Last week, the Cincinnati Bengals made a desperate trade. The Bengals acquired Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns with the hope that he could be a serviceable emergency quarterback.
Joe Borrow is on injured reserve, and Jake Browning has proven to be ineffective. Thus, Flacco is the band-aid on a much more serious issue.
Last week, the Bengals were overmatched in a road loss to the Green Bay Packers, confirming that their season is indeed lost.
On Thursday night, the Bengals will host their AFC North rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Prime Video.
Pittsburgh signed Aaron Rodgers to a 1-year contract and will serve as the quarterback in a win-now scenario.
So far, the Steelers are looking like the class of the AFC North.
Steelers at Bengals Preview
On Thursday, October 16, 2205, the Cincinnati Bengals will host the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. Kickoff time is 8:15 p.m. ET with television coverage on Prime Video.
Public Betting Odds Factors
- The Bengals will have a difficult time attracting gamblers based on their poor record and lack of quarterbacking.
- The Steelers will appeal to sharps based on the road team discount.
- Squares normally prefer the home team but will gravitate to Rodgers and the Steelers based on recent form.
Steelers at Bengals Predictions
Handicapping Factors to Consider
- The Bengals have some of the worst metrics, both offensively and defensively, in the NFL.
- Cincinnati’s problems start at quarterback but go far beyond it.
- If Flacco plays, it bears remembering that he was ineffective this year with Cleveland.
- Pittsburgh’s defense is hardly of Steel Curtain vintage.
- The Steelers offense has been mediocre at best.
- Of the two choices, the Steelers have the better quarterback and price.
Steelers at Bengals Prime Best Bet: Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers at Bengals Betting Tips
- Oddsmakers opened with the Pittsburgh Steelers as 5.5-point road favorites.
- The Cincinnati Bengals opened as 5.5-point home dogs.
- Pittsburgh is a -275 moneyline favorite
- The Bengals are +225 moneyline dogs.
- The Steelers and Bengals opened with a total of 42.5.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Pittsburgh has NFL metrics of 29th for offense, 24th for passing, 29th for rushing, 14th for scoring, and 7th for fewest turnovers committed.
- Defensively, Pittsburgh ranks 25th overall, 27th against the pass, and 17th against the run, 15th for fewest points allowed, and 9th for takeaways.
- The Steelers are 4-1 straight up, 3-2 against the spread, and 3-2 over the total.
- Last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 23-9 as 6-point home favorites. The game went under the total of 38.5.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Cincinnati ranks 31st for total offense, 30th for passing, 32nd for rushing, 29th for scoring, and 31st for fewest turnovers committed.
- Cincinnati ranks 30th in total defense, 31st against the pass, 27th against the rush, 29th in fewest points allowed, and 6th in takeaways.
- The Bengals are 2-4 straight up, 2-4 against the spread, and 3-2-1 over the total.
- In their last game, the Cincinnati Bengals lost 27-18 to the Green Bay Packers as 15-point road underdogs. The game ended in a push versus the total of 45.
Steelers at Bengals Head-to-Head and Key Stats
- In the series between the Steelers and Bengals, Cincinnati covered the spread in only six of the previous 20 meetings.
- Six of the last ten meetings between the Steelers and Bengals went over the total.
- Specifically in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh got the money in its last three visits.
- Three of the last five meetings between the Bengals at Steelers at Cincinnati went over the total.
- The Bengals have been an inconsistent betting value at home.
- Cincinnati covered only four of its most recent ten home games.
- The Bengals went over the total in 11 of their last 13 home matchups.
- The Steelers have struggled to hold betting value on the road.
- Pittsburgh covered only two of its most recent seven home games.
- Three of their last five away games went under the total.
