Bengals vs Steelers NFL Week 3 Picks & Betting Predictions

There may be trouble in the air in Pittsburgh following the defeat in their home opener. Ben Roethlisberger didn’t seem happy with the coaching decision to not go for it on a crucial fourth down. The Bengals also come off a loss, albeit a road loss in Chicago. The good news for both teams is the entire division is 1-1 so far on this early season.

After escaping Week 1 with a road win in Buffalo, the Steelers struggled mightily behind a suspect offensive line, a major cause for their home loss to the Raiders. T.J. Watt went down and is expected to play through injury this week, but the offense is the one truly under the microscope, as it sputtered away key drives late in last week’s game.

The Bengals looked barely good enough in Week 1’s OT victory over the Vikings, but their offense fell apart in Chicago. Tee Higgins is a key player on offense who missed practice with a shoulder injury.

RELATED: NFL Week 3 Odds & Betting Lines For All Games

Most sportsbooks have a consistent 3-point spread with the Steelers laying points at home. We know NFL betting attributes home-field advantage as 3 points in the NFL spreads so this game is pretty much even. The total for this game is just over the key number 43, sitting at 43.5. Pittsburgh is laying -165 on the ML, and the Bengals are paying around +150 as a road dog.

Take a look at Steelers vs Bengals odds, injury report, betting lines and more.

Bengals vs. Steelers Key Matchups

Big Ben vs. Time: There is no indication at this time Roethlisberger will miss this game on Sunday, but he did miss practice this week with a pectoral injury. He’s 39 and has one of the worst OLs in the league blocking for him.

Bengals Front 7 vs. Steelers Non-Existent OL: This is a recurring theme only because the Steelers OL is truly this bad. They can’t seem to help rookie Najee Harris find any room to run, and remain a liability to their QB’s health in the passing game. The Bengals can end this game in the trenches.

Joe Burrow vs. Steelers Secondary: Even without Higgins, Burrow has the arm and talent around him to torch a lot of defenses. He got a little too aggressive in Chicago last week, but this is not an easy matchup unless Pittsburgh applies serious pressure.

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Bengals vs. Steelers Key Stats

24-8: This is Big Ben’s career record against the Cincinnati Bengals. While W-L isn’t a QB stat, it’s certainly a trend worth taking into account when making any NFL picks against the spread.

2: A low number for passing TDs for any QB through two weeks, but this is where Roethlisberger sits heading into this game. Opposing QBs have only accounted for three passing TDs against Pittsburgh’s defense.

10: The total targets – team high – for Tee Higgins last week. While Higgins' status is in jeopardy this week, he showed no signs of any injury securing 60 yards and a score against the Bears.

4: Joe Mixon has 4 10+ yard runs so far this year and could be poised to break a couple against Pittsburgh. Mixon is averaging just under 100 yards per game.

22.1: The average yards per reception for Ja’Marr Chase – who leads the team in receiving yards but is third in receptions. If Higgins is out, Chase might explode.

RELATED: NFL Week 3 Picks & Best Bets To Make

Bengals vs. Steelers Player Props To Consider

Joe Burrow, Over 1.5 TDs

Odds: -110 at DraftKings

Burrow is going to have to throw, either to establish the lead or down in the game.

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Ja’Marr Chase, Over 23.5 Rec Yds

Odds: -110 at DraftKings

Chase is the best player on the field to have a big play down field. Volume alone would dictate the over.

Ja’Marr Chase vs. Claypool Head-To-Head

Odds: +100 at PointsBet

Chase will be relied upon in the passing game more so than Claypool, who is still too volatile to bet.

Bengals vs. Steelers Moneyline

The Steelers may have to rely on home field and a Burrow turnover to secure this, while the Bengals have the edge of health at the QB position. We try and use any movement at betting sites for an edge in such a close game. I don’t think home field is enough and am concerned about Roethlisberger’s health. Cincy +155 at DraftKings isn’t the best return to win on the road but based on injury alone I’ll take it.

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Bengals vs. Steelers Point Spread

The Bengals should be able to move the ball if they follow the Raiders blueprint from last week. But Cincy gives up yardage on the ground, it’s just going up against an inept OL. Pittsburgh does have a talented rookie in Harris, but without any holes, the running game might dry up rather quick. The Steelers offense didn’t look sharp in their lone win, as they got plenty of help from their D/ST. Bet the Bengals +3 (-105) at BetMGM .

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Bengals vs. Steelers Totals

The Steelers seem to score points when taking on foes within the AFC North. The over has hit in five of the last 6 games for the Steelers. They seem to have a knack for scoring even if their offense struggles. The Bengals might lure the Steelers in a shootout, taking advantage of injuries to Roethlisberger and Dionte Johnson. It’s a key number at 43.5 on betting apps, but I like it hitting another key number in 45. Go Over 43.5 (-110) at FanDuel .

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