There isn't a team which made the playoffs in the AFC that was happy when the Jets lost on Sunday.
No one wanted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs, not the least of which are the Cincinnati Bengals, who will have a tough road to sow if they're going to exorcize their postseason demons on Saturday.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Pittsburgh Steelers -2.5
Cincinnati Bengals +2.5
Over/Under 46.5
ODDS ANALYSIS
Cincinnati actually opened up as a favorite in this game out in Vegas for a matter of less than a half hour. By the time the first offshore number surfaced, the Steelers were set at -2.5. The books are mum as to whether they're expecting the banged up Andy Dalton or A.J. McCarron to start on Saturday, but we have to imagine if Dalton is healthy, this line is going to shift back the other way.
The opening total of 46.5 is tied for the highest here in the opening round of the postseason.
WHEN THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS HAVE THE BALL
The Steelers had a great run through October, November and the beginning of December in which they scored 30+ points in all of their games. Ben Roethlisberger found his stride with Antonio Brown, who became the first receiver to have two seasons with 125+ receptions in a career this year, and the door swung open for Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant to take turns having massive games.
Live bettors should note that Roethlisberger didn't have a particularly great game against the Bengals a couple months ago. He went 30-of-39 for 282 yards, and he didn't throw a TD pass. Big Ben didn't complete a pass for more than 31 yards, and it was actually Heath Miller who was doing the damage with 10 catches and 66 yards.
DeAngelo Williams left last week's game against the Browns with an ankle injury, and he's listed as day-to-day early in the week. If he can't go, the ground game for the Steelers could end up being severely limited, especially against a Cincinnati front seven allowing just 4.3 yards per carry.
WHEN THE CINCINNATI BENGALS HAVE THE BALL
This is where Dalton is going to have to prove that he's amongst the truly elite quarterbacks in the league. He broke his thumb against these very same Steelers and hasn't played since, and we have to imagine that he has to suck it up and get out there to play.
It goes without saying that the Bengals have been awful in the postseason, and Dalton has been a big reason for that. Heck, Marvin Lewis, after all these years, still doesn't have a single playoff win.
Hue Jackson has to get a bit creative, but it doesn't take a genius who's live betting this game to know where the ball ultimately has to get. A.J. Green has been awfully quiet for the most part this season, and in fact, outside of Tyler Eifert, no one was really a standout on offense. There are far too many drives in big games that end in duds for the Bengals, and though the Pittsburgh defense has been much-maligned this year, it has had some big games in big spots as well.
The one thing you know as a live betting aficionado is that the crowd is sure to turn on Cincinnati in a hurry if it isn't playing well. Jackson doesn't trust his running game with Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard all that much, and Dalton (or McCarron) will have nowhere to turn if things are going poorly.
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Click here and start wagering today! The Week X game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals is scheduled for Saturday, January 9, 2016, at 8:15 p.m. ET at Paul Brown Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS.
