If history is any indicator, the Steelers will have their work cut out for themselves this week. They have lost eight of nine games in The Volunteer State, and that lone win took place clear back in 2001.

If the Steelers are going to put an end to their struggles in Tennessee, the defense will have to be up for the challenge, especially since the offense looked very shaky in Dennis Dixon’s second career start. With Dixon under center, the Steelers weren’t able to manage a touchdown until Rashard Mendenhall got loose for a 50-yard game-winning score in overtime.

Fortunately, the defense resembled the unit that led the NFL when the Steelers won the Super Bowl in the 2008 season. They held running back Michael Turner to just 42 yards rushing, and Atlanta only managed 58 total yards on the ground as a team. The defense will likely need a similar performance Sunday against Chris Johnson, who has rattled off 12 consecutive 100-yard games. The Raiders had no answer for Johnson last week, allowing him 142 yards and two scores on 5.2 yards per carry. The Steelers must force Vince Young to beat them through the air if they are going to pull off the upset.

From a point spread standpoint, it is worth noting that the Titans are only 12-25 against the spread in their last 37 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points, winning these games by only 1.7 points on average.

Pittsburgh was able to hold Johnson to just 57 yards on 15 carries in last season’s overtime win. If the Steelers have similar success Sunday, Young must be up able to rise to the occasion. He was very solid last week, completing 76.5 percent of his passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, the Titans catch a break with both Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich out. Roethlisberger torched them for 363 yards in last season’s loss, and the Titans gave up similar numbers to other quarterbacks throughout the season.

Dixon doesn’t pose the same type of passing threat, so Pittsburgh will try to rely on its running game until Roethlisberger is eligible to return. The running game looked pretty good in Week 1 with Rashard Mendenhall rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on 5.5 yards per tote. He may be able to find some running room against a Tennessee defense that allowed 5.7 yards per carry last week. I say may because the Titans held the Steelers to just 1.6 yards per carry last season. You can bet the Titans will be stacking the box to make Dixon beat them Sunday.

The Titans rushed for a total of 205 yards last week, and that is significant because they are an impressive 15-4 against the spread after gaining 200 or more rushing yards in their last game under coach Jeff Fisher.

Jimmy Boyd closed out Week 1 with a nice 5* Best Bet winner on the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. He is now a dominant 13-6 his last 19 (68.4%) and 23-12 his last 35 (65.75) NFL 5* Top Plays. Don’t miss a single one of his 5* NFL picks this week!

(TonyK) 3G-Sports - TonyK's 30 day all access test drive TonyK is the most recognized handicapper in the country, and one of the top finishers of the NFL Las Vegas Hilton Contest. TonyK & 3G-SPORTS is currently ranked #1 in the Nation as monitored by The National Sports Monitor. Get his monthly package now for 30 consecutive days of College and NFL Football plus NBA HOOPS, World Series action and HOCKEY for just $275. Start collecting that extra paycheck each week!