The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals will close the Week 10 Sunday slate on Sunday Night Football.
Both teams enter the day at 6-2, with the Steelers holding the division lead by way of a tiebreaker due to winning the first matchup between these teams in Week 3. Will they be able to complete the season sweep, or will the Bengals take over as the leaders in the AFC North? Our staff weighs in.
Austin Bechtold: This game could very likely be for the AFC North, despite it only being Week 10.
Joe Burrow is the NFL MVP to this point and out for revenge against the Steelers defense. Even when the Bengals are one-dimensional, they still find ways to attack opposing defenses with ease. This is going to be a close game and a good game, but I won’t punish the Steelers for losing unless they turn it over multiple times. I expect a good game from Aaron Rodgers, Jaylen Warren, and Germie Bernard to score a touchdown, but can Rodgers win a shootout against Burrow once again? I would not be stunned if the Steelers win, but very impressed and proves the team is for real. This is a key game and indicator of what the Steelers are going to be to end the season. Bengals 31, Steelers 28.
Mike Nicastro: The Steelers enter this matchup well-rested following their bye week, while the Bengals are coming off an international game in Madrid. Pittsburgh should have a freshness advantage, but it will face a difficult challenge against a Cincinnati offense that has the firepower to put up points in a hurry. If this game is anything like their first meeting, fans can expect plenty of offensive fireworks. However, Pittsburgh’s best approach should be to establish the running game early and lean heavily on Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. Controlling the clock and keeping Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ explosive offense on the sideline will be critical to the Steelers’ chances of pulling off a road victory. In their first meeting, Cincinnati made several costly mistakes that ultimately helped Pittsburgh secure the win. A special teams fumble and a late-game fumble by Burrow proved particularly damaging. The latter was forced by defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, who could potentially make his return to the lineup for this matchup. His presence would provide a boost to a Pittsburgh defense looking to disrupt Burrow and limit Cincinnati’s offensive production. Ultimately, I don’t believe the Steelers have enough offensive firepower to keep pace with the Bengals in their home stadium. Even with the benefit of extra rest, Pittsburgh will have its hands full trying to contain Cincinnati’s offense for four quarters. Bengals 27, Steelers 24.
Jason Aponte: It will be close, but the Steelers’ defense is able to stop a final attempt at a comeback on the game’s final drive to steal a close win and sweep the Bengals. Steelers 27, Bengals 24.
Ryland Bickley: This game is a tough one to call. Obviously, the Steelers have what it takes to defeat the Bengals, as evidenced by the last time these two teams met, but with both teams playing good football at this point in the season, it feels like a series that should split. Cincinnati’s offense has scored 30-plus in its last four games, with a high-flying passing attack that’s more than capable of exposing the Steelers’ secondary. However, although the Bengals defense has been more competent this year with the addition of Dexter Lawrence, Pittsburgh scored 30 points off 411 yards of offense the last time it faced the Cincinnati defense. While the score is hard to predict, offensive fireworks from both sides feel like a safe bet. Ultimately, I’ll take the Bengals in a close game as I have more trust in the offense with Burrow/Higgins/Chase to win in a shootout. Either way, this looks like a fun divisional game on paper. Bengals 31, Steelers 30.
Ryan Parish: The Steelers-Bengals first matchup marked a turning point for Pittsburgh. They changed the right side of their offensive line, they changed the run schemes they are leaning into, and have only lost once in the time since. Cincy has also been winning, though in the same ways we’re used to: airing it out with Burrow, Chase and Higgins, with a little Mike Gesicki sprinkled in. The winner of this game walks away the division leader and in the drivers seat. With a win the Steelers would have the season sweep and hold the tiebreaker over Cincy. That said, my running bit of picking against them is still working, so we shan’t be changing now. Bengals 31, Steelers 28.
Joey Bray: oey Bray: This is easily the most consequential AFC North game of the season, the Steelers and Bengals have established themselves as the healthiest and best overall teams in the division. That being said, all of the pressure is on the Bengals to avenge their Week 3 loss to the Steelers. The Steelers are 6-3 against Cincy in their last nine meetings. Both teams come into the contest riding four game win streaks. A stat that sticks out to me is that the Bengals have yet to defeat a team with a winning record this season. However, their offense has been humming, as they continue to rely on Joe Burrow who is on pace for nearly 5,000 passing yards and over 40 touchdowns. The Steelers have proven that their defense can come up in big moments to stop even the best offenses in the league like Cincy. However, with the home crowd backing them and the team playing better football than they were in Week 3, I’ll take the Bengals to get their revenge on the Steelers and take control of the AFC North. Bengals 28, Steelers 24.
Jarrett Bailey: It’s hard to see the Steelers sweeping the Bengals. Their offense is clicking at an all-time rate right now. The last time they didn’t score 30 points was Week 4, while Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins have dominated over the course of the Bengals’ last three games. If the Steelers win, it will be because they were able to put together long drives by running the ball and playing the time of possession game. Pittsburgh’s defense is good enough to keep the scoring somewhat at bay, but the Bengals win. Bengals 26, Steelers 23.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
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