The Steelers are staring at a problem that goes beyond one bad afternoon. After a 20-3 loss to the New England Patriots exposed plenty of early issues, Mike McCarthy’s team now walks into a Week 3 divisional matchup with the AFC North’s only undefeated club.
That’s a rough spot on its own. It gets worse when the opponent is the Bengals.
Cincinnati has had its own issues with Pittsburgh in recent years, but this version of the Bengals looks built to make life miserable. Since 2019, Zac Taylor has gone 6-8 overall, yet the current group brings a different kind of pressure - one that pairs a stronger defense with a Steelers offense that has done almost nothing to justify optimism.
Pittsburgh’s numbers are ugly across the board. The Steelers rank 31st in scoring at 11.5 points per game, 29th in passing at 175 yards per game, 29th in rushing at 74.5 yards per game, and second-worst in the league on third down at 20%.
That’s a brutal return for an offseason that was supposed to fix a recurring issue. McCarthy’s arrival, Aaron Rodgers’ return, and Michael Pittman Jr.’s trade were all meant to bring more points.
So far, none of it has translated.
That should be a welcome sight in Cincinnati.
The Bengals have spent the offseason reshaping their defense, starting with a major trade for Dexter Lawrence II. Cincinnati sent the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Giants for Lawrence, then locked him up with a one-year, $28 million extension through 2028. The front office also added Jonathan Allen and Boye Mafe to reinforce the defensive line.
The results are showing up already. Cincinnati is third against the run at 74.5 yards per game, tied for eighth in scoring defense at 16.5 points per game, and fifth in red-zone touchdown rate allowed at 25%. Their latest statement came against the Houston Texans, where Al Golden’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown and held Houston to 29% on third down.
That kind of performance is a bad matchup for a Steelers offense already searching for answers. If Michael Pittman Jr. can’t go after missing a game with a foot injury, Pittsburgh may again be leaning on a young receiving group to create separation against a defense that looks increasingly comfortable controlling the terms of a game.
The Steelers don’t need a masterpiece Sunday. They do need proof that this offense can respond.
Another flat showing against an undefeated division rival with Joe Burrow on the other side would leave Pittsburgh in a tough place just three weeks into the season. What should feel like a standard AFC North fight suddenly has the look of an early must-win for McCarthy’s team.
In Other News...
Steelers Blockbuster Idea Puts Joey Porter And DK Metcalf In Play
Trade chatter around Joey Porter Jr. has been building for a while, mostly because the Steelers cornerback still does not have a long-term contract in place. So far, nothing has materialized on that front, but it has not stopped outside speculation from attaching his name to bigger roster ideas as teams and analysts keep looking for ways to reshuffle assets.
One CBS Sports proposal took that a step further and framed a hypothetical Steelers-Lions blockbuster that would send Porter and DK Metcalf out of Pittsburgh along with a future fourth-rounder. In return, the Steelers would land a first-round pick and Jameson Williams, a concept that underscores how aggressively some observers view the teams options if it ever decided to turn a premium defender and a high-profile receiver into broader draft and roster flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Put Aaron Rodgers In An Uncomfortable Early Spotlight
Aaron Rodgers is already in an unusual position in Pittsburgh, and the next few weeks could make it even more complicated. With the Steelers trying to see whether this version of the roster can hold up, the veteran quarterbacks future is suddenly tied to how the season unfolds, and the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 10 hangs over everything.
Jaxson Darts season-ending surgery only adds another layer to the quarterback market, because it leaves the Giants with a need they may be more willing to address if they stay in the race. For the Steelers, that creates an uncomfortable early spotlight on Rodgers and a decision tree that could get messy fast if Pittsburghs season starts slipping in the wrong direction. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Face A Joey Porter Jr Decision That Could Change Everything
The Steelers are once again at a roster crossroads, and this one centers on Joey Porter Jr., a player they have invested in but may now be weighing in a different light. Pittsburgh is reportedly considering its options at cornerback, and the fact that a potential trade is even being discussed says plenty about how aggressively the front office could be thinking about reshaping the roster.
One speculative scenario has the Steelers sending Porter Jr., DK Metcalf and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Detroit for Jameson Williams and a 2027 first-round pick, a deal that would dramatically alter both sides of the depth chart. Nothing official has been confirmed, but the idea alone underscores how much could be in play if Pittsburgh decides to make a major move at one of its more important defensive spots. [Read more 🡒]