Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals Prediction 5 January 2025

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers overcome the Cincinnati Bengals for the fourth time in a row? The main question around which our prediction for the 18th round NFL match is built. Both teams are in the middle of the league table, indicating comparable strength.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh still looks like a potential "dark horse" of the tournament. However, their current condition is not impressive. Due to accumulated fatigue, the team has noticeably regressed in all aspects, leading to worse results. The representatives from Pennsylvania have suffered three consecutive losses, without giving significant advantage to anyone. Mike Tomlin will have to do a titanic job on the tactical component in a short time, as the existing strategies have stopped producing the desired effect.

Cincinnati

On the contrary, Cincinnati has transformed beyond recognition at the most critical moment, thereby confirming serious ambitions. Last winter, the team missed out on the playoffs, but thanks to a series of quality changes, they avoided a long-term crisis. The guys have put together a winning streak of four games, which definitely added confidence in their abilities. Zak Taylor's charges are getting better and better at coordinating in defense, and they seem to continue to adhere to a cautious playing style in the future.

Editorial Prediction

In this meeting, Pittsburgh, in our humble opinion, will once again pose colossal resistance to Cincinnati. The hosts know very well how to exploit all the pronounced weaknesses of the visitors, and we believe that nothing supernatural will happen again. A victory for the home team with a handicap of +5.5 is the preferred option for the match.