Loss of Burrow Shows Cincinnati as Road Dogs in Pittsburgh
Steelers vs Bengals Betting Lines Move Since Burrow's Injury
The Pittsburgh Steelers Look to Make Themselves at Home in Cincinnati Once Again
Things changed a little bit in the last week with Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow suffering a season-ending wrist injury and the Pittsburgh Steelers firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada after four seasons with the team and three as the offensive coordinator. The Steelers vs Bengals betting analysis has Pittsburgh favored on the road for just the second time this NFL season.
Pittsburgh is in third place in the AFC North Division standings, 1.5 games behind first-place Baltimore with Cincinnati 2.5 games out of the division lead.
These NFL teams will meet twice in the next five weeks with Pittsburgh currently listed by the NFL betting lines as a 1-point favorite.
The visiting team has won three of the last four games between the Bengals and Steelers with both of last year’s games being decided by seven points or less.
Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, receiver George Pickens and defensive tackle Montravius Adams are questionable for Pittsburgh.
Linebackers Kwon Alexander and Cole Holcomb as well as safety Keanu Neal are out.
For Cincinnati, receivers Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas, defensive end Sam Hubbard and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt are questionable. Taylor-Britt is tied for third and teammate Logan Wilson is tied for sixth among the NFL interception leaders.
Cincinnati came into the season as the favorites at +150 to win the AFC North Division title. Those odds have moved to +8000. The division odds for the Steelers have gone from +450 to +750.
Steelers at Bengals 
Day/Time:
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Line: Pittsburgh -1
Total: 35.5
Streaming: CBS
No Place To Go But Up
There’s no way an offense with running back Najee Harris, receivers Dionte Johnson and George Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth should be this bad.
In the four losses, Pittsburgh has scored 33 points. Over the last four games, quarterback Kenny Pickett has thrown for 465 yards with one touchdown pass. Keep that in mind when it comes to the Steelers vs Bengals betting analysis.
Pittsburgh is 28th in scoring offense and total offense. The passing offense ranks 31st. The Steelers rank 25th or lower in points scored in the first, second and fourth quarters.
Time will tell what impact a change in offensive coordinators will have.
Pittsburgh has covered against the Las Vegas odds in 10 of its last 14 games.
Browning Is Ready to Get Passing Grades
The reality is that Joe Burrow was not having a great season for the Bengals. Still, he leaves some big shoes for Jake Browning to fill.
Browning had attempted one pass during the regular season before Burrow’s injury. He was 8-of-14 passing for 68 yards with a touchdown pass. He rushed for 40 yards and was sacked three times in the loss to Baltimore.
It would help if Higgins is cleared to play. The Bengals won the last three games that Higgins played. Having Ja’Marr Chase, Higgins and Tyler Boyd on the field together would make like much easier for the former University of Washington quarterback. Higgins has not practiced this week.
He will be facing a Pittsburgh defense that is 23rd in passing yards allowed this season. The Steelers are 15th in the NFL with 28 sacks and they will look to make Browning uncomfortable in his first regular-season start in the NFL. That could factor into the Steelers vs Bengals betting analysis.
Four of Cincinnati’s last six games finished over the NFL odds total as have four of the previous six matchups with Pittsburgh.
Last Meeting
Even playing without Chase, Burrow threw four touchdown passes in a 37-30 win on Nov. 20, 2022.
A pair of Evan McPherson field goals were sandwiched around Burrow’s TD pass to Samaje Perine as the Bengals led by 14 points in the fourth quarter before Pittsburgh scored in the final minute.
Cincinnati covered as a 3.5-point favorite on the road with the game going over the 39.5-point total on a touchdown catch by Cincinnati’s Trenton Irwin with 7:02 left in the third quarter.
Steelers vs Bengals Betting Preview
Plenty of eyes will be on quarterbacks Browning and Pickett. However, the ‘x’ factor could be how the teams handle the pass rush because both the Steelers and Bengals have players who can disrupt offensive game plans.
Pittsburgh has won seven of its last nine games in Cincinnati and that includes a 23-20 win in 2022.
Despite the offensive struggles, Pittsburgh is seventh in the NFL in scoring defense and is one of the toughest teams to score against in the fourth quarter of games.
Five of the last eight times that the Bengals welcomed the Steelers to town, the game went under the total. The total is currently set at 35.5 and that is the second-lowest total among the NFL matchups this week.
In a span of a week, the Steelers have gone from being six-point underdogs in the game to being favored with the total dropping from 41 to 35.5 following the injury to Burrow.
Temperatures at the time of the opening kickoff are expected to be in the mid-40s with some rain. Both teams are accustomed to playing in those conditions.
Due to the offensive struggles, seven of Pittsburgh’s last eight games went under the total. Each of the last six games against AFC teams landed under the total.
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