Week 16 in the NFL features a handful of crucial games where both teams’ postseason prospects hang in the balance.
One such contest is at Heinz Field where the Cincinnati Bengals (-148) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (+124). Despite being without Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals are 2½ point favorites with the Total set at 38 at DraftKings.
Sunday is a must-win especially for the hometown Steelers. Mike Tomlin’s streak of never finishing below .500 is in true jeopardy thanks to negative results each of the last three weeks. Their opponent, Cincinnati, has won three straight and currently holds one of the wild card positions in the AFC. Despite their recent run of good form and current playoff position, though, a loss on the road to their AFC North rival may well be crippling.
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As mentioned, Joe Burrow remains sidelined for Cincinnati and so Jake Browning remains in charge of the Bengals’ offense while Mason Rudolph gets the ball for the Steelers. Joe Burrow’s understudy has performed admirably since assuming the reigns in the Queen City. Rudolph on the other hand, has not thrown a pass in an NFL game in a couple seasons.
The boys of Bet the EDGE dove deeper into this matchup earlier this week.
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) is backing the Bengals for a number of reasons including the play of Jake Browning.
“I am prepared to go to war with Browning, but it has more to do with just not believing that the Steelers have any identity right now on offense or defense that they can hang their hat on. Mason Rudolph is a guy that I have a fairly low rating on and when you kind of dissect what happened in that Colts’ game and the stuff with George Pickens, the comments he’s made in response to the criticism he got for his quality of play, all of it swirls that things are a little bit out of control in Pittsburgh right now.”
Watch more: Matthew Berry’s Love/Hate List for Week 16
He didn’t stop there.
“This offense is broken. The offensive line is performing poorly. The rushing attack right now is toothless outside of a couple of bright spots from Warren. I don’t know how Pittsburgh stays in this game…I mean basically everything about what you’re seeing from Pittsburgh looks pretty smoke and mirrors to me so I can see the Bengals continuing to have success.”
Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) tried to prop up the Steelers by looking at the Bengals’ defense, but in the end just could not back Pittsburgh.
“I do think that Cincinnati’s defense is just, there’s just nothing there, particularly as a run defense. DJ Reeder going down is brutal…so I think the Steelers should be able to run the ball…but I would also ultimately just lean Bengals.”
Croucher may lean Bengals pre-flop but in-game he is expecting to back Cincy.
“If the game script gets out of hand for the Steelers and they’re having to throw, and they can’t take advantage of Cincinnati’s run defense then I think this game would be more prone to a 10-point lead turning into a 21-point lead than your average game with this line and total. I think that would be the way that I would attack it - live betting.”
*odds courtesy of DraftKings
