Lutz’s Locks For Week 4 Of The NFL

Bengals vs Steelers Prediction & NFL Odds For Week 18

ByUSA Wager

The over/under line is set at 48.5 points as the Bengals and Steelers face off on Saturday, January 4th at 8:00 ET on ABC. The Bengals are the road favorite with a money line of -125. The Steelers’ money line odds are +105, and the point spread favors the Bengals by -1.5 points. This week 18 matchup is crucial for both teams as they look to improve their playoff chances.

Prediction at a Glance for Steelers vs Bengals

  • We have the Steelers winning this one by a score of 29 to 24
  • Not only do we have the Steelers winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +1.5
  • Look for this game to go over the line of 48.5 points

Betting Odds & Lines for this Game

  • Spread: Bengals -1.5 | Steelers +1.5
  • Total: 48.5
  • MoneyLine: Bengals -125 | Steelers +105

All Odds are courtesy of (BetMGM | DraftKings | Fanduel | BetRivers)

Bengals vs. Steelers Prediction: MoneyLine

Joe Burrow has been on fire for the Bengals, throwing for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns in week 17 against the Broncos, following a 252-yard, 3-touchdown performance in week 16 and a 271-yard, 3-touchdown game in week 15. Tee Higgins had a big game in week 17, with 11 catches for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Ja’Marr Chase led the team in receiving in weeks 15 and 16. Chase Brown rushed for 67 yards on 20 carries in week 17, after gaining 91 yards in week 16 and 97 yards in week 15.

Heading into week 18, the Bengals rank 5th in our offensive power rankings. They lead the NFL in passing yards per game (274.6) and are 2nd in passing attempts per game. On the ground, they rank 29th in rushing yards per game and 25th in rushing attempts per game. Cincinnati is 6th in the league in points per game, averaging 28.3, and they rank 4th in 3rd-down conversion percentage.

Russell Wilson has seen his passer rating decline over the past three games, dropping from 94 in week 15 to 92 in week 16, and then to 65 in week 17 against the Chiefs, where he threw for 205 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Pittsburgh’s offensive line struggled in that game, allowing five sacks. The Steelers have also had issues with slow starts, failing to score in the first quarter in weeks 16 and 17.

Najee Harris led the rushing attack in week 17 with 74 yards on 13 carries, while Pat Freiermuth had 7 receptions for 60 yards. Calvin Austin III had been the leading receiver in the previous two games, with 65 yards in each. Pittsburgh ranks 14th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 22.7, and they are 16th in yards per game with 327.3.

  • Free MoneyLine Prediction Steelers +105 (Bet Now)

Bengals vs. Steelers Prediction: Total

In their 30-24 overtime win over the Broncos, the Bengals’ defense gave up 206 passing yards and allowed three passing touchdowns. The Broncos completed 77.4% of their passes, but Cincinnati did manage to force one interception. The Bengals struggled to stop the run, giving up 123 yards on 27 attempts. On 3rd down, the Bengals allowed the Broncos to convert 33.3% of their chances.

Cincinnati’s defense recorded two sacks in the game and allowed Denver to accumulate 329 total yards. Despite their struggles against the run, the Bengals were able to come out on top in this one.

In their 29-10 loss to the Chiefs, the Steelers’ defense struggled to generate pressure, as they failed to record a sack and came up with zero quarterback hits. Despite holding the Chiefs to 69 yards rushing on 20 attempts, Pittsburgh allowed 320 yards through the air, with Kansas City averaging 8.4 yards per pass attempt. The Steelers also gave up three passing touchdowns and allowed the Chiefs to complete 76.3% of their passes.

On third downs, the Steelers allowed the Chiefs to convert 30% of their chances. Pittsburgh’s defense also allowed 389 total yards in the game. The Steelers didn’t help themselves in the pass rush, losing the tackles for loss differential and the quarterback hit battle.

  • Free Total Prediction OVER 48.5 (Bet Now)

Bengals vs. Steelers Prediction: Spread

With four straight wins, the Bengals have evened their record at 8-8, putting them 13th in our power rankings and giving them a 10.1% chance of making the playoffs. After a week 13 loss to the Steelers, Cincinnati has bounced back with wins over the Cowboys, Titans, Browns, and Broncos. In week 17, they covered the spread by 6 points, beating Denver 30-24 as 3-point favorites.

Cincinnati is 10-6 against the spread this season, including 4 straight covers. They have an average scoring margin of +2.2 points per game. Their O/U record is 11-5, with their games averaging 54.4 points compared to an average line of 46.8.

  • Spanning across their last three games, Cincinnati have gone 3-0. In addition, their ATS record over this stretch is 3-0 while posting a 2-1 over-under mark.
  • Cincinnati has played well in their previous 5 road games, going 3-2 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 29 points per game while allowing 26. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.

Despite their three-game losing streak, the Steelers have a 100% chance of making the playoffs, according to our projections. After a week 14 win over the Browns, Pittsburgh has dropped three straight, including a 29-10 loss to the Chiefs in week 17. The Steelers were 1.5-point underdogs at home but couldn’t cover the spread, bringing their record to 10-6. They are 5-2 at home and 5-4 on the road this season.

Heading into week 18, the Steelers are 14th in our NFL power rankings and have a 5.8% chance of winning the AFC North. They are 3-2 in division games and 7-4 in conference play, which puts them 2nd in the AFC North and 5th in the conference standings. Pittsburgh is 10-6 against the spread and has an average scoring margin of +2.2 points per game.

  • The Steelers have posted a 2-1 record in their previous three games. In addition, their ATS record over this stretch is 2-1 while posting a 0-3 over-under mark.
  • Across the Steelers last five home games, the team averaged 24 points per game while allowing 30. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 2-3, while going 2-3 straight-up.
  • Free Spread Prediction Steelers +1.5 (Bet Now)

Bengals vs. Steelers Pick: Steelers Moneyline (+105)

For this week 18 matchup between the Bengals and Steelers, we have the Steelers coming out on top by a score of 28-22. Even though the Bengals are the favorites at -1.5, we like the Steelers to pull off the upset and cover the spread as home underdogs.

As for an over/under pick, with the line sitting at 48.5 points, we like the over, projecting a combined score of 50 points. This makes the over a great pick for this AFC North matchup.

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