Andy Dalton and the AFC North-leading Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) travel to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., to take on Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers (5-8) on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Coverage begins with Football Night In America at 6 p.m. CST on NBC. The Cincinnati Bengals were my Super Bowl Champion pick back in August, and maybe they aren’t world beaters, but they’re very good. And they’re doing it without their best defender Geno Atkins.
The Cincinnati Bengals absolutely destroyed the Indianapolis Colts last week, and are one win away from making the playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years.
If the Cincinnati Bengals win in Pittsburgh on Sunday night, and the Ravens lose on Monday night to the Lions, the Bengals will clinch the AFC North title for the first time since 2009. The Steelers, coming off a loss to the Dolphins, aim to stay in the playoff chase.
“The Cincinnati Bengals are looking good with Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, and rookie Giovani Bernard, who has added an element coming out of the backfield. They have to keep that two-game lead against Baltimore because the Ravens have the head-to-head win and the teams play in the last game of the season.” – Cris Collinsworth NBC talking head and former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiving legend.
“If the Cincinnati Bengals keep winning, they can catch New England and have the same record at the end of the season and tie the Patriots, and the Cincinnati Bengals would get the tiebreaker and get a bye.” – Al Michaels
Brutally honest record: 75-31
Brutally honest pick Cincinnati Bengals 20, Steelers 17
The Cincinnati Bengals are three point favorites, so I’m going with them to win by exactly that spread.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bears for WAOR 95.7 The Fan