Monday Night Football
Steelers (9-2) @ Bengals (5-6)— Steelers outrushed Cincy 153-71, were +2 in turnovers in 29-14 (-5.5) Week 7 win; Pitt won last five series games and 8 of last 9- they won last four games here, last two by total of six points. Pittsburgh won its last six games (4-2 vs spread); they’re 5-1 on road, allowing 13.5 ppg in last four road games. Bengals are 5-3 in last eight games, covering last three; they won last three home tilts, after losing home games to Ravens/Texans to start season. Cincy is +3 in turnovers in last four games, after being -10 in first seven. Favorites are 5-2 vs spread in AFC North divisional games this season. Under is 8-3 in Steeler games, 2-4 in Bengals’ last six games. Three of last four Steeler wins were by five or less points.
MNF - Steelers at Bengals
December 3, 2017
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
LAST WEEK
The Steelers (9-2 SU, 6-5 ATS) were expected to cruise against the banged-up Packers, but Pittsburgh squeezed out a 31-28 victory as 14-point favorites at Heinz Field. Chris Boswell drilled a 53-yard field goal with no time remaining to break a 28-28 tie, as the Steelers racked up 462 yards of offense to pick up their sixth consecutive victory since a 21-point home loss to Jacksonville in Week 5.
Ben Roethlisberger tossed four touchdown passes to go along with 351 yards for Pittsburgh, including two of those scores to Antonio Brown, who hauled in 169 yards on 10 catches. Pittsburgh’s defense allowed four touchdowns for the first time this season, but the Steelers fell to 0-3 ATS this season when listed as a double-digit favorite.
The Bengals (5-6 SU, 6-5 ATS) continue to hang around the AFC Wild Card race after picking up their second straight win last Sunday. Cincinnati took care of Cleveland, 30-16 to cash as 7 ½-point home favorites and pull off the season sweep of the Browns. Joe Mixon’s 11-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter helped aid Cincinnati with the cover, while the former Oklahoma standout produced his first ever 100-yard performance by compiling 114 yards on 23 carries.
In spite of the victory, the Bengals were outgained from a yardage standpoint for the sixth consecutive contest. Cincinnati covered for the third straight game, but Marvin Lewis’ club is seeking its first three-game winning streak since starting 8-0 in 2015.
ROAD WARRIORS
Mike Tomlin’s squad has won five of six games away from Heinz Field this season with the lone loss coming in overtime at Chicago in Week 3. The Steelers have picked up victories in each of their first two road contests against AFC North foes by beating Cleveland in Week 1 by a 21-18 count as 10-point favorites, while routing Baltimore, 26-9 in Week 4. Pittsburgh has compiled at least two divisional road wins in each of the past three seasons, while putting together a 4-3 ATS record in its last seven away AFC North contests as a favorite.
POINT THE WAY
Cincinnati is listed as a home underdog for the first time this season, but the Bengals have been a profitable team in this situation over the years. Dating back to 2013, Cincinnati owns a solid 6-1 ATS record when receiving points at Paul Brown Stadium. The only loss came to the Steelers last season as three-point ‘dogs in Week 15 in a 24-20 setback, as five of those ATS wins were also straight-up victories.
TOTAL TALK
The Steelers produced consecutive OVERS for the first time this season in last Sunday’s nail-biting win against the Packers. Pittsburgh began the season by producing the UNDER in six consecutive games before hitting the OVER in three of the past five contests. Cincinnati has been inconsistent from a totals standpoint this season as four of the first five games stayed UNDER the total, but the Bengals are currently on a 4-2 OVER run.
SERIES HISTORY
Pittsburgh has owned Cincinnati over the years by winning five straight meetings and compiling a 7-1 record since December 2013. The Steelers and Bengals were tied at 14-14 in their first meeting back in Week 7 at Heinz Field, but Pittsburgh scored the final 15 points of the game on five Boswell field goals to pick up a 29-14 victory as four-point favorites. Le’Veon Bell ran all over the Cincinnati defense for 134 yards on 35 carries, while Roethlisberger connected on a pair of touchdowns with Brown and rookie Juju Smith-Schuster.
The Steelers have also had their way against the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium by capturing four consecutive wins in the Queen City since 2014. Each of the past two wins at Cincinnati came by a combined six points, while the Bengals squandered a 20-6 lead in a 24-20 defeat last season as Roethlisberger hooked up with Eli Rogers on the go-ahead 24-yard touchdown strike in the fourth quarter.
GAME PROPS – According to Las Vegas Westgate Superbook
1st Score of the Game
Touchdown -145
Other Score +125
Total Completions – Ben Roethlisberger
OVER 22 ½ (-110)
UNDER 22 ½ (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes – Ben Roethlisberger
OVER 1 ½ (-150)
UNDER 1 ½ (+130)
Total Rushing Yards – Le’Veon Bell
OVER 86 ½ (-110)
UNDER 86 ½ (-110)
Total Gross Passing Yards – Andy Dalton
OVER 232 ½ (-110)
UNDER 232 ½ (-110)
Total Touchdown Passes – Andy Dalton
OVER 1 ½ (Even)
UNDER 1 ½ (-120)
Will A.J. Green score a touchdown?
YES +115
NO -135
HANDICAPPER’S CORNER
VegasInsider.com trends expert Vince Akins provides a play-against trend on Pittsburgh, “The Steelers are 0-10-1 ATS as a road favorite since 2006 coming off a win as a favorite where they scored at least 30 points.” In each of the last three seasons, Pittsburgh has lost outright in this role, including a 30-15 setback at Miami in 2016. Akins also supplied an UNDER trend for Cincinnati, “The Bengals are 0-12 OU as a dog of more than three points coming off a home game where they scored more points than expected since 2006.”
BOOKMAKER’S TAKE
Scott Cooley of BookMaker.eu says the sharps favor the home team, “The public likes Pittsburgh at anything less than a touchdown, but the smart money has been on the Bengals. We’ve adjusted down a half point off the opener, and we could see the number drop even more if Antonio Brown is absent. Currently, we have more than 70 percent of the tickets on the Steelers, but the money favors Cincy 60-40.”
Monday Night Football Betting Preview and Odds: Steelers at Bengals
Dec 3, 2017 |
By: Covers Staff
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (+4.5, 43)
The Cincinnati Bengals have won two in a row to stay within striking distance of the final playoff berth in the AFC, but they will be taking a major step up in class against a bitter rival on Monday night. Coming off wins over a pair of last-place teams in Denver and Cleveland, the Bengals will host the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cincinnati, which entered the weekend one game behind sixth-place Baltimore and Buffalo in the chase for the final wild card, was dominated by the Steelers 29-14 in Pittsburgh in Week 7. "It's another game, but it's Pittsburgh, and they're leading our division," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "They beat us up there. They're coming here, and it's a big football game for us because we don't get any more do-overs." The Steelers, who own the tiebreaker with New England for the top record in the conference, extended their winning streak to six games by rallying for a 31-28 victory over Green Bay last week. Pittsburgh has won 10 consecutive prime-time games and has beaten the Bengals five times in a row while winning its last four visits to Cincinnati (playoffs included).
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Steelers (-4) - Bengals (1.5) + home field (-3) = Bengals -0.5.
LINE HISTORY: The Steelers opened as high as 6.5-point road chalk and money coming in on the hometown Bengals brought that line down to +4.5. The total hit the betting board at 43 and briefly was bet up half-point before returning to the opening number, where it currently sits.
INJURY REPORT:
Steelers - LB James Harrison (Probable, Back), WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (Probable, Hamstring), WR Antonio Brown (Questionable, Toe), S Mike Mitchell (Questionable, Ankle), LB Ryan Shazier (Questionable, Ankle), CB Cameron Sutton (Questionable, Hamstring), TE Vance McDonald (Out, Ankle).
Bengals - TE Tyler Kroft (Questionable, Wrist), OT Cedric Ogbuehi (Questionable, Shoulder), LB Vincent Rey (Questionable, Hamstring), S Shawn Williams (Questionable, Hamstring), LB Nick Vigil (Questionable, Ankle), QB Jeff Driskel (Questionable, Thumb).
ABOUT THE STEELERS (9-2 SU, 6-5 ATS, 3-8 O/U): Ben Roethlisberger, an Ohio native who is 23-4 in his home state, tossed four touchdowns for the second straight week and threw for a season-high 351 yards against Green Bay. Two of those scoring passes went to wideout Antonio Brown, who had 10 catches for 169 yards and leads the NFL in in receptions (80) and yards (1,195). Running back Le'Veon Bell, the league leader in rushing with 981 yards, rushed for 134 yards on 35 carries in the first meeting versus the Bengals and amassed 95 yards on the ground and 12 receptions a week ago. Pittsburgh's defense was gashed for three long touchdown passes by Green Bay, but it allows only 17.5 points per game and ranks No. 2 in sacks with 38.
ABOUT THE BENGALS (5-6 SU, 6-5 ATS, 5-6 O/U): Cincinnati has scored 30 points twice this season -- both times against the winless Browns -- as rookie running back Joe Mixon finally showed some sizzle by rushing for a season-high 114 yards and a TD and catching three passes for 51 yards. Andy Dalton has nine touchdowns and zero interceptions since the loss to the Steelers, when he was sacked four times, picked off twice and the Bengals managed a meager 19 total yards in the second half. Wideout A.J. Green has a team-high 809 receiving yards -- more than double any other Bengals player -- for an offense that ranks 32nd overall in total offense (274.3 yards) and 31st in rushing (75.6). Cincinnati is third in sacks (33) and gives up 19.5 points per game.
TRENDS:
* Steelers are 5-0-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
* Under is 10-1 in Steelers last 11 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
* Under is 4-1 in Bengals last 5 Monday games.
* Favorite is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
* Steelers are 16-3-2 ATS in their last 21 meetings in Cincinnati.
View full list of betting trends for this matchup here.
COVERS CONSENSUS: The Covers public is siding with the road chalk Steelers at a rate of 67 percent and the Over is getting 65 percent of the totals action on Covers.