The Steelers head to Cincinnati in Week 10 with a chance to grab control of the AFC North, and the setup is about as tight as it gets. Pittsburgh comes in at 6-2 after its bye, riding a four-game winning streak. The Bengals are 6-2 as well, also on a four-game run, and they’re back home after beating the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid.
There’s already a little history baked into this one, too. Pittsburgh took the first meeting between the teams this season, edging Cincinnati 30-27 in Week 3. A second win would give the Steelers the sweep and put them in sole possession of first place in the division.
For Pittsburgh, the path starts on defense, where the challenge is obvious: make Joe Burrow uncomfortable. Burrow has piled up 2,386 passing yards and 23 touchdowns in eight games, and he’s led the league in completion percentage while ranking second in passing touchdowns. He was sharp in the earlier matchup with Pittsburgh as well, going 24 of 29 for 271 yards and three scores.
The Steelers do have the kind of pass rush that can tilt a game. T.J.
Watt and Alex Highsmith headline a front that has produced 26 sacks, tied for fourth-most in the NFL entering Week 10. Pittsburgh has also given Burrow trouble before, sacking him 24 times in eight career meetings.
The key is pressure with discipline - enough heat to rattle him, not so much that Cincinnati’s receivers get loose behind it.
That matters because the Bengals can attack from everywhere. Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki have all scored at least six receiving touchdowns through Cincinnati’s first eight games.
The Bengals are also averaging 285.5 passing yards per game, the best mark in the league, and Burrow has completed 74% of his throws this season. Pittsburgh’s secondary has to stay connected, communicate cleanly and avoid giving up the easy explosive play.
The Steelers’ best counter may be to keep Cincinnati in passing situations by controlling the run game on their own side of the ball. Jaylen Warren has been one of Pittsburgh’s most productive weapons, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
In the first meeting with the Bengals, he totaled 176 yards from scrimmage. Rico Dowdle adds another option after returning from his injury absence, giving Pittsburgh more than one way to work the ground attack.
That could be a major problem for Cincinnati, which is allowing 5.0 yards per carry, the highest average in the NFL. Pittsburgh is averaging 4.9 yards per attempt, putting the Steelers among the league’s better rushing teams. If Warren and Dowdle get rolling early, Pittsburgh can chew clock, stay ahead of the chains and keep Aaron Rodgers from having to carry too much of the load.
Rodgers will still have to do his part. Through eight games, he has thrown for 1,871 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, and the Steelers will need more than the run game alone if they want to keep pace with a Cincinnati offense that can score fast. The Bengals have pressured opposing quarterbacks on 36.4% of dropbacks this season, so Pittsburgh’s line has a real job on its hands.
If the Steelers can keep Rodgers upright and give him time to work with DK Metcalf, Germie Bernard and the rest of the receiving group, they’ll give themselves a strong shot in a game with major AFC North implications.
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Cincinnati comes in with stronger postseason odds on paper, but a Steelers victory would tighten the race in a major way and leave the Bengals staring at a more complicated path forward. For Pittsburgh, the stakes are even simpler: win the game, grab the edge in the standings, and turn a crowded division chase into something that looks a lot more favorable heading into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]