Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers Odds and Game Pick (2020)
When the Bengals and Steelers get their first game of 2020 against each other underway on Sunday, what the rosters will look like is still anyone’s guess. A litany of COVID-19 positives and contact tracing protocols currently plaguing each roster, with none more important than Steelers’ All-Pro quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Is a pre-emptive changing of the guard in store for Bengals’ rookie quarterback Joe Burrow as the future of the AFC North? Let’s take a closer look.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Details
- Opening Lines: Steelers -10; OU 46
- Current Line: Steelers -6.5
- O/U: 44.5
- Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
- Start Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- Television: FOX
- Last Meeting: November 24, 2019– Steelers 16, Bengals 10
View consensus picks and notes from top betting experts for the Bengals vs Steelers >>
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CIN
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+6.5
-104
|
o45.5
-115
|
+260
|
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| JOIN NOW |
PIT
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-6.5
-118
|
u45.5
-105
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-320
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Overview
Though they enter the week with a record of 2-5-1 and all but out of the race for the AFC North, Bengal’s rookie quarterback Joe Burrow and second-year head coach Zak Taylor have quietly been putting together quite the offense. With Burrow in the league’s top 10 in total passing yards and yards per game, the Bengals offense has taken significant strides in his first year at the helm, now a top 10 unit themselves.
The defensive side of the ball, as Bengals’ fans are now used to, is where this team continues to fall short. Through eight games, the Bengals are allowing over 400 yards of total offense and 26.8 points per game, ranking them near the bottom of the league in both.
For the Steelers, the return of Roethlisberger from injury couldn’t be going better, from a standings aspect at least. Despite losing starting linebacker Devin Bush to the season a few weeks ago, the Steelers have rattled off three straight road wins, two against the AFC’s elite in Baltimore and Tennessee. In fact, the defense hasn’t lost a step as they rank near the top of the league in both yards allowed (317.4) and points allowed (20.1) points per game.
Despite not practicing all week, all indications are pointing towards Roethlisberger suiting up on Sunday and the team is preparing for just that. While I don’t know how wise it is given the opponent and the need to keep Roethlisberger healthy as the season progresses, there’s no chance head coach Mike Tomlin can keep Ben at home if he decides he will play.
Trends
- Bengals are 2-5 ATS in their last seven trips to Pittsburgh
- The Under is 4-0 in the Bengals vs. Steelers last four matchups
- The Steelers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games
Prop Bet
Alternate Total UNDER 33.5 (+480)
The last time these two got together, despite both having quarterbacks nowhere near the caliber they will in this one, the total landed on just 26 points in an ugly game the Steelers won almost by default. In this one, I think you see a concerted effort from a Steelers defense that was embarrassed on national television last week and had to hear about it all week in the media.
Bottom Line
Going back to 2004, the Steelers have dominated rookie quarterbacks at a clip of 24-4. While I think Burrow is no doubt the future of this division and turning into one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, he’s facing a different animal this week in a Steelers defense that should end the season as a top-three unit in the conference.
I was hesitant to lay the touchdown, but am grabbing the -6.5 while it lasts.
Pick: UNDER 45.5 & Steelers -6.5
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.