Steelers vs. Bengals: Who the experts are taking in Week 3

The Steelers open their 2021 AFC North play against the Bengals at Heinz Field, with the home team being favored. 

It is going to be another test for the Steelers as they open their AFC North schedule against a rebuilding Bengals team. These cats from Cincinnati might be building up still but they have some very talented players. Their offense has significant weapons across the field. Their quarterback, Joe Burrow is the real deal and will cause issues for defenses every week in the NFL. He has a top-tier receiver group as well that consists of Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and Ja’Marr Chase. Those three make a strong group that can get after a beat-up secondary as the black and gold will likely have for another week.

The struggle that the black and orange striped team holds is with their offensive line and bland defense. They have some solid players for their defense like Jessie Bates III but other than him, they lack a dynamic player. Their front that protects Burrow could become a big issue for this team throughout the season and it will cost them games.

Pittsburgh enters this game after being upset by the Las Vegas Raiders in their home opener. It saw even more injuries pile up for this club. That is going to be a major issue going forward for the outcome of this game. The Steelers need players back now and if some of these players miss time, then this will be a very tough game for the home team to emerge victorious from. T.J. Watt, Joe Haden, Alex Highsmith, Devin Bush, and Ben Roethlisberger are just some of the names to watch as we get closer to this game. If the majority of those players are missing come Sunday, then the Bengals might want to be favored in this matchup.