The final week of the regular season kicks off Saturday with an AFC North battle! The Cincinnati Bengals look to keep their slim hopes alive for the postseason. Meanwhile, the Steelers look to return in form and carry the momentum into the postseason. Below are the Bengals at Steelers Preview and Predictions for the game!
The Pittsburgh Steelers come into this game healthy and also see the return of cornerback Joey Porter Jr. Running back Jaylen Warren is dealing with a rib injury but has been a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. The Steelers have been struggling down the stretch of the season but look to get back on track against the Bengals.
Meanwhile, for the Bengals, they have a slim chance to make the postseason. However, they have to win this game against the Steelers to have any chance. On the injury report, the Bengals will be without Sheldon Rankins who continues to deal with an illness. The big one to keep an eye out for will be Chase Brown who suffered an ankle injury in Week 17.
Bengals at Steelers Preview and Predictions
Best Bets
We know the trends and stats for the Steelers in division games with Mike Tomlin as the head coach. But this Steelers team has struggled down the stretch. Do I want to back the more desperate team in this situation in the Bengals? Yes. The Bengals have everything to play for for any postseason hope.
Yes, seeding will matter in this game if the Steelers win the game. However, Joe Burrow and the offense has been firing on all cylinders and I expect them to leave it out all on the field in this game. The Bengals have won four straight games and look to close out the season with a winning record and looking to get help by the Chiefs to get into the playoffs!
Best Bet: Bengals -2
Player Prop Best Bet
Najee Harris Over 44.5 Rushing Yards
This number seems a bit conservative to me given the history Najee Harris has against the Bengals. In fact, over the last four head-to-head games against the Bengals, Najee Harris has at least 75+ rushing yards in each game. Yes, Jaylen Warren is getting the majority of the snaps in the backfield but he is also dealing with a rib injury. Let’s not forget that the Bengals rush defense is allowing 92 rushing yards per game on 4.33 yards per carry.
