CINCINNATI BENGALS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS 
Vegas Line: Bengals + 6.5
Rob’s Line: Bengals + 8.5
Cincinnati came extremely close last Sunday to losing three consecutive games, one to each of their division rivals. Having previously lost to Pittsburgh and Baltimore, each by seven points, they trailed Cleveland by ten with two minutes to go in the third quarter and the fact that they won 23-20 helped pave the way for a nice little stat.
Before this season, no team since the 1986 Indianapolis Colts had trailed by at least ten points at halftime on three occasions and gone on to win each time. It’s now happened twice this season…the Detroit Lions achieved it first and the Bengals joined that rather exclusive club last Sunday. It’s affording QB Andy Dalton something of a reputation as a fourth quarter specialist (without Tim Tebow’s frantic antics) and the one play that highlighted why this franchise should be very excited about its immediate future occured as the game entered the final minute.
With the game tied at 20-20 and the Bengals facing 3rd and 8 from their own 47 yard line, Dalton fired a pass over the middle to fellow rookie, receiver A. J. Green, who made a spectacular, leaping catch in front of stud cornerback Joe Haden. He pulled the ball down and was eventually pushed out of bounds at the Browns’ 2 yard line to help set up the winning field goal. These two have been good this season, but perhaps not as good as that one moment there.
Pittsburgh struggled to overcome Kansas City last Sunday night, squeaking past them 13-9 and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger seems troubled by a broken thumb on his right (throwing) hand. He admitted that it was a disappointing offensive performance and that the defense stepped up and I’ve written here before how I love the Steelers when they feel as though they’ve let themselves down.
The Bengals are thin at cornerback without Leon Hall and I expect Big Ben to come out firing this Sunday. They’ll want to prove a point after last week (especially at home) and that counts double when it’s up against what should be a dangerous division rival.
Cincinnati’s vaunted defense has earnt lavish praise this season and ranks fifth in the league overall, but Pittsburgh’s is even better (2nd) and this week could see them welcome the return of outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley, who last played five weeks ago. This is significant because before he was sidelined, he’d racked up 7.5 sacks in his previous four games. It’s not difficult to see how much of a difference he’ll make to the Steelers pass rush and this will be Dalton’s most severe test yet and yes, I include Dalton already having gone to Baltimore to face the Ravens.
It’s hard to envision the Bengals and their 20th ranked rushing attack piling up many yards on the ground against a Steelers run defense ranked sixth so Dalton may need to rely on more heroics this week and Green is ably supported by receivers Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell and tight end Jermaine Gresham so clearly all is not lost. However, like I say, I thrive on placing my hard earned on a Steelers team who appear to be wounded, especially at home, and I take them to cover the spread.
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