Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

2008 · Week 12 · Division

Final

Bengals

Cincinnati

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

10·27

Steelers

Pittsburgh

QB Ben Roethlisberger

Heinz Field · outdoors · dessograss · 32°F · wind 11mph

Closing spread

PIT -11.5

Total

34.5

Model margin

+5.7est.

PIT perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Steelers
  • Bengals

How each play moved the game.

Steelers winsBengals wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Bengalsedge mapSteelers
  • -0.172EPA / play-0.031
  • 38.0%Success rate42.9%
  • -0.150EPA / dropback+0.022
  • -0.208EPA / rush-0.103
  • 5.1%Explosive rate7.8%
  • -3.29CPOE+0.13
  • 35.3%Third-down rate41.3%
  • 45.7%Red-zone TD rate54.8%
  • 0.93Points / drive1.61
  • 2.5%Turnover rate2.3%

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

PIT lead 40–16 since 1999

Meetings average 42.1 points. PIT are 37-18-1 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W11CIN @ PIT1234PIT
2025 · W7PIT @ CIN3133CIN
2024 · W18CIN @ PIT1917CIN
2024 · W13PIT @ CIN4438PIT
2023 · W16CIN @ PIT1134PIT
2023 · W12PIT @ CIN1610PIT
2022 · W11CIN @ PIT3730CIN
2022 · W1PIT @ CIN2320PIT

Box score

Individual performances

Bengals

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ryan Fitzpatrick20/3716811

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Cedric Benson16352.20
Ryan Fitzpatrick284.00
Chris Perry200.00

Steelers

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ben Roethlisberger17/3024310

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Mewelde Moore15563.70
Willie Parker14372.60
Ben Roethlisberger3134.31
Carey Davis166.00
Gary Russell351.71
Nate Washington144.00

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +11.56.2%7.4%3.2%5.0%3.3%3.1%

Positive margins favour Steelers; negative favour Bengals.

Half-point at risk

1.32%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

64.2%

Expected total

39.8est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+3.21
  • Home-field advantage+2.49
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+5.70