a point at most spots, while the total sits at 34.

Haley was hired to be Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator in the offseason—something that sports bettors need to be aware of, as the Chiefs scored just 10 combined points in his two preseason openers at the helm in Kansas City.

Total players will also take notice that the Steelers have gone "under" the total in all five of their exhibition openers during the Mike Tomlin era, failing to reach the number by 6.2 points on average.

Philadelphia is another piece of the puzzle in this matchup, posting a 28-23-1 over/under record under Andy Reid's guidance before the regular season, which includes above the posted total of 35 in last year's 24-14 loss to the Steelers as three-point road underdogs on Aug. 18.

The Eagles were blanked for the first 41 minutes of that affair, but finished with 335 total yards of offense. Starting quarterback Michael Vick saw limited action, completing five of 12 passes for 47 yards and throwing three interceptions.

I believe Haley will be a little more aggressive in his play calling in his new role, especially considering that the Cardinals scored a combined 33 points in two preseason openers with him as the offensive coordinator from 2007-08.

From a betting perspective, I recommend waiting for a more advantageous number in terms of the total, as I anticipate most bettors will expect a low-scoring game in this affair.

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