This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Its always a great time to check out the top sports betting apps here at RotoWire. The BetMGM bonus code gets you started off up to $1500 in bonus bets
Betting Odds, Picks and Predictions for Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Two AFC North rivals square off for the first of two late-season meetings at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, with the Bengals looking to remain in the AFC playoff conversation and Pittsburgh looking to bounce back from a Week 12 loss to the Browns.
Read on as we break down odds and best bets.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals Betting Odds
*Best lines at time of writing listed
Moneyline: Steelers +140 (Caesars Sportsbook)/ Bengals -155 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Point spread: Steelers +3 (BetMGM Sportsbook)/ Bengals -2.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Totals: Under 47.5 points (FanDuel Sportsbook)/ Over 47 points (bet365)
The public has leaned heavily in favor of the Bengals over the last several days, leading to a significant move in the spread. The number sat at Bengals -1.5 early in the week, but progressively moved up to as high as -3.
The total has seen much more of a rollercoaster ride. The number started the week at 47 points, was bet up as high as 48.5 toward the middle of the week, and then plummeted back to 47, where it has primarily resided since then.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals Betting Picks
Check out great sportsbook promos like this bet365 bonus code Sign up and take advantage a First Bet Safety Net worth up to $1000.
The Steelers have undoubtedly looked their best with Russell Wilson helming the offense. The maligned veteran actually had a better season in 2023 under Sean Payton in Denver than he got credit for. Finally overcoming a persistent calf issue, Wilson has certainly looked like a reasonable facsimile of Seahawks-era Russ, or at least 80-85 percent of the way there.
However, the matchup Sunday is thornier than it looks on paper. Not only are the Bengals rested after a Week 12 bye, but Cincinnati has reached a critical point in its season. With a 4-7 record that's in no way reflective of the offensive firepower this team boasts, there's no margin for error left for Zac Taylor's crew.
Six of Cincy's seven losses have come by a total of 23 points, a frustrating margin that speaks to how close this season was to being a completely different one for the Joe Burrow and co. The defense has undoubtedly served as the biggest culprit in many of those late-game failures. But for all their troubles, the Bengals have actually held five opponents to 24 points or less. That's far from a high bar, but simply an indicator that they can rise up and deliver a quality performance on occasion, and perhaps even more than that with that extra week of rest and game planning.
Taylor is certainly familiar with the majority of the Steelers' personnel, even as Pittsburgh has proven mostly effective in deploying Arthur Smith's system in the team's first year within it. However, the Steelers have mostly gotten away with hiding the fact their receiver corps has no appreciable, reliable depth beyond George Pickens, even with the recent addition of Mike Williams (one catch, albeit a 32-yard touchdown, on his only target over his first three Steelers games). That should allow the Bengals to truly hone in on Pickens, who had his way with them in the second meeting last season to the tune of a 4-195-2 line on six targets.
Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren also thrive in Smith's offense most weeks, and they present a clear threat to Cincinnati given the Bengals' struggles to consistently stop the run this season. Harris has impressed in his last three games against the Bengals, but it would not surprise to see Cincy often devote an extra man in the box to help take away what arguably is the offense's second-most effective weapon.
The Bengals' offense has plenty to be optimistic about considering their performance against a quality Chargers defense in a 34-27 loss before the bye. Tee Higgins' return from a hamstring injury worked wonders, as he recorded a 9-148-1 line on 13 targets versus Los Angeles. That helped Burrow to a 356-yard, three-TD effort and fellow wideout Ja'Marr Chase to an impressive two-touchdown night as well. As that game proved, that type of talent, complemented by a running back the caliber of Chase Brown, can overcome difficult circumstances.
Because of the Bengals' urgency, rest advantage and home field, I see an extremely close game, and I will not venture a guess on the spread or even the moneyline. Instead, I'll back some points being scored and Harris putting together a solid day on the ground as well.
Steelers at Bengals Best Bets
- Over 47 points (-110 on BetMGM Sportsbook)
- Najee Harris Over 59.5 rushing yards (-108 on BetRivers Sportsbook)
Steelers @ Bengals Prediction
Bengals 27, Steelers 23
This is a particularly tricky spot to prognosticate, considering the motivation level of the Bengals and the fact their talent is much better than that of a 4-7 team. Both teams come in well rested, but Cincy has the full bye-week advantage in that regard and is at home, pointing me in the direction of a squeaker of a pivotal win for a prideful bunch that's desperate to save a season that started with plenty of promise.
