Bengals at Steelers odds, betting trends, expert picks and predictions

The Cincinnati Bengals seemingly had some momentum with the oddsmakers and experts after Week 1. However, after the loss last week to the Chicago Bears, it seems that the belief there is starting to dissipate. They’ll have a chance to get back on everyone’s good side with a win on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, though.

Odds

The Bengals are currently only three-point underdogs this week, according to Bovada. They opened at 6.5-point underdogs on the road, so the people betting on the game clearly seem to think that Cincinnati won’t lose by more than a touchdown. Ben Roethlisberger’s health may also play into that adjustment as well.

The over/under is also set at 43.5, which seems conservative until you remember that both of these offenses have had their fair share of struggles. Meanwhile, the defenses of both of these teams have been pretty good at slowing down the opposition.

Betting trends

• The total has gone under in six of Cincinnati’s last nine games.
• Cincinnati is 4-10 straight up in their last 14 games.
• Cincinnati is 1-11 straight up in their last 12 games against Pittsburgh.
• Cincinnati is 1-18-1 straight up in their last 20 games on the road.
• Cincinnati is 0-5 straight up in their last five games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh.
• The total has gone over in 12 of Cincinnati’s last 16 games against an opponent in the AFC.
• The total has gone over in six of Cincinnati’s last eight games against an opponent in the AFC North.
• Cincinnati is 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games played in week 3
• Pittsburgh is 3-6 against the spread in their last nine games.
• The total has gone over in four of Pittsburgh’s last six games.
• Pittsburgh is 2-6 straight up in their last eight games.
• The total has gone under in four of Pittsburgh’s last six games against Cincinnati.
• Pittsburgh is 1-4 against the spread in their last five games at home.
• Pittsburgh is 5-0 straight up in their last five games when playing at home against Cincinnati.
• Pittsburgh is 2-5 straight up in their last seven games against an opponent in the AFC.
• The total has gone over in five of Pittsburgh’s last six games against an opponent in the AFC North.
• The total has gone under in five of Pittsburgh’s last seven games played in September.
• Pittsburgh is 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games played in week 3.

Expert picks

• Only one of ESPN’s eight experts are taking the Bengals
• CBS Sports has five of their eight experts taking the road underdog
• There are only two experts at Bleacher Report taking the Bengals
• NFL Pick Watch, which takes into account picks from across the web, only has Cincinnati receiving nods from 16 percent of experts

This seems like a fairly easy pick from an outside perspective. Both of these teams have had their struggles through two weeks, and the tiebreaker in many peoples’ minds is probably the Steelers being the Steelers and the fact the Bengals will be on the road.

At this point it is hard to blame that line of thinking as a Bengals fan. Cincinnati has had serious issues on the road under Zac Taylor as head coach. This team has also only beaten the Steelers once out of the past 12 times they have met. It will be up to the Bengals to change that notion and trend by pulling off the upset this weekend.