(Photo: Peacock)
AFC Game Of The Week
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals
Steelers (6-2):
In an AFC featuring the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Kansas City Chiefs, they have quietly gone about their business and flown under the radar somewhat. However, everyone still knows about the Black and Yellow. Prior to their bye week, they faced the Cleveland Browns in a huge AFC North showdown, and to me, that was their best all-around performance of the season, as both sides of the football complemented one another. Let me start with the offense. I’ve said this several times on this site, on Monday Evening Quarterback, and on The Prime: whenever I think of Pittsburgh Steelers football, I automatically think of their running game and how they’re able to control the line of scrimmage in that aspect of the game. Over the last few years, they’ve struggled to maintain a consistent ground attack. I remember that, a few years before Ben Roethlisberger retired, their equivalent of a running game was the short passing attack. I also remember saying that their offensive line wasn’t built to run-block. In that game against Cleveland, however, the running game was absolutely phenomenal, as they finished with 200 rushing yards! On the other side of the ball, the defense was absolutely overwhelming, and T.J. Watt deserves some love in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. What’s gotten them to 6-2 has been their defense, which remains among the best in the league. I also like that they’re not expecting Aaron Rodgers to come in and bail them out every single time. On Sunday night, they return to the field following their bye week for a showdown in Cincinnati.
Bengals (6-2):
Entering the season, I was high on this team and labeled them my sleeper pick. Do you remember that? I immediately noticed the impact Dexter Lawrence was having, but since then, I’ve come to realize that the defense remains the glaring weakness and could ultimately be the reason they fail to advance in the playoffs come January. What’s kept them afloat has been their offense, without question, and Joe Burrow, at this moment, is my pick for league MVP. He’s been on an absolute tear this season, and we’ve seen just how differently the Bengals perform when he’s not on the field compared to when he’s available. Joe has distributed the football exceptionally well, and in turn, that makes this offense incredibly difficult to defend. Then, of course, there’s Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who are, in my opinion, the best wide receiver tandem in the league, and I don’t even think it’s particularly close at this point. Outside of the skill positions, I’ve been incredibly impressed with the Cincinnati offensive line, which has received its fair share of criticism over the years for inconsistent play and, at times, its inability to protect the quarterback. I’m liking what I’ve seen from Amarius Mims in protecting number 9’s blind side. This is worth noting because Burrow’s effectiveness depends heavily on having enough time to operate from the pocket. I will say that their defense has improved, and they’ve shown flashes of what they’re capable of at times. I wouldn’t necessarily label them as dominant, but they have demonstrated that they can complement an explosive offense. It’s Week 10, and the Bengals return to the States following their international trip for a huge divisional showdown on Sunday night.
Steelers X-Factor: Rico Dowdle
The Steelers have gone back to who they are: a team that wants to establish the run. I remember when they signed Rico in the offseason, and I remember saying that this could work and pay off if they committed to it. It’s that simple. What I like is that he brings a different element to the offense than Jaylen Warren. Rico is more of a physical, downhill runner who can absorb contact and continue moving forward. He’s also comfortable handling the ball early in the down and can contribute as a receiver in the passing game. This is a Cincinnati run defense that has allowed five yards per carry, and I’d expect the Steelers to exploit that weakness even further.
Bengals X-Factor: B.J. Hill
This is the benefit of playing alongside a guy like Dexter Lawrence because he does all the dirty work and commands double-teams, and sometimes even triple-teams, which allows the players around him to make plays on the ball more freely. I’ll also say this: You can’t double-team everyone! This is where B.J. comes into the picture. He could help limit any rushing attempts the Steelers make in this game. If he can control the interior, Pittsburgh could lose its ability to establish a physical running game, potentially becoming a one-dimensional offense and putting pressure on Aaron Rodgers to take matters into his own hands. B.J. will also be a key factor in attempting to contain the speedy Jaylen Warren, who’s particularly dangerous when he gets into space.
Final Thoughts:
Over the years, I’ve always thought this matchup could be just as intense as Steelers-Ravens. There’s a common dislike between these teams, and on Sunday night, they’ll battle for first place in the AFC North. When they first met in Week 3, it was a back-and-forth affair that the Steelers ultimately won. Pittsburgh came away with that victory because of a crucial defensive takeaway. The Steelers must establish both Dowdle and Warren to set the tone and show the Bengals what type of game this will be. Allow Aaron Rodgers to be efficient, not spectacular. They don’t need him throwing the ball 40 times in this game. He just needs to get rid of the ball quickly, capitalize on play-action opportunities, and, most importantly, take care of the football. Defensively, they must apply pressure to Burrow and avoid allowing him to sit comfortably in the pocket. Make him use his mobility and force him to make throws on the run. The Bengals, meanwhile, must allow Hill to control the interior of the defensive line and make these Steelers running backs work for every yard. Offensively, they need to attack Pittsburgh’s zone scheme. Pittsburgh runs zone coverage on 84 percent of its defensive dropbacks, which means I’d look to attack with crossing routes, Higgins over the middle, and Ja’Marr on screens and quick slants. The final, yet most important, key for the Bengals is keeping Burrow upright and protecting him against a Pittsburgh defense that will relentlessly pursue him.
