Thursday Night Football features a battle of 40-year-old quarterbacks as Aaron Rodgers (41-years old) and the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Cincinnati to face Joe Flacco (40-year-old) and the Bengals.
The Bengals started 2-0 with Joe Burrow as the starting QB, but their season was derailed when Burrow went down with a turf toe injury in Week 2. After losing three straight games with Jake Browning under center, Cincinnati traded for Flacco (from CLE), with the veteran immediately named the new starter. Flacco lost his first start as a Bengal against the Packers this past Sunday and so Cincinnati takes the field on a four-game losing streak since Burrow got injured. The Steelers acquired their “AARP under center” candidate this past offseason, signing Aaron Rodgers to a one-year deal. The veteran and Pittsburgh have gotten off to a solid start sitting at 4-1 entering Week 7, their best start through five games since 2020 (started 11-0), which is the last time the Steelers won the division title. Pittsburgh is the only team in the AFC North with a winning record and could extend their lead atop the division with a win over the Bengals on Thursday night.
Fun Fact: Pittsburgh has lost five of its last six games on Thursday Night Football.
Fun Fact #2: Both Rodgers and Flacco became starting QBs in the 2008 season.
Fun Fact #3: Aaron Rodgers is 3-0 against Joe Flacco in his career.
Lets take a deeper dive into Thursday Night Football for Week 7.
NBC Sports has all the latest info and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, odds from DraftKings, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts.
Game Details and How to watch the Steelers at Bengals live Thursday
- Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
- Time: 8:15PM EST
- Site: Paycor Stadium
- City: Cincinnati, OH
- Network/Streaming: Amazone Prime Video
Want to check out the other games on the NFL schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action!
Game odds for the Steelers at the Bengals
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Pittsburgh Steelers (-270), Cincinnati Bengals (+220)
- Spread: Steelers -5.5
- Total: 43.5 points
This game opened at Steelers -4.0 with the Game Total set at 42.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NFL schedule!
Quarterback Matchup for Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
- Cincinnati Starting QB: Joe Flacco
Last Game: 10/12 at Green Bay – 29-45, 219yds, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, Sacked 1 time
Season: 5GP, 122-205, 1,034yds, 4 TDs, 6 INTs, Sacked 10 times, 6 carries for 13yds - Pittsburgh Starting QB: Aaron Rodgers
Last Game: 10/12 vs. Cleveland – 21-30, 235yds, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, Was not Sacked, 1 carry for 1yd.
Season: 5GP, 95-138, 1,021yds, 10 TDs, 3 INTs, Sacked 9 times, 10 carries for 12yds
Steelers at Bengals team stats, betting trends
- The Bengals have won 4 of their last 5 home games against AFC teams
- The Steelers have covered the spread in 9 of their last 11 games against teams with losing records
- The Under is 4-1 in the Steelers’ last 5 games against AFC North teams
- The Steelers are 3-2 ATS this season
Game Totals involving the Steelers are 3-2 to the OVER this season - The Bengals are 2-4 ATS this season
Game Totals involving the Bengals are 4-2 to the OVER this season - Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco are 2 of 4 Over-40 active players in the NFL this season
Steelers Player Injuries
- CB Darius Slay (shoulder) is questionable for Thursday’s game
- WR Calvin Austin III (shoulder) is questionable for Thursday’s game
- S Miles Killebrew (knee) is doubtful for Thursday’s game
Bengals Player Injuries
- DE Trey Hendrickson (hip) is questionable for Thursday’s game
- WR Charlie Jones (ribs) is questionable for Thursday’s game
- TE Tanner Hudson (concussion) is questionable for Thursday’s game
- TE Mike Gesicki (pectoral) has been declared OUT for Thursday’s game
- G Lucas Patrick (calf) has been declared OUT for Thursday’s game
Rotoworld Bet Best Bets
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Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports): Bengals +5.5 and ML (+220)
Pittsburgh’s four wins this year are against Justin Fields, Drake Maye, Carson Wentz, and Dillon Gabriel, essentially three backups when the year is over, so the defensive numbers are bit inflated (lost to Sam Darnold). While Joe Flacco isn’t much better, if at all, then the names previously mentioned, he’s played Pittsburgh plenty and relishes this rivalry.
After four straight losses, I think the Bengals get a win and snap the Steelers three-game winning streak, not to mention Mike Tomlin has never won a TNF road game. I played Cincy +5.5 and the ML at +215 odds.
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NFL calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, stadium information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Best bets our model is projecting for this week’s game between the Steelers and the Bengals:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Bengals on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Bengals at +5.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 43.5.
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● Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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● Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
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