You hate to think about a Week Three game as a must-win, but for the Pittsburgh Steelers, this week's showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals is about as close as they can get. The Bengals come into the game riding high at 2-0 and Pittsburgh is trying to steal the win to stay above .500. This week, it is all about the offenses so here re our big storylines to watch.
The Steelers run game is in jeopardy
Rico Dowdle is out for this week and Jaylen Warren is listed as questionable but plans to play. This means the run game could be in the hands of Warren, with an injury, journeyman Travis Homer off the practice squad and rookie Eli Heidenreich. The run game has been dreadful all season but has a chance to change that on Sunday.
Is this the week for DK Metcalf?
We keep hearing that we shouldn't panic about the fact
that DK Metcalf can't catch the football this season but it's hard not to wonder when he will break this slump. If the Steelers have any shot at upsetting the Bengals, they need Metcalf to get on track and hit for some big plays.
Offensive line changes on the way
There was no official word on if the Steelers have any new starters this week but Brock Hoffman was taking first-team reps at right guard and rookie offensive tackle Max Iheanachor says he's ready to step in at right tackle if the team needs him.
Mike McCarthy's time to shine
One of the big selling points of bringing in McCarthy over a young, more innovative offensive mind was the promise of a new and improved offense. McCarthy claims the struggles have been because it is too complex but it comes across as incredibly basic compared to other teams. This week is a huge test for the offensive guru.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers vs Bengals: 4 big storylines this week
