The Bengals head to Pittsburgh on Sunday with a chance to open 3-0, and that alone gives this Week 3 AFC North matchup plenty of edge. The Steelers sit at 1-1, and a win would help them settle the division early. In a matchup like this, the usual football checklist still matters - run the ball, get after the quarterback, protect the football, hit on a few big throws - but this rivalry has always had a way of turning on emotion as much as execution.
That’s especially true in the AFC North, where the games tend to feel like they were built in a steel mill and finished in a cigar smoke haze. The Bengals are trying to show that stability can beat change, while Pittsburgh is looking to answer in a division that rarely gives anyone an easy night.
Cincinnati’s defensive outlook got a boost with Jonathan Allen. The defensive tackle returned to practice on Sept. 25 and is set to play in the Week 3 road game against the Steelers. That matters for a Bengals defense that looks rejuvenated early in 2026, and it fits with the broader sense that this group has a renewed purpose.
The Bengals also continue to get strong play from DJ Turner II, who is ranking among the NFL’s best cornerbacks in coverage. That kind of back-end production is a big reason Cincinnati can feel good about how its defense is shaping up right now.
Up front, the Bengals also made a major offseason adjustment after the departure of Trey Hendrickson, and the team said it upgraded its best edge rusher while saving $11 million a year. That’s another piece of the bigger picture for Cincinnati as it heads into one of the season’s most important early divisional tests.
There’s also uncertainty on the Bengals’ side. They have completed practice for the week ahead of their first AFC North game of 2026, and one of their starters has been declared doubtful for the matchup with Pittsburgh. The Steelers, meanwhile, have plenty of decisions to make as they prepare for kickoff.
The pass rush figures to be one of Cincinnati’s biggest swing factors. The Bengals’ top X-factor against the Steelers is their ability to get after Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh, and that’s the kind of pressure that can tilt a divisional game fast if it starts landing early.
Around the rest of the league, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been ruled out for Monday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and backup Bagent was back at practice. Jaxson Dart also underwent season-ending knee surgery this week. Elsewhere, a win on Sunday would tie Dak Prescott with Roger Staubach for second on the Cowboys’ all-time list, with another record within reach in Rio de Janeiro.
In Other News...
Aaron Rodgers Just Put Bengals Pass Rush In Steelers Spotlight
Cincinnatis 2-0 start has come with the kind of defensive edge that can travel, and it was on display again in the win over Houston. Now the Bengals turn their attention to Pittsburgh, where the matchup is already tilting toward their front seven after the Steelers have stumbled through two games on offense and enter a week that looks like a stress test for their blocking.
Aaron Rodgers added to the intrigue by praising Bengals defensive standout Dexter Lawrence ahead of the matchup, a nod to just how disruptive Cincinnati can be when its pass rush is rolling. For a Steelers line already dealing with pressure, that kind of recognition only sharpens the spotlight on what awaits Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Already Have An Answer To Their Joe Burrow Problem
The Bengals are off to a 2-0 start, and Joe Burrow has been a major reason why the offense has looked so sharp out of the gate. Even with the quarterback doing his part, the bigger picture still points to the same old concern in Cincinnati: keeping him clean long enough for the attack to stay on schedule. The offensive line has held up well so far, which has helped ease some of that burden, but the team has also been looking for ways to make Burrows life a little less hectic on obvious passing downs.
One possible answer is already on the roster in Samaje Perine, whose value goes beyond what he does with the ball in his hands. His reputation as a reliable pass blocker makes him a useful option when the Bengals want to give Burrow extra support against pressure, especially in situations where protection matters most. If Cincinnati leans on him more in those spots, it could be a simple way to protect its quarterback without changing the shape of the offense too much. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Nearly Made A Rival AFC North Choice On Defense
When the Bengals went looking for a new defensive coordinator after firing their former one, they did not limit themselves to familiar names inside the building. Zac Taylor brought in Patrick Graham for an interview, a reminder that Cincinnati was weighing a coach with broad NFL experience and a rsum that stretches from the Patriots to the Giants and Raiders before the team ultimately chose Al Golden.
Graham now runs the Steelers defense, which only adds another layer to the AFC North backdrop around the decision. He also brings connections to players such as Maxx Crosby and Dexter Lawrence, and his current job in Pittsburgh gives the Bengals another face to track in a division where coaching moves can matter just as much as personnel ones. The interview itself did not change Cincinnatis hire, but it shows how close the team came to taking a different defensive path inside its biggest rivalry. [Read more 🡒]