Bengals vs Steelers Picks & Odds: Cincinnati a Solid Road Favorite Following Bye

The Cincinnati Bengals (5-4 SU, 6-3 ATS) return from their bye week as road favorites for a divisional matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6, 4-4-1) on Sunday. The Bengals have covered the spread in six of their last seven games – winning five of them straight up – and they will be looking to avenge a 23-20 overtime loss to the Steelers as 7-point home favorites in the season opener.

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Bengals vs Steelers Sportsbook Odds

Cincinnati is back in action off its bye week and chasing the Baltimore Ravens for first place in the AFC North while Pittsburgh is coming off a 20-10 win over the New Orleans Saints as 1-point home favorites last Sunday. The Steelers may be two games back of the Bengals in the standings, but they improved to 2-0 this season with linebacker T.J. Watt on the field. Watt injured himself in the season opener and missed the next seven games, with Pittsburgh going 1-6 SU and 2-4-1 ATS during that stretch.

The Steelers have thrived as home underdogs lately, which is possibly another reason why the Bengals are down to 5-point road favorites in early betting while the total is also down to 41.5.

Get the best Bengals vs Steelers odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

Cincinnati Still Learning to Live Without Chase

The Bengals have split two games so far sans Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (hip), who did not go on injured reserve and is expected to miss a few more weeks with the injury. They lost to the division rival Cleveland Browns 32-13 as 3-point road favorites in Week 8 and then rebounded to rout the Carolina Panthers 42-21 as 7-point home chalk prior to their bye.

This will be another major test away from home vs a divisional foe that did not contain Chase in the first meeting, when he totaled 10 receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown. The problem was that Cincinnati’s offensive line was having big issues in Week 1, as quarterback Joe Burrow tossed four interceptions despite throwing for 338 yards and was also sacked seven times. The Bengals hope their line issues are a thing of the past, but they will have to prove it against Watt again.

Watt Makes Immediate Impact in Return From Injury

Pittsburgh’s struggles without Watt are well-documented, as the team is 1-9 when he does not play. The Steelers earned the one victory this season in Week 6 when they upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-18 as 9.5-point home dogs, and Watt put a positive stamp on last week’s victory against New Orleans.

While the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year did not register a sack, Watt totaled four tackles and helped overcome the loss of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was out after appendix surgery. His presence enabled fellow linebacker Alex Highsmith to record two of his team-high 8.5 sacks and first since the win over Tampa Bay. They will now try to make it a sweep of Cincy.

Bengals: Keys To Victory

Pittsburgh is not built to play a high-scoring game, and Cincinnati has thrived this season when the team can start fast and put points on the scoreboard quickly. The numbers do not lie, as the Bengals have seen each of their last three wins go OVER the total, averaging nearly 36 points in those games. The Steelers have not scored more than 20 points in regulation time this year, so the Bengals need to make sure they score over 20.

Steelers: Keys To Victory

Pittsburgh’s defense is critical to the team’s success, giving up 20 points or less in five of nine games this season. It is no coincidence or surprise then that the Steelers have gone 4-0-1 ATS in those five games. Cincinnati has scored 20 points or less in all four losses this year – including the season opener against Pittsburgh – and that will be the key here.

NFL Computer Pick: Bengals -4.5

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