If not for the Bengals record, Joe Burrow might be the frontrunner for this year’s MVP award. After being 4-8 through their first 12 games, Cincinnati looked dead in the water and trending toward a high draft pick. But Burrow has dug them out of that hole and their record on the season is now 8-8. With the season nearing its conclusion, the Bengals are still in the playoff hunt, thanks to a walk-off touchdown pass from Burrow to Tee Higgins in overtime against the Broncos in Week 17. They’ll need some help in Week 18 to secure a postseason berth but they’ll also need to take care of business against the Steelers.
The Steelers have been opposites of the Bengals in terms of their trajectory this season. They have been one of the best teams in the NFL and have sat atop the AFC North for the remainder of the season. But this current four-game losing skid that they’re on has them scratching to get into the playoffs. They need this win in Week 18 just as much as the Bengals.
This AFC North showdown is nearly deadlocked as the Bengals come in as the slight favorite in this matchup by a 1.5-point margin over the Steelers. Oddsmakers believe that this matchup will be a high-scoring affair with the over/under marked at 48.5 points.
So whether you are rooting for a clear favorite or hoping for a miracle by the underdog, the most important thing to remember is that you must be in it to win it.
Odds are subject to change at any time and often change frequently in real-time. See details at https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/.
