The Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. ET. Here’s our complete guide to Steelers Bengals Bet Tips. Odds and lines for Steelers-Bengals picks are from PointsBet, current as of Wednesday at 5:40 p.m. ET.
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-10-1)
Steelers Bengals Bet Tips
Odds & Betting Lines for Steelers-Bengals Picks
- Against The Spread: Steelers -13 (+100)/Bengals +13 (-121)
- Moneyline: Steelers (-741)/Bengals (+520)
- Total: 40.5 — Over 40.5 (-110)/Under 40.5 (-110)
- Implied Team Totals: Steelers 26.75, Bengals 13.75
The Steelers are on a two-game slide but have a get-right matchup on Monday night against the Bengals. While the Bengals have nothing to play for but spoiler, the Steelers are trying to remain in control of the AFC North with the Browns breathing down their necks. The Steelers are 8-2 in their past 10 games, but losers of each of their past two while the Bengals have dropped five in a row.
Steelers-Bengals Key Injuries
Steelers
Steelers CB Joe Haden was sidelined for Week 14’s loss to the Bills with a concussion, but per reports, he is expected to return on Monday night against the Bengals.
On the offensive side of the ball, James Conner is already back on the injury report with a quad issue likely suffered in last week’s loss to Buffalo. It was the oft-injured rusher’s first game since Week 11 as Conner missed two contests while on the reserve/ COVID list.
However, despite his return, Conner was a non-factor, rushing for 18 yards on 10 carries. If Conner is out or limited, expect Benny Snell to resume the primary running back duties for Pittsburgh.
Bengals
While Bengals QB Brandon Allen is dealing with a leg injury, there are no reports suggesting he is in danger of sitting out of Monday night’s matchup with the Steelers. Allen was on the injury report with a chest injury ahead of last week’s loss to Dallas but ended up playing with no issues.
Allen has fewer than 217 yards and a touchdown in each of his first three starts for the Bengals. He will most certainly be smothered by an angry Steelers defense in primetime.
Steelers-Bengals Players to Watch
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson has emerged as Pittsburgh’s big-play receiver amidst a talented corps of pass-catchers that include Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, and Eric Ebron.
While Johnson is coming off a quiet outing in last Sunday’s loss to the Bills — Johnson only went for a 4/40/0 line on seven targets — he’s been terrific more times than not in 2020.
Johnson has 10+ targets in 8-of-12 games this season, including in five of his past six. He’s also gone for 100+ yards or a touchdown in four of his past eight games and in three of his past five.
The Steelers are in a must-win spot with an inferior opponent ahead. They will dominate this game and Johnson should be a big part of it. The Bengals are allowing the 11th-most passing yards per game (250.6) in 2020.
Johnson has scored in two of three career games against the Bengals, including hanging a 6/116/1 line on them back in Week 10.
It took a while, but Bengals WR A.J. Green finally made an impact this season in his past month of play. While he has had a handful of solid games yardage-wise in 2020, Green did not score his first touchdowns until Week 11.
In two of his past four games, Green managed 7+ targets, 4+ receptions, 41+ yards, and a score. Last week, he put up a 6/62/1 line on seven targets against the Cowboys. It was Green’s most-complete outing of the year.
Green will attempt to build momentum with three games left to play, striving to end 2020 on a positive note while looking ahead to a potential bounce-back in 2021. It won’t be easy for Green, however.
Not only is Green working with a backup quarterback in Brandon Allen, but he is also getting a Steelers defense allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game (202.2).
Back in Week 10 against the Steelers, Green failed to corral any of his five targets. Green has not scored versus the Steelers since 2017, though he’s only played in two games against them since that outing, including his aforementioned 2020 meeting.
Steelers Bengals Weather Report
The weather at Paul Brown Stadium calls for clear nightly skies at the time of kickoff with a 0% chance of precipitation.
The temperature is set at 45 degrees Fahrenheit with 10 mph winds blowing Southwest.
Steelers-Bengals Picks & Best Bet
BEST BET: Under 40.5 (-110)
Joe Burrow’s Bengals were a lot more threatening points-wise. The same can not be said with Brandon Allen. Duh.
The Bengals have scored fewer than 17 points in each of their past five games, all losses. They have scored fewer than 10 points four times in that period, including in each of their past three sans Burrow.
The Under is 4-0-1 in the Bengals’ past five games, hitting in four straight following their Week 10 push with the Steelers.
The Steelers employ one of the league’s strongest defenses. They are surrendering the third-fewest total yards (303.1), the second-fewest passing yards per game (202.2), the sixth-fewest rushing yards per game (100.9), and the fewest points allowed per game (18.2).
The Allen-led Bengals attack won’t get much on Monday night.
The Under is 5-0-1 in the Steelers’ past six games, hitting in four straight following their Week 10 push with the Bengals.
The Under is 4-0-1 in the past five meetings between the Steelers and Bengals, pushing back in Week 10.
CONSIDER: Steelers -13 (+100)
The Steelers are giving a ton of points. And while normally, I will try to shy away from a 13-point spread, this is one that Pittsburgh should cover.
Coming off back-to-back losses, the Steelers are angry. Now, they will get a team they normally dominate, winning each of their past 10 games outright.
The Steelers are 7-2-1 against the spread in their past 10 games with the Bengals, covering in three straight.
The Steelers are 6-4 ATS in their past 10 games overall, failing to cover in each of their past three.
The Bengals are 1-4 ATS in their past five games, failing to cover in two straight.
The Steelers have defeated the Bengals by 13+ points in two of their past three meetings, including their Week 10 matchup from earlier in the year.
PASS: Bengals (+520)
Although the Steelers have dropped two straight games, I am not giving the Bengals a shot to pull off the upset. Perhaps if Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon were playing, my mind would change, but that is far from the case.
The Steelers are 10-0 straight up against the Bengals in their past 10 games.
Anthony Cervino is 48-40-1 on his NFL Best Bets in 2020.
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