The Cincinnati Bengals (2-5-1) and Pittsburgh Steelers (8-0) square off Sunday for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff at Heinz Field. Below, we preview the Bengals-Steelers betting odds and lines and make our NFL picks and predictions.
Bengals at Steelers: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 7:15 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Bengals +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Steelers -323 (bet $323 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Bengals +7 (-110) | Steelers -7 (-110)
- Over/Under: 45.5 (O: -106 | U: -115)
Special New Jersey and West Virginia Betting Promotion:
Bet $1 on the Pittsburgh Steelers money line, win $100 (in free bets) if the Steelers score a touchdown during Week 10 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals!
Place your legal, online sports bets in New Jersey and West Virginia at BetMGM, The King of Sportsbooks! New customer offer, terms and conditions apply. Bet now!
Bengals at Steelers: Game notes
- Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger spent most of the week on the Reserve/COVID-19 list after being in close contact with TE Vance McDonald. In fact, Big Ben sits next to the tight end in the locker room and was next to him on the team flight from Dallas. LB Vince Williams, who is on the COVID list, is also expected to be ready Sunday.
- The Bengals are coming off their most impressive victory of the season, a 31-20 home win over the Tennessee Titans. They have also covered three in a row, and six of the past seven while hitting the Over in three straight outings, too.
- Cincinnati’s offense has found its groove in the past three games. Since an ugly 27-3 loss at Baltimore in Week 5, the Bengals are averaging 30.7 PPG over the past three while holding the opposition to 29.3 PPG.
- It’s all about the pass for QB Joe Burrow, and the Bengals have made attempts in recent weeks to bolster their patchwork offensive line and get him more help. He was sacked 28 times across the first seven games, or 4.0 sacks per game, but last Sunday’s win over Tennessee marked the first time he wasn’t dropped at least once.
- Burrow will likely be forced to do more heavy lifting in this one with RB Joe Mixon (foot) doubtful. Burrow has five touchdowns and just one interception over the past two outings while also running for a score. He has 968 passing yards over the past three games, too, or 322.7 yards per contest.
Bengals at Steelers: Key injuries
Bengals
- DT Geno Atkins (personal) out
- OT Jonah Williams (neck) questionable
- OT Bobby Hart (knee) out
- RB Joe Mixon (foot) doubtful
- WR John Ross (foot) out
- CB LeShaun Sims (concussion) out
Steelers
- CB Mike Hilton (shoulder) questionable
- RB Anthony McFarland (illness) questionable
- QB Ben Roethlisberger (Reserve/COVID-19) questionable
- LB Vince Williams (Reserve/COVID-19) questionable
Bengals at Steelers: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Steelers 36, Bengals 26
Money line (?)
There is tremendous risk in taking the unbeaten Steelers (-323), even on their home field. You just can’t put up more than three times your potential return, especially with Big Ben potentially rusty after missing a full week of practice. AVOID, and look to the spread.
Against the spread (?)
The STEELERS -7 (-110) laying a flat seven against the Bengals +7 (-110) is actually a little risky, as Burrow and the Cincinnati offense has been rather effective in recent weeks, and gaining confidence by the day. But Pittsburgh dominates this series, especially against the number, going 20-7-1 ATS in the past 28 meetings, including 5-2 ATS in the past seven in the Steel City.
Over/Under (?)
OVER 45.5 (-110) is the best play on the board. Yes, if you’re a trend bettor, you will be going against the grain, as the Under is 5-1 in the past six meetings at Heinz Field, and a perfect 4-0 in the past four in the series. But Burrow has 37 or more pass attempts in each of the past three outings, and with Mixon likely in street clothes again, it will be all pass, all the time for the boys from the Queen City.
Look for WR Tyler Boyd, who played his college ball at Pittsburgh, to be particularly effective. The Bengals will hang for a while in this surprisingly high-scoring affair.
Want action on this NFL game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]