The undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers return home after a bit of a letdown performance in their win over the Cowboys. The Steelers (8-0 SU, 6-2 ATS) almost blew the game to a Dallas team starting its fourth quarterback this season. However, the Steelers now face a get-right spot against division rival Cincinnati. Coming off a bye, the Bengals (2-5-1 SU, 6-1-1 ATS) are in tough against one of the league’s best defenses.
- Date/Time: November 15, 4:25 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Heinz Field
- TV Coverage: CBS
- Sportsbook Odds: Steelers -9.5 | O/U 49 (Line History)
- Bengals vs Steelers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The game opened with the Steelers as favorites at -9.5 but that line has dropped at most sportsbooks to between -8 and -9 while a couple still have the line at -9.5. The total opened at 49 and has dropped to either 47.5 or 48 depending on where you look.
Cincinnati News & Notes
It has been an up-and-down season for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. The No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft is third in the league in pass attempts and has played one fewer game than everyone else in the top seven.
But he has only managed 11 touchdowns out of his 330 attempts, good for a 3.3 percent touchdown rate. Only Daniel Jones of the Giants has a lower rate among QBs to play at least seven games.
A big reason Burrow has had to attempt so many passes is the play of his defense. The Bengals have been forced into several negative game scripts as the defense has given up the third-most yards per play and has forced just nine turnovers, tied for fourth-fewest.
The Bengals are also getting pummeled by the run. They have given up the fifth-most yards and opposing runners are averaging 5.2 yards per carry, the highest in the league.
Pittsburgh News & Notes
The undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers head into Week 10 with another great matchup for them on tap. While the Steelers sport a four-pack of quality receivers who are all capable of breaking a game open, this doesn’t feel like a week where Ben Roethlisberger will have to do much passing.
Look for Pittsburgh running back James Conner to have a day against the butter-soft Bengals defense that has been very generous to opposing running backs this season.
The Steelers defense is one of the best in the league, giving up the fifth-fewest yards per play on the season while ranking in the top 10 in several key defensive categories. Pittsburgh also leads the league with 32 sacks and should get plenty of pressure on Burrow behind a poor offensive line.
Betting Pick: Pittsburgh -7.5
This is simply a terrible matchup for the Bengals. They can’t protect their quarterback and they can’t stop the run. That won’t work against a ferocious defense and solid running attack. Look for Pittsburgh to force Burrow to throw a ton, leading to more sacks and interceptions to pad the Steelers’ stats.
- The Bengals are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games.
- The Steelers are 12-2 SU in their last 14 games vs their division at home.
- The Bengals are 0-15-1 SU in their last 16 games on the road.
