Steelers Bengals Betting – “Steel Curtain” Drops On Palmer, Bengals
Cincinnati’s online betting chances are essentially gone if they lose this week’s game against Pittsburgh, but in reality, they probably already are. The Bengals will be welcoming an angry Steelers team to town, and their shaky quarterback is going to have his hands full handling one of the best defenses in the league.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Monday, November 8th, 8:30 PM ET
- Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
- Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers -3.5
What’s On The Line
The Steelers (5-2) couldn’t get anything going offensively in a 20-10 loss in New Orleans on Sunday night, and they’re now tied with the Baltimore Ravens for first in the AFC North. They’re five games better than the Bengals (2-5), who are pretty much out of the playoff race after a 22-14 loss at home to Miami. The Bengals have now lost four in a row heading into this divisional showdown, but they’re hosting a Pittsburgh team that is 3-1 on the road this year.
Offensive Matchups: Steelers Bengals Betting
Pittsburgh’s offense was stagnant against the New Orleans Saints, and it was mostly through the air where they struggled. Ben Roethlisberger couldn’t go down the field, while the ground game led by Rashard Mendenhall averaged 5.1 yards per carry. Roethlisberger has been up and down since coming back from his suspension, but we should also give some credit to the New Orleans defense, which had three sacks and chased Roethlisberger around all day. A couple of turnovers didn’t help the Steelers, either.
The Bengals’ offense, quite frankly, you have no idea what you’re going to get with it. They’re 11th in the league, 16 spots better than Pittsburgh, and they exploded last week against the Atlanta Falcons. A lot of it rests on the shoulders of Carson Palmer, who threw a couple of touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins, but he was also picked off once and completed just 17 of his 38 attempts. It’s actually amazing that the Bengals can struggle with all of their weapons, and if the Bengals had a decent backup that wasn’t Carson’s brother Jordan, he’d probably be on the bench by now.
Betting Edge: Draw
Defensive Matchups: Steelers Bengals Betting
The Steelers’ defense finally broke down in the fourth quarter against the Saints, as they allowed a couple of touchdown passes from Drew Brees. They managed two sacks and a pair of turnovers, and they generally disrupted Brees all night long. The Steelers are fifth in the league defensively, and they probably couldn’t fall out of the top five if they wanted to. Lawrence Timmons, who had 12 tackles on the night, would be the star of any other defense.
The Cincinnati defense did much better against the Dolphins than against Atlanta, showing some pride and they forced a couple of turnovers. They’re still 18th in the league on that side of the ball, and the Bengals have the talent to be a top-10 defense, but like the offense you just never know which unit is going to show up. Having six sacks, tied for worst in the league, is probably a good place to start.
Betting Edge: Steelers
Notable Injuries: Steelers Bengals Betting
Ends Aaron Smith (triceps) and Brett Keisel (hamstring) missed Sunday’s game, and Smith should be out for a few weeks for the Steelers. Keisel needs to be watched this week.
Cornerback Johanathan Joseph (ankle) is expected to be back for this game, while defensive tackle Tank Johnson (knee) is questionable for the Bengals.
Betting Edge: Draw
Outlook and Pick: Steelers Bengals Betting
NFL betting odds will likely favor the Steelers on the road in Cincinnati, where they have won four of their last five both SU and ATS. It would have been five in a row if not for a 23-20 loss last year, but the Steelers should resume their winning ways in Cincinnati as the Bengals have problems stopping the run, which means Mendenhall could have a big game if the Steelers decide to go to the ground. How can you have faith in Cincinnati after how they’ve played this year? The Steelers’ defense is going to swarm on Palmer, who will make a few crucial mistakes and cost his team the win. Go with Pittsburgh in your sports betting book.
Stan’s Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers
