Steelers vs Bengals Picks, Predictions & Closing Odds

• The Steelers are 5.5-point favorites over the Bengals on Thursday Night Football
• Pittsburgh ranks top-10 in EPA per play on both sides of the ball since Week 3
• See below for my Steelers vs Bengals picks and predictions, plus the closing lines

The Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1, 2-0 away) can take a stranglehold on the AFC North division tonight with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4, 1-1 away) on Thursday Night Football. Online sportsbooks certainly like their chances, pegging Aaron Rodgers and Co. as 5.5-point favorites in the TNF odds.

Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15pm ET from Paycor Stadium, in Cincinnati, OH, and on Amazon Prime Video.

Steelers vs Bengals Picks and Predictions

I’m taking Pittsburgh over 24.5 points as my favorite Steelers vs Bengals pick. In doing so, I’m betting on two things. First, the continued success of this Rodgers led Pittsburgh offense. The Steelers have been one of the most complete teams over the last three weeks, ranking top-10 in expected points added per play on both sides of the ball.

Second, I’m predicting the Cincinnati defense will continue to struggle to get stops. The Bengals are the fourth lowest graded defense per PFF, and are bleeding production to enemy rushing and passing attacks. To make matters worse, Cincy’s best defensive player Trey Hendrickson is a longshot to play tonight. Hendrickson has accounted for 46% of the Bengals sacks since 2024, which is the highest percentage of any player in the league.

Even with Hendrickson in the lineup this is one of the worst defenses in football. Without him, Cincinnati has no shot. Enemy offenses have a 49.6% success rate against the Bengals D this season. The only other teams with a worse mark are the Dolphins and Cowboys. Cincy is 31st in passing yards allowed per game and 28th in rushing yards allowed, paving the way for a ceiling-type performance for Rodgers and Co.

Aaron Rodgers From a Clean Pocket in 2025

Rodgers checks in completing 70% of his passes this season, with a 10-to-3 TD-to-INT rate. He ranks 12th in EPA per drop back from a clean pocket, and with no Bengals pass rush to threaten him, he’ll have plenty of time to find his new favorite target DK Metcalf.

The duo has hooked up for at least 1 TD in four straight games, and Metcalf is a great bet in the NFL player props market to score again.

Looking for more Steelers vs Begnals plays? Check out the following:

• Steelers vs Bengals same-game parlay
• Steelers vs Bengals player prop bets

PIT Steelers vs CIN Bengals Closing Odds for TNF

As always, make sure you check out the best football betting apps before placing a wager on tonight’s game. The best spot to bet over 24.5 points for the Steelers is Bet Rivers at -109 odds.

As for the traditional markets, BetMGM is the place to visit if you’re planning to wager on the spread. They’re offering the lowest juice on both PIT -5.5 and CIN +5.5 at -105. If you like the Bengals to pull of the upset, DraftKings has the best odds at +225, while DK is also the place to bet the under. They’re hanging a 45.5 point total, while the rest of the market is at 44.5.

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Per the NFL public betting trends, the Steelers are 3-0 against the spread in their past three games, and 4-0 ATS versus Cincy since 2023. Each of the Bengals past eight games on short rest have went over the total, while Cincy has allowed at least 27 points in five straight outings.