No matter what happens with Joe Burrow’s possible return in the coming weeks, the Cincinnati Bengals might just be listed as underdogs in each of their remaining games.
That certainly includes the upcoming Week 11 road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where the Bengals will start Joe Flacco coming out of the bye after another week of limited practice for the veteran quarterback due to an injury.
Given the overarching circumstances, most sportsbooks have the Bengals as underdogs in the 5.5-point range.
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While Flacco got the mention above, most of the concern around the Bengals from an oddsmaker’s perspective is the defense.
That unit undergoing the youth movement likely won’t have Trey Hendrickson for another week and has been the league’s worst. Expecting the unit to come out of the bye improved while missing its best player isn’t a safe thing for onlookers.
Until the Bengals defense can prove otherwise, games like a road trip to Pittsburgh won’t have the lines very close.
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