The once undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers will try to avoid dropping in the NFL playoff bracket when they square off against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. The Steelers come in at an impressive 11-2, but have dropped back-to-back games against the Bills and Washington Football Team. On the opposite sideline, the Bengals have struggled to put up points, as the under has cashed in the last four Cincinnati games and seven overall.
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh is a 14-point favorite in the latest Bengals vs. Steelers odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the Over-Under is 40.5. Before making any Steelers vs. Bengals picks, you need to see what SportsLine's resident Steelers expert, R.J. White, has to say.
CBS Sports' fantasy and gambling editor, White has been SportsLine's top pro football analyst for three-plus seasons. Over that span, he has gone 338-281 on against-the-spread picks, returning $2,593 to $100 bettors.
He enters Week 15 on a sizzling 44-30-3 run, including a 9-2 record the last two weeks, returning $1,030. It's no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world's most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest.
In addition White has a keen eye for the Steelers. He has gone an incredible 9-1 on his last 10 against-the-spread picks involving Pittsburgh. Anyone who has followed his NFL picks is way up.
Now, he has locked in on Bengals vs. Steelers and released a confident against-the-spread pick. Go to SportsLine to see it. Here are the NFL lines and trends for Bengals vs. Steelers:
- Bengals vs. Steelers spread: Pittsburgh -14
- Bengals vs. Steelers Over-Under: 40.5 points
- Bengals vs. Steelers money line: Pittsburgh -1100, Cincinnati +700
- PIT: Defense led the league in sacks (45) entering the week
- CIN: WR Tyler Boyd leads team in receptions (78) and receiving yards (840)
Why the Steelers can cover
Pittsburgh will face a Cincinnati team that will be forced to start its third-string quarterback, Ryan Finley. Already without starting quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow, who was lost for the season in Week 11, the Bengals also will be without backup Brandon Allen, who suffered a bone bruise in the Week 14 loss to Dallas.
In steps Finley, a second-year player from NC State who has completed 10-of-19 passes for 75 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in four games this season.
In addition, the Steelers will have the advantage when Cincinnati has the ball. Pittsburgh leads the league in scoring defense, giving up just 18.2 points per game, and is allowing a NFL-low 74.2 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. The Steelers will meet a Bengals team that has averaged just 10.0 points and 251.2 yards per game over the last five games, which are the worst in the league during that time.
Why the Bengals can cover
Cincinnati faces a struggling Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers' quarterback has thrown five interceptions in his last four games after throwing just four in his first nine. Roethlisberger's last game was arguably his worst; he had a season-low 65.9 passer rating and averaged a season-low 5.05 yards per attempt against the Bills.
In addition, the Bengals face a Pittsburgh team that could be battling fatigue. Because of games being moved due to coronavirus issues, the Steelers have played 10 straight weeks without a bye and have dropped two straight after winning their first 11. By contrast, Cincinnati enjoyed its bye in Week 9.
How to make Bengals vs. Steelers picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he's leaning Under the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He's only sharing it here.
Who wins Steelers vs. Bengals on Monday Night Football? And what critical factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Steelers vs. Bengals spread you should jump on, all from the top NFL expert who's a whopping 9-1 on Steelers picks, and find out.
