For the Pittsburgh Steelers, their "Sunday Night Football" matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 15 is about more than control of the AFC North division.
It's about proving they can be a real contender in the AFC after years of one-and-done playoff exits.
Both teams enter the the matchup with 6-2 records. One of the Steelers' wins came against these same Bengals back in Week 3, when first-year coach Mike McCarthy and Co. prevailed by a 30-27 margin at Acrisure Stadium.
The Bengals have become one of the most dominant offensive forces in the league since. They've averaged 35.75 points per game during their current four-game winning streak.
The Steelers are
on a four-game winning streak of their own, but have relied on solid defense and just enough offense to overcome the mostly unimpressive Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns.
Now fans will want to see that they can go on the road and take down a peer in front of a primetime audience.
If they do, that will foster belief that this team, led by veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, can be the first to win a playoff game for the franchise since 2017. If they lose, Steelers fans will mutter that nothing has really changed and that another early playoff exit may be the best they can hope for.
USA TODAY sports will provide live updates of the action from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Steelers vs Bengals live score
Steelers vs Bengals live updates
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steelers vs Bengals live updates: TV info, live stream, odds for Week 10 game
