The Pittsburgh Steelers will look to rebound after another tough loss that left the experts losing favor with them.
It was another tough loss that this team had last week. The Steelers were able to rally and come back into a game that saw them without impact players in the lineup. They battled hard but their efforts were not enough as they fell to the LA Chargers under the lights.
The toughest part of that game was the fact those players out of the lineup would have made this game into something completely different. Having those defensive starters playing would have halted the Chargers from getting anywhere near 40 points or more. There is no pity in the NFL and the fact this team also came back and beat LA with half their defense being bottom-tier guys, that speaks volumes.
Now the black and gold will stick to the road as they get ready for their biggest game of the season. They will take on the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in this tough AFC North matchup. This division is super close and this game will be huge for the Steelers later in the year if they hope to make the playoffs.
The Bengals came into Heinz Field earlier in the schedule and beat the home club easily as they controlled the game. Both teams have gone through a lot of ups and downs since then. Cincinnati has not been playing their best football as of late, besides their dominant win this past weekend. Pittsburgh has been sliding these past two weeks but has played some decent football when they’re healthy.
This week seems like a potential comeback game for the likes of Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joe Haden, and T.J. Watt. If all three of those players return then this will be a closer game than many might predict. This defense should return to form and help the Steel City get a chance to win this ball game.
Steelers vs Bengals: Who the experts are picking in week 12?
The experts have submitted their picks for this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend and many are conflicted on who to pick. It should be a close game based on these experts’ predictions. These picks come from sites like sportingnews.com, nflspinzone.com, and profootballnetwork.com.
Sporting News
This expert has the Steelers winning the game by a score of 28-24. They recognize that this game could easily go in the Bengal’s favor, especially if the visiting club is without their major defensive contributors again. They just don’t think that Cincinnati will be able to sweep the series since they haven’t been able to since 2009.
NFL Spin Zone
NFL Spin Zone made a pick for each game this week, including this AFC North matchup. They have the home squad in this one winning 37-34. This expert compares the two teams and how both have shown great moments in 2021 and some bad times as well.
They believe that the Pittsburgh defense will struggle like last week but they failed to take into consideration the potential addition of major players coming back into the fold.
Pro Football Network
Pro Football Network is last upon the prediction board. They have the Steelers winning this game by a score of 23-20. That is a lower score than many would expect after the black and gold just let up a ton of points.
They believe this game could go either way but ultimately this should be a very close game that comes down to the wire. The Steelers should be the hungrier team as their backs are up against the wall more.
Final Prediction: Steelers 26, Bengals 24
This is going to be an extremely close game on Sunday. The Steelers need to come out and play their best football as their potential playoff hopes could dwindle with a loss here. This road game will be the biggest one on the schedule in 2021 to date.
The Bengals came into Heinz Field and embarrassed this Pittsburgh team in September. Lots of changes have occurred to both clubs since then. The Steel City has not forgotten what happened on that day and they will try to repay the favor this weekend.
Cincinnati will score points on offense with their electric young players all over the field. The challenge will be to limit those explosive plays and cause turnovers. The potential return of major defensive starters will be the main factor heading into this one.
If T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Joe Haden are full-go in this game then the away club should feel more comfortable heading into gameday. It is going to be a tough AFC North fight but the Steelers have it in them to overcome the odds. Experts have them winning and they should have a chance to come back home with a win as long as everything goes to plan.
The Steelers will fight for a victory in enemy territory in a huge road game. This AFC North matchup might be the toughest one of the season.