The Bengals’ trip to Pittsburgh brings a handful of matchups that could shape how Sunday unfolds, and the biggest battles sit right at the line of scrimmage and on the outside. If Cincinnati is going to leave the Steel City with a 3-0 start, it’s going to need its top players to win some one-on-ones.
Start inside, where Dexter Lawrence has been wrecking game plans no matter who lines up across from him. This week, that job falls at times to Steelers right guard Spencer Anderson, who has already been a vulnerable spot through the first two games.
Anderson has a 42.6 pass blocking grade from PFF, and he’s been charged with allowing 4 pressures and 1 sack. Even if Pittsburgh leans on help, Lawrence and the rest of Cincinnati’s interior defenders should make life miserable for him.
That’s especially true after the Bengals defense piled up 41 pressures last week.
The edge matchup is just as demanding. Amarius Mims has opened the season looking like one of the best offensive tackles in football, and he hasn’t been credited with allowing a pressure in either game.
That includes a strong showing against Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in Houston. Now he gets TJ Watt, who already has 3.5 sacks through two games and keeps finding ways to impact the pocket.
Orlando Brown Jr. will also have his hands full, especially with Watt moving around more to start the season. Brown Jr. gave up three sacks against Houston, so Cincinnati needs a cleaner day from him if it wants to keep Joe Burrow upright.
And Watt won’t be the only threat - Alex Highsmith has 3 sacks of his own, while Nick Herbig and Jack Sawyer can also get after the quarterback. This matchup could swing the game.
On the outside, the Bengals’ receivers should see opportunities if Pittsburgh is short-handed at corner. Joey Porter Jr. has not played this season because of a contract dispute, and Coach Mike McCarthy said he had a setback with a back injury in practice last week.
His status is still unsettled, and even if he does suit up, it doesn’t sound like he’d be at full strength. That puts more pressure on Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr. to deal with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Higgins caught 5 passes for 95 yards in the win at Houston, while Chase posted 7 catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Dean allowed 4 catches on 6 targets against New England, and Samuel gave up 4 catches on 5 targets.
Pittsburgh still lost 20-3 even without its top receiver, AJ Brown, and the Bengals could have a big day through the air.
Then there’s DK Metcalf against DJ Turner, a matchup that could quietly matter just as much as the others. Metcalf has been targeted 19 times over two games, but he’s managed only 8 receptions for 67 yards and has not scored.
Turner handled him well last year, and that helped push Turner toward a breakout season. He was strong again in Week 2 against Houston, posting an 81.9 coverage grade and showing physical, sticky coverage.
The one thing Turner still hasn’t done this season is come away with an interception, and he’d love to get one like the one he had against Pittsburgh last season.
In Other News...
Bengals Still Have One Awkward Flacco Question Hanging Over Them
Joe Flacco spent part of the week batting away a familiar kind of noise, this time tied to the New York Giants and the possibility of a move that would have thinned the Bengals' quarterback room. He said he has no reason to believe Cincinnati is looking to trade him, and for now he is operating exactly where the team has him, as the backup quarterback and a veteran option waiting in reserve.
Flacco also said trades can still surface out of nowhere, which is part of what keeps these rumors alive even when the player involved is trying not to entertain them. A few friends had fun with the idea of a reunion with Giants head coach John Harbaugh, but Flacco made clear those whispers are not grounded in anything real, leaving the Bengals with the quieter, more awkward question of how much longer this storyline lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Enter Steelers Showdown With One Major Defensive Concern
The Bengals head into their matchup with the Steelers carrying more than the usual early-season injury unease, and the middle of their defense is the spot worth watching most closely. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and B.J. Hill have both missed multiple practices, with Allen's absence tied to load management and Hill's availability still unclear, leaving Cincinnati with some uncertainty right where Pittsburgh likes to lean on opponents.
Andrei Iosivas is also expected to land on injured reserve, which trims another option from the mix as the Bengals sort through their lineup for a game that already has a physical feel to it. On the other side, Pittsburgh has its own questions, with cornerback Joey Porter Jr. limited and possibly available, while Michael Pittman and Jaylen Warren were also limited as the Steelers wait for further evaluation heading into Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chase Could Make Bengals History In Pittsburgh
JaMarr Chase is headed into Pittsburgh with another benchmark hanging in the balance, and it is the kind of milestone that says as much about his start as a pro as it does about what the Bengals have built around him. He is fewer than 80 yards from 7,000 for his career, a total that would underscore just how quickly he has become one of the leagues most productive receivers.
If Chase gets there in his 81st game, he would move into rare company and sit fourth all-time for fewest games needed to reach the mark, ahead of Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. For Cincinnati, it is one more reminder that every trip to the field with Chase carries history-watch potential, even before the bigger questions around the season or the matchup are fully sorted out. [Read more 🡒]