The NFL betting on the Cincinnati Bengals (2-5) this season has been unpredictable. When wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco both get involved in a game, then the betting can lean towards the Bengals. But quarterback Carson Palmer has been extremely inconsistent this season, and with the disappearance of the Bengals running game it has become a long season for Cincinnati. The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be able to post winning NFL scores with our without Big Ben. The Steelers are even finding the game officials helpful in creating wins. But with all of the controversy that the Steelers have gone through this season, they are still living up to the NFL predictions in preseason that saw them playing deep into the AFC playoffs. Offense Running back Cedric Benson has been a huge disappointment so far this season for the Bengals. The running game is only averaging 101 yards per game, and that means that teams can key in on Carson Palmer and the passing game to shut down the Bengals offense. When Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco get their hands on the ball, they can make plays happen. But with Carson Palmer constantly running for his life in the pocket, it is difficult to get the ball airborne. The Steelers have a well-balanced offensive attack. Even though the Steelers are not statistically that impressive, they manage to put enough pressure on the opposing defense to move the ball down the field on a regular basis. Teams have to respect the big play ability of running back Rashad Mendenhall and that helps Ben Roethlisberger to get the ball deep down the field. Defense The Steelers defense is ranked fifth overall allowing only 302 total yards per game, but they are 25th against the pass giving up an average of 243 passing yards per game. Pittsburgh is brutal against the run only giving up an average of 59 yards per game on the ground. That means that Carson Palmer will be in that familiar mode of watching the running game fail and running for his life. The Bengals defense is just not strong enough to contain the Steelers offense. The biggest problem for the Bengals is that their defense is ranked 23rd overall giving up an average of 121 yards per game. If Cincinnati cannot stop Rashad Mendenhall then that will open up the whole field to Roethlisberger and the passing game. That could mean a lot of points for the Steelers. The Bottom Line This game should have been a battle between two AFC North powerhouses fighting for top spot in the division. Instead it looks like the Bengals are being led out to for slaughter. The Steelers will hit the Bengals offense with lots of Mendenhall early, and when the Bengals defense is nice and confused Ben Roethlisberger will start throwing the ball deep to go along with a continued ground attack. The Bengals will watch their running game get shut down yet again, and Carson Palmer will get to spend another Sunday afternoon running for his life. Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers
