
Two AFC powerhouses looking to make a statement clash in Thursday Night Football when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals.
Our breakdown of Thursday night football bets highlights the best bets for tonight, including spreads, totals, and key player props, to help you navigate this high-stakes prime-time contest.
Best Bets for Steelers vs. Bengals
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals face off on Thursday Night Football in a clash of AFC contenders heading in opposite directions. Pittsburgh has started the season strong behind Aaron Rodgers and a well-rounded roster, while the Bengals are adjusting without Joe Burrow and dealing with offensive line challenges.
For bettors, tonight’s matchup offers multiple angles to explore. From point spreads to totals and player performance, our NFL betting picks highlight where the action may be most profitable, setting the stage for the opening odds.
Thursday Night Odds (Bengals +5.5)
This line opened this summer with the Cincinnati Bengals being favored by 4.5 points. This is when the Bengals were fully healthy and were expected to have one of the best offenses in the league. Conversely, the Pittsburgh Steelers have played much better than expected.
In the off-season, the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was a huge concern as he had not performed well during his time in New York. Rodgers showed that that was a function of the Jets organization and not his play when he stepped into Pittsburgh and began playing at a high level. Now the Steelers are favored by 5.5 points.
Missing QB Joe Burrow also caused this total to plummet. The total was 46.5 when this matchup was announced; it is down to 42.5. This is what happens when a top-heavy team loses one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Thursday Night Picks (Steelers -5.5)
Steelers -5.5
Joe Flacco did well to try to mount a comeback against the Green Bay Packers, but it was not enough, as Flacco was 29 of 45 for 219 yards and two touchdowns in his debut with the Bengals. Still, there was a reason that Joe Flacco was available: he is past his prime and not able to compete with the top teams in the league.
Although Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn’t the MVP-caliber player he once was, he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. That is shown in his command of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense, leading them to a 4-1 record.
Where these two teams are really far apart, however, is in the play of their defense. The Steelers are 15th in the league in points allowed at 21.4, and the Bengals are 30th at 30.5. Opposing teams have been moving the ball against Cincinnati at will. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron Rodgers will look to have a big day against this weak defense.
The Steelers are better at all phases of the game. They have better offense, defense, special teams, and coaching. As much as we like to target underdogs in these prime-time games, the Cincinnati Bengals are overmatched. Take the Pittsburgh Steelers to cover the spread.
For a full slate of NFL picks heading into Thursday and beyond, head to the NFL Picks page.
Expert Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers -5.5 (-110) at BetMGM
Under 42.5 (-110)
When looking at this total, it comes down to how much the Cincinnati Bengals offense can score against the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense. It is fairly easy to assume that the Pittsburgh Steelers will put up points against the Cincinnati Bengals, since everybody puts up points against the Cincinnati Bengals. So, if Cincinnati can find some momentum with their new quarterback, this game will go over.
However, this Pittsburgh Steelers defense will be too much for the Bengals. Although Joe Flacco does know the Steelers’ defense well, the Steelers players are too skilled to allow an older quarterback behind a weak offensive line to be effective against them. The Steelers will shut down the Cincinnati Bengals, and that will force this game to go under.
Expert Pick: Under 42.5 (-110) at BetMGM
Steelers’ DK Metcalf (Anytime Touchdown)
DK Metcalf has been the top target for Aaron Rodgers this season. Right now, DK Metcalf has a 23.3% target share. He has a high air yard share of almost 40% and his red zone target share is 23.1%. This has led to Metcalf finding the end zone in four of the five Steelers games so far this season.
We always want to place our player prop bets on wide receivers against this weak Bengals secondary. Take DK Metcalf to score a touchdown.
Expert Pick: DK Metcalf Anytime Touchdown (+145) at BetMGM
Bengals’ Chase Brown (Under 45.5 Rushing Yards)
After last season’s breakout year, Chase Brown was a darling in fantasy football, but his lack of talent and the lack of offensive line on the Bengals is catching up to him.
This season, Brown is only averaging 33.7 yards per game. Brown has not gone over this number since Week 2, when he rushed for 47 yards against Jacksonville.
Brown had only 42 yards against Green Bay last week and just 27 against Detroit the week before. Brown has gone under this total in four of his last five games, so consider taking the under as our last player prop for this game.
Expert Pick: Chase Brown Under 45.5 Rushing Yards (-115) at BetMGM
Your Game Plan for Thursday Night Football Bets
Thursday’s Steelers vs. Bengals game features a matchup of two teams headed in opposite directions. The Steelers will dominate on all sides of the ball and make a statement against their division rival.
If we had to single out one play for our Thursday night football bets, it would be to bet the Steelers -5.5 on the spread.
Top Recommendations:
- Bet on DK Metcalf to score a touchdown.
- The Bengals’ offense will have problems this week. Look for unders on their offensive player props.
- Pay attention to late adjustments in the total, especially if weather or injury reports emerge.
And don’t forget to download the OddsTrader App (iOS and Android) for mobile access to odds, props, and picks wherever you go.
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