Odds: Bengals Open as Favorites against Steelers
The Cincinnati Bengals open as 2.5-point favorites against the Pittsburgh Steelers for Sunday’s matchup at Paycor Stadium, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under point total is currently set at 47 points.
The Steelers are 8-3 against the spread this season and 4-0 as underdogs. The Steelers (8-3) are coming off a 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, while the Bengals (4-7) were on their bye in Week 12.
Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt is feeling confident about Cincinnati’s Week 13 matchup against the Steelers. So much so that he even guaranteed a win.
“We will win next week,” Pratt tweeted. “Believe that. Work to win.”
The Bengals are 4-7 and fighting for their playoff lives, so if Cincinnati is going to turn its season around — it has to start on Sunday against the Steelers.
Frustration is mounting in Cincinnati. Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase called out Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor following the team’s Week 11 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Ask Zac,” he said when asked about finishing games, which has been a problem for the Bengals this season. “Ask the coaches. That’s not my job. I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us.”
Taylor took no offense to Chase’s remarks.
“He’s emotional, and when you got a guy that works as hard as he does, leaves it all on the field, I do think things – I don’t want to say ‘misconstrued’ – but can look differently than what they really are,” Taylor said.
“He’s a guy that is one of the most genuine players I’ve ever been around and honest, insightful, puts it all out there for us,” Taylor continued. “I don’t have problems with guys that work as hard as they do, speaking with emotion after the game, speaking with passion.”
Chase leads the league in receiving yards with 1,056 and quarterback Joe Burrow has had an exceptional year. He has completed 67.2% of his passes for 3,028 yards with 27 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a quarterback rating 106.9.
There have been two instances in NFL history where a QB had: 30+ completions, 300+ passing yards, 4+ TD passes, multiple 40+ yard TD passes and no more than 1 INT … and yet still lost. Those two instances were Burrow against the Baltimore Ravens this season.
The Bengals defense has been horrendous this season, but it’s still hard to figure out how the Bengals are 4-7. They are a better team than what their record indicates. It should be another tough AFC North battle for the Black and Gold.
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