Bengals vs. Steelers Odds, Betting Picks and Predictions for Week 3
Bengals vs. Steelers Odds
| Bengals Odds | +3 |
| Steelers Odds | -3 |
| Over/Under | 43 |
| Date | Sunday, Sept. 26* |
| Time | 1:00 p.m. |
| TV | CBS |
The Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will duel in Week 3 of the young NFL season on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field. Oddsmakers are expecting a tightly-contested affair between these two division rivals, pricing Pittsburgh as only a field goal favorite on the spread.
Let’s take a deeper look at the matchup to see where bettors can find value at sportsbooks in this contest.
Cincinnati Bengals +3 (-105)
Prior to a three interception performance in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears, Joe Burrow had not thrown a pick in four consecutive games. Even having his worst performance in recent memory, Burrow kept the Bengals competitive until the final drive of the game. Considering that he was sacked five times, Burrow performed admirably. Burrow’s primary weapons, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both caught a touchdown as they both continue to look better and better each week. Higgins has dealt with an injury all week at practice, putting his availability in question for this weekend against Pittsburgh, but the Bengals have the wide receiver depth to absorb his absence if he ends up on the sidelines in Week 3. Offensive Lineman Xavier Su’a-Filo is also dealing with an injury that has kept him out of practice for the majority of the week. However, if Su’a-Filo is unable to go, the Bengals offensive line might only get better, considering how poorly he has played in the first two games of the year.
Even if Cincinnati is down a man or two on offense, they have a defense that is capable of keeping them in most games. Against Chicago, their run defense was outstanding, holding the Bears to only 3.6 yards-per-carry. The secondary also played well, making both Justin Fields and Andy Dalton uncomfortable for the majority of the afternoon. Logan Wilson was a standout at the linebacker position with six tackles and an interception. It is worth noting that Cornerback Darius Phillips and Defensive Tackle Josh Tupou were dealing with injuries early in the week, but are trending towards suiting up on Sunday after full practice participation on Thursday. Expect a solid outing from this group on Sunday against a weak Pittsburgh offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers -3 (-115)
Ben Roethlisberger is reportedly dealing with a pectoral injury heading into this weekend’s action. Through the first two weeks of the season, he has totaled only 483 yards and two touchdowns. Watching Roethlisberger play, there are serious arguments to be made that he is the worst starting quarterback in the NFL right now, excluding backups who are filling-in for injured starters in Indianapolis and Houston. In Roethlisberger’s last six regular season games, he has only two wins and is averaging an unimpressive 247.7 passing yards per game. In that span, he has thrown for only 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Only once in those six contests has he produced a quarterback rating above 87.0. It does not help that Pittsburgh has arguably the worst offensive line in football, which has unquestionably hindered “(player-popup #najee-harris)Najee Harris”:/players/najee-harris-2861602’ ability to make an impact in the rushing game. If this team cannot throw the ball, and the offensive line cannot create space for Harris to run the ball, it is truly a mystery how this group expects to put up points on a weekly basis. If not for a defensive touchdown in Week 1, Pittsburgh would be at risk of scoring less than 20 points in three consecutive games to open the season for the first time in the Roethlisberg era.
Fortunately for Steelers fans, they have a defense that will keep them competitive in most games—at least when they are at full strength. That might not be the case on Sunday, considering that Joe Haden, T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Carlos Davis, and Devin Busy are all dealing with injuries. Haden and Busy are trending towards suiting up this weekend, but may not be 100 percent. Watt, Highsmith, and Davis are legitimately questionable and trending towards being inactive. Cameron Heyward will likely keep the defensive line competitive on Sunday, even if Watt does not end up playing. Still, Minkah Fitzpatrick has been abysmal through two weeks, leaving Pittsburgh without a truly elite talent in the secondary. Burrow and the Bengals’ offense could exploit the Steelers through the air in this one if Pittsburgh does not see improved performance out of some of their cornerstone defensive pieces.
Bengals vs. Steelers Picks
Cincinnati opened this game as a seven-point underdog, but as we approach game day, Pittsburgh is only a field goal favorite. The total on this game opened at 47, but the consensus line is now down to 43. Both of these line movements are justified and are the result of being grossly mispriced to begin the week. As we continue to reiterate in these game previews, the most profitable way to bet on the NFL is to place wagers early in the week before value gets erased by sharp money.
If you missed out on getting the Bengals at (+7) or the under at 47 points, you can create a same-game teaser to buy these points back, which is not a bad option, but not allowed by all sportsbooks. If looking for a more traditional play, Cincinnati has a realistic opportunity to win this game outright, especially with the pile of injuries in the Pittsburgh locker room. Burrow and the Bengals at (+3) is still a viable bet.
PICK: Bengals +3 (-105)
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