The Bengals (8-6) vs. Steelers (7-7) rivalry has spanned many chapters, many years and many personal foul and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Despite Pittsburgh being the better squad for most of it (boasting a 69-39 head-to-head record), the Steelers are reeling and opened as 2-point underdogs at home for this Saturday’s game. The OVER/UNDER was set at 37, suggesting that oddsmakers anticipate a slow-paced game with lots of rushing and field-position football.
We are miles away from just a month ago in Week 12, when the Steelers journeyed to Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati and beat the Bengals 16-10. Those were heady times for Pittsburgh. They had a 7-4 record with home games against the low-performing Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots on tap. Unfortunately for them, they lost both of those games and then lost 30-13 on the road to the Indianapolis Colts last week, dropping the Steelers back to a .500 record.
The landscape for the Bengals has changed significantly in the past month, too, trending in the opposite direction of the Steelers freefall. After QB Jake Browning’s up and down first NFL start in Week 12, Cincinnati has rattled off consecutive wins over Jacksonville, Indianapolis and Minnesota and moved from 5-6 hanging on by a thread to 8-6 and right in the thick of it.
Let’s take a look at Bengals and Steelers betting news and what to keep in mind when making your Week 16 ATS and prop bets.
Betting odds for Bengals vs. Steelers: Point spread, moneyline, total for NFL Week 16 Saturday
Here are the latest NFL betting odds for Bengals vs. Steelers:
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Bengals betting news: OVER/UNDER has been a more consistent wagering line than ATS
The Bengals are 6-6-2 ATS in 2023, but we can call it 2-0-1 in their last three if we’re trying to get hype for mini-trends. It makes sense to view the trend of these last three games as something that is likely to continue if we just look at the offensive side of the ball.
Jake Browning has gone from someone largely criticized after his debut to the architect of a three-game winning streak against teams in the playoff picture. The Bengals have tallied 34, 34 and 27 points in their last three, and the offense looks way better than Pittsburgh’s. Concerns about WR Ja’Marr Chase’s shoulder injury aside, the Bengals offense is playing well enough to make you think they can keep their cover streak alive this week.
The defensive side of the ball is the complicating factor for Bengals betting this week and beyond. Cincinnati’s 27-24 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings came at a steep price, as they lost standout defensive tackle DJ Reader for the year to a quad injury, as well as rookie CB DJ Ivey to an ACL injury. Week 16 will provide an idea of just how much the Bengals defense will miss these two, but the impact is going to be significant.
The Bengals have hit the over in five of their last six games. The offense is clicking, and their substantial defensive losses are going to result in more points being scored against them. The OVER may present opportunities for those who plan to bet Bengals vs. Steelers Week 16 matchup.
Steelers betting news: Pittsburgh hopes QB change brings some life to struggling offense
Head coach Mike Tomlin might have though naming Mason Rudolph the starter for Week 16 right before the holidays might unlock some seasonal luck. Or he might have made the QB change because he realized Mitch Trubisky is incapable of passing for more than 200 yards in a game and his 5.9 YPC 4 TD/ 5 INT statline is looking worse than Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree.
Either way, the Steelers have their work cut out for them. They must have thought they’d win at least two games during their Cardinals-Patriots-Colts stretch but emerged with zero. The offense is still scuffling hard after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada, and they haven’t crested 20 points in a game since their 23-19 home win over Green Bay in Week 10.
Pittsburgh only amassed 216 total yards on offense last week in Indianapolis. Unless Rudolph pulls some "A Claymation Christmas Special"-level heroics under center vs. the Bengals, Pittsburgh’s fast fade from postseason contention will continue.
Bengals vs. Steelers props
Two props for the Bengals vs. Steelers Week 16 game worth considering are:
- Tee Higgins OVER receptions
Look for Tee Higgins’ production to continue to be high, mirroring 2021-22 levels the rest of the season. Ja’Marr Chase’s injury status as well as Higgins seeking to make up for the time he lost to a nagging hamstring injury earlier this year and his desire to put up huge numbers before hitting the free agent market this offseason are two factors that will contribute to Higgins racking it up on Saturday.
- George Pickens UNDER yards longest reception
The Steelers QBs have been atrocious and unable to move the ball down the field in big plays (or at all, really), and it’s unlikely that their offensive game plan this week is to air it out with Mason Rudolph. Look for him to work underneath and avoid making throws he’s unsure of, i.e., the kind that travels more than 20 yards.
Bengals vs. Steelers prediction
It’s hard to say exactly what “it” is, but the Steelers don’t have it. This three-game losing streak included back-to-back home losses to 2-win teams. Their freefall out of playoff contention continues on Saturday, and the Bengals could cruise.
Pick: Cincinnati