Joe Burrow vs. Ben Roethlisberger: Who Will Throw For More Yards?

Round 2 of the Steelers vs Bengals AFC North rivalry heads to Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati in Week 12.

The last time these two teams met was back in Week 3 when the Bengals marched into Heinz Field and thumped the Steelers 24-10. Joe Burrow threw three touchdowns on just 18 attempts; a stark contrast to Ben Roethlisberger’s 58 attempts. 

The Bengals relied a lot on Joe Mixon last week so it will be interesting to see how much Burrow is used here. Let’s take a look at some prop odds from WynnBET Sportsbook and make some predictions for tomorrow. 

Joe Burrow Passing Yards Total 254.5 (OVER -125/UNDER -115)

Joe Burrow had a very suspect game last week against the Raiders. On one hand, the Bengals won handily, 32-13. On the other hand, Burrow had just 148 yards passing on 29 attempts. His average yards per pass was just 5.1 and he threw just one TD. The Bengals relied on the running game so heavily that Burrow wasn’t needed. 

With the success that gameplan had last week thanks to Joe Mixon, what’s to say they won't do it again in Week 12? The Steelers just gave up almost 400 yards to Justin Herbert on Sunday night and this game will be closer than their win over the Raiders. Mixon will be used more to mix it up and give Burrow time to work. I think we see a big bounce-back performance from the sophomore.

Ben Roethlisberger Passing Yards Total 257.5 (OVER -125/UNDER -115)

Ben Roethlisberger is showing his age but even with his diminishing skill set, he's shown he's still dangerous if dismissed entirely. After recovering from COVID, Big Ben returned in Week 11 and threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns. It wasn’t enough for the win but Big Ben did all he could, including not throwing a pick. The Chargers are a tough defensive team in the passing game and it was an encouraging performance from Roethlisberger. He's looked much better in the second half of the season with five TDs in his last two games.

Big Ben had a strong showing the first time these two teams met back in Week 3 with 318 yards and a touchdown. I think Roethlisberger again flirts with 300 yards but it doesn’t take him 59 passes to do so.