2013 NFL Picks: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals Odds and Predictions – Free Monday Night Football Picks 9/16/2013

2013 NFL Picks: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals Odds and Predictions – Free Monday Night Football Picks 9/16/2013: One of the fiercer division rivals in the game will be reignited when the Pittsburgh Steelers (0-1) travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals (0-1). There is plenty of bad blood between these AFC North foes, and after both teams lost in Week 1, the motivation to avoid a 0-2 start should only feed the intensity. Playing at home, the Bengals enter the matchup as 7-point favorites.

Although they let a lead slip away at Chicago last weekend, the Bengals’ offense showed some potential. Receiver A.J. Green is the top playmaker and one of the best in the league at his position. Meanwhile, rookie tight end Tyler Eifert and rookie back Giovani Bernard have added new dimensions to the attack. On the flip side, Pittsburgh’s offense looked miserable in their loss to Tennessee. The offensive line was a mess, and the ground game was so inept that the Steelers resigned Jonathan Dwyer just a week after cutting him. Ben Roethlisberger is still as tough to bring down as any quarterback in the NFL, but he is breaking in a new group of receivers.

Of course, defensive is the true calling card of both these teams. Pittsburgh has an edge in the secondary thanks to safety Troy Polamalu and corner Ike Taylor, and linebacker Lawrence Timmons and defensive end LaMarr Woodley are playmakers in the front seven. However, Cincinnati’s defensive line might be the best in football. Tackle Geno Atkins is a force in the middle, and Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson are athletic pass-rushers on the ends.

The Steelers Win If:

If the Steelers are going to go into Cincinnati and leave with a win, they have to establish some type of ground game. Whether it is Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman or someone else, Pittsburgh has to be able move the ball on the ground to slow down a Bengals’ pass rush that led the NFL in sacks a year ago. On the defensive side of the ball, the Steelers’ secondary has to limit the big plays from Green and the rest of the Cincinnati receivers. If the Steelers can maintain enough balance on offense to give Roethlisberger a chance to make plays while forcing the Bengals to try to beat them with their suspect ground game, Pittsburgh can pull off the upset.

The Bengals Win If:

Cincinnati needs to come out in attack mode on both sides of the ball to avoid getting drawn into, a slow-paced, low-scoring game. If the Bengals get on top early, they can force the Steelers to try to beat them with an offense that is lacking playmakers in the backfield and in the receiving corps. More importantly, getting out front will force Pittsburgh into obvious passing situations and allow Cincinnati to unleash its potent pass rush. If the Bengals come out with their offense firing on all cylinders, the Steelers simply won’t have the firepower to keep pace.

Bottom Line:

While rivalry games tend to be unpredictable, especially between division opponents, Pittsburgh’s offense is such a mess right now that the Bengals should have little trouble winning this comfortably. After all, Cincinnati already owns one of the best pass rushes in the NFL, and the lack of a ground game for the Steelers will allow the Bengals to be even more aggressive when it comes to attacking Roethlisberger. Unless Cincinnati shoots itself in the foot with multiple mistakes, this game should be a mismatch. The Bengals’ stout defense should have little trouble containing the punchless Pittsburgh offense, and the Cincinnati offense has too many playmakers not to put some points on the board.

Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals (-6) Cover the Spread

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Line: Cincinnati -6
Total: Over/Under 41
Time: 8:30 PM EST on ESPN

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