Cincinnati at Pittsburgh Free Pick & Spread

Posted by Joe Solari on Friday,September 16, 2016 4:11, EDT in

For the umpteenth time over the past couple of seasons, many bettors underestimated the potential of Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals in their trip to the New York Jets in Week 1, and for the umpteenth time, the Dalton and the Bengals proved to be clutch in the face of regular-season adversity. Can the underrated Cincy QB and his teammates hook another one in the NFL Lines when they fish for a win at Pittsburgh this Sunday? With Ben Roethlisberger and gang on the opposite end, it will certainly not be an easy task for the Bengals. But this is the NFL and anything can always happen. Anyway, enough of the intro, let’s get into the real gist of the matter and preview our way into this game’s NFL odds.

Taking a Closer Look at the Cincinnati at Pittsburgh Free Pick, Spread & TV Info

Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh
When: Sunday, September 18, 1:00 PM ET
TV Broadcast: CBS
Radio: Cincinnati / Pittsburgh
Live Stream: NFL.com
NFL Lines: Pittsburgh (-3), OVER/UNDER 48.5

Why Bet on Cincinnati?

The Bengals offense was under siege for pretty much the entire game last week, as the Jets relentlessly chased Cincinnati all over the field. Dalton, come the end of the game, had been sacked seven times. But in spite of that, Dalton still managed to throw for 366 yards with a touchdown. Meanwhile, Cincy’s game MVP A.J. Green exploded for 180 receiving yards and a touchdown on 12 catches—despite being covered by one of the best cornerbacks in the game in Darrelle Revis—while former Patriot Brandon LaFell also had a big game with 91 receiving yards on four catches. With 329 passing yards allowed by Pittsburgh in the MNF game against Washington, there is no doubt that Dalton and his receivers could be due for another strong performance. Defensively, the Cincy’s D-line played serviceably against the Jets, especially during crunch time, but the O-line left Dalton and his weapons excessively exposed; something that will need to improve against Pittsburgh.

Why Bet on Pittsburgh?

Like Green, Pittsburgh’s star receiver Antonio Brown had a big game, in spite of getting hounded by a premier corner in Josh Norman, as he finished with eight catches for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns. All that couldn’t have happened without Big Ben’s 300 passing yards and three touchdowns in a stellar performance over Washington. Not to be outdone, running back DeAngelo Williams came up big in the absence of LeVeon Bell, totaling 143 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. After the Jets burned Cincy for over 150 rushing yards and a TD last week, Williams could be due for another big performance, with Roethlisberger and Brown continuing to do their thing aerially. It’s hard to say that the Steelers had a solid defense, as they were barely tested against Washington’s disarrayed offense, but holding the Redskins to 16 points is a good starting point which they can build on this weekend.

My Free Pick & Prediction

Dalton and his receivers have the potential to go toe-to- toe with Roethlisberger’s unit in the aerial game. The problem, however, is that Pittsburgh has a better running game, which could easily prove to be the difference here. Of course, the Bengals have the edge defensively, and that should keep them in this game, but with Pittsburgh having a strong record over Cincy when playing at home (the Steelers are 4-2 SU and ATS in their last six home games against the Bengals); it looks like Pittsburgh will have the much-needed advantage to claim a close win over the Bengals.

Predicted Final Score: Pittsburgh 24, Cincinnati 21

Writer’s Pick: UNDER 48.5