The Pittsburgh Steelers will open Week 7 of the NFL season by taking on the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football. Pittsburgh is riding high at 4–1, while the Bengals are 2–4 and attempting to end a four-game losing streak. Pittsburgh is favored on the road here and you can continue reading to get my Steelers vs Bengals prediction below.
Our Steelers vs Bengals Pick
- Pick: Bengals +5.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals
- Date & Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025, 8:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
- Broadcast: Prime Video
Steelers vs Bengals Odds
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Spread | Steelers –5.5 |
| Moneyline | Steelers −270, Bengals +220 |
| Total | 43.5 |
Key Storylines
Steelers’ momentum: Pittsburgh has won three straight games and is in first place in the AFC North. Their defense has been a driving force for their success, with their pass rush being a big reason for their success on that side of the ball. Their offense has been steady enough with Aaron Rodgers at the helm. Pittsburgh will be expected to win as long as they can avoid turnovers on offense in this game.
Bengals struggling: The Bengals have been forced to turn to veteran Joe Flacco following Joe Burrow’s injury. Flacco delivered a decent debut for the Bengals, with 219 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. But it is Cincinnati’s defense that is the real question mark, as they rank 30th of 32 teams in scoring defense going into this matchup.
Thursday night action: These teams have a short week to prepare for a divisional rival. Being able to overcome the quick turnaround in terms of travel and preparation will do a lot to decide the outcome of this contest.
Quarterback Play
Aaron Rodgers (Steelers): Through five games, Rodgers is completing 68.8% of his passes for 1,021 yards, 10 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. Pittsburgh’s offense sits at 23.8 points per game and Rodgers has shown he’s capable of picking apart defenses and he has formed a strong connection with DK Metcalf so far this year.
Joe Flacco (Bengals): Flacco’s first game with the Bengals was promising after he was traded to Cincinnati from the Cleveland Browns. He avoided turnovers and delivered two touchdown passes, but he will have his hands full facing a defense like Pittsburgh’s.
Betting Trends
- The Steelers are 3–2 against the spread this season and 1–1 against the spread on the road.
- The Bengals are 2–4 against the spread this season, but they are 1–0 against the spread when Joe Flacco starts.
- The over has hit in three of Pittsburgh’s five games.
- Games involving Cincinnati have gone over in four of their six games.
Steelers vs Bengals Model Projection
Score Projection: Steelers 24 – Bengals 21
Win Probability: Steelers 66%, Bengals 34%
Final Thoughts
The Steelers are playing better football than the Bengals this season. But the Bengals didn’t look bad last week against the Packers. Here, I think that Flacco will continue to play well with more time to prepare than he had last week with his new team. I will take the points with Cincinnati, though I think Pittsburgh will win the game.
