The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are known to be one of the most physical matchups in football, and Week 13 isn’t going to be any different.
For the Steelers, they certainly have a lot more on the line than Cincy, but nevertheless, this game will be one of the best in Week 13. Despite Pittsburgh’s 29-14 win during their first matchup this season, do not expect this game to be any less physical than usual.
The Steelers have already started to mentally prepare for the physicality of the Bengals. This matchup has led to some of the most brutal plays the NFL has seen in recent years.
Pittsburgh left tackle, Alejandro Villanueva, brought some jokes to his interview with Teresa Varley, referring to the Bengals as the monsters from Lord of the Rings.
Alejandro Villanueva on playing the Bengals: ‘It’s like the scene in Lord of the Rings where they have to fight the huge, giant monsters. That is what playing the Bengals is. They are a very physical team, very talented up front. They always play consistently hard.'
— Teresa Varley (@Teresa_Varley) November 30, 2017
The Steelers always need to worry about the Bengals. No matter what their record is, this AFC North rivalry is one of the most hard fought in the NFL. Not that Pittsburgh isn’t going to win, but against Cincinnati, it’s going to be a tough battle.
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This is going to be good old fashioned football. This late in the season, lets hope there’s no injury issues for either team. Knowing the history of this matchup, you can never be too cautious in terms of protecting players. Don’t be surprised if this game gets scrappy, but at the same time, the refs keep the aftermath of plays to a minimum trying to stop potential fights on and off the field.