Steelers at Bengals: Top 3 Wagers for AFC North Matchup

The AFC North is the site of crucial divisional matchups in Week 12. Every team is over .500, but NFL betting lines are showing some clear favorites. The Steelers at Bengals will provide some intriguing wagers.

Pittsburgh needs a win to tie the head-to-head series with the Bengals. And Cincinnati wants another win to break away from the pack in the AFC North. So let’s take a deeper look at this critical game and find the best wagers.

Pittsburgh Steelers

After reeling off four straight wins, the Steelers played to a tie with Detroit and lost to the Chargers. Last week’s game exposed a run defense problem for Pittsburgh. They gave up over six yards per rush to Los Angeles without T.J. Watt to plug holes.

Justin Herbert also threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns. So the Steelers defense needs a much more considerable effort this week.

The good news is that Ben Rothlisberger had a good day as well. Big Ben threw three TDs in a high-scoring game, but when you give up 41 points, it’s hard to expect a win. He got sacked three times, with the last coming near the end of the game that shut down a possible drive to win.

Najee Harris has given Pittsburgh a boost to their running game, but the Bengals’ defense ranks 5th against the run and 15th overall.

Cincinnati Bengals

In Las Vegas last week, Cincinnati leaned heavily on Joe Mixon, who rumbled for 123 yards in a win for the Bengals. Joe Burrow only needed 148 yards of passing to finish off the Raiders.

Joe Mixon played a significant role in the last matchup with Pittsburgh. He had 90 yards on the day, so I expect him to run a lot.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a defensive front that keeps quarterbacks on edge. They are 11th in sacks with 25. That pressure helps the secondary out, and as such, the Bengals are tied for 13th in interceptions with eight.

Steelers at Bengals (-4.5)

At first glance, the 4.5 spread looks a little large for the Cincinnati Bengals. But at 6-4 and playing at home, the Bengals have the advantage. Mixon will play another significant role in ball possession.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense will struggle to slow down Cincinnati, and I believe the Bengals will make Ben Rothlisberger uncomfortable in the pocket all game.

The Steelers turned around their season earlier, but I think the run has come to an end. So I’m taking the Bengals’ defense and running game to cover 4.5 points in Week 12.

Best Wagers

Despite the better defense, I’m not sure the Bengals can keep Pittsburgh under 20 points. So for that reason, I like the over at 45 points.

For me, an excellent alternative bet is with the Bengals money line and each team scoring more than 20 points.

Divisional Grudge Match

The Steelers at Bengals matchup always seems to make for intriguing football. But for the first time in a while, the Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to own the AFC North. Getting past the Steelers a second time won’t be easy, but I think their time has come.

Who do you like for this divisional grudge match? Sign up for an account with BetMGM’s Pennsylvania sports betting site today to place your bets on this game and all of this season’s NFL action.