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Bengals vs. Steelers Prediction: Week 3 Odds, Picks & Best Bet

Our Bengals vs. Steelers prediction for Week 3 includes our best bet, projected score, and the latest odds for Sunday's matchup.

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: September 26, 2026 12:15 PM EDT • 2 minute read

Pictured: Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow in action as we break down our Bengals vs. Steelers Prediction. Photo by Troy Taormina-Imagn Images.

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Two teams who’ve experienced opposite stars clash at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), and I’m backing Zac Taylor’s team to live up to the favorites’ billing in my Bengals vs. Steelers prediction.

The Bengals, who finally appear to have defense they can be proud of, are the 3.5-point betting favorite. Meanwhile, the Steelers have been incoherent offensively. The analysis below is part of our NFL Week 3 predictions.

🏈 Bengals vs. Steelers picks & predictions

See all of our experts' NFL picks for Week 3 based on the latest NFL odds.

Pick	Bet size
Bengals -3.5 (-105 via BetMGM)	1 units
Under 42.5 (-105 via FanDuel)	0.5 units

Total wagered: 1.5 units | Max profit: +1.43 units

💰 Bengals vs. Steelers prediction & best bet

Bengals -3.5 (-105 via BetMGM)

While I don’t love backing a road favorite beyond the critical number of -3, the Bengals have been superior to the Steelers in every way. The Steelers have the top-ranked defensive DVOA purely because they faced the hapless Cooper Rush in Week 1.

Conversely, their worst-ranked offensive DVOA accurately reflects their stagnant, toothless attack. Aaron Rodgers is already scapegoating head coach Mike McCarthy’s play-calling ability.

The Bengals have the 12th-ranked offensive DVOA, but make no mistake: This team is chock-full of big-play capability, and Chase Brown is productive in the trenches.

And for the first time since memory serves, the Bengals have the fifth-best defensive EPA per play and the seventh-best defensive DVOA entering Sunday’s AFC North battle.

📡 SBR Edge: Steelers' toothless offense

The Steelers have one offensive TD in the previous seven quarters.

Steelers' injury concerns

The Steelers enter the pivotal meeting with a full infirmary ward. There is some good news regarding cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who is listed as questionable. However, he and the Steelers haven’t come to a contractual agreement, so we’ll see how that situation plays out.

Wide receiver Michael Pittman, running back Jaylen Warren, and cornerback Jamel Dean are also questionable, while running back Rico Dowdle and rookie guard Gennings Dunker won’t feature.

Score prediction: Bengals 24, Steelers 14

📊 Live Bengals vs. Steelers odds

See the latest NFL odds for every Week 3 matchup.

Bengals vs. Steelers opening odds

Moneyline: Bengals -175 | Steelers +145
Spread: Bengals -3.5 (-105) | Steelers +3.5 (-112)
Over/Under: Over 43.5 (-110) | Under 43.5 (-108)

📺 How to watch Bengals vs. Steelers: Week 3

Date: Sunday, Sept. 27
Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh)
TV: CBS

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Written by:
Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, specializes in writing about the NFL, hockey, and soccer, focusing on player props, game predictions, and futures plays. Most often utilizing FanDuel and bet365, the latter of which usually provides better early odds, he looks for a perfect-storm combo of in-form players who fare historically well against the opponent in question. He has contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, The Hockey Writers, The Hockey News, The Calgary Herald, and other publications. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Griffith University.