The Cincinnati Bengals roll into the Pittsburgh Steelers' turf this week for the final meeting between these rivals this season. Their first matchup just three weeks ago on Thursday Night Football was a wild back-and-forth battle, ending with the Bengals pulling off the upset and embarrassing the Steelers' defense.
Pittsburgh enters this game in rough form, going 1–3 over their last four and coming off an embarrassing Sunday Night loss to the Chargers. The Steelers desperately need a win as their grip on the AFC North lead hangs by a thread.
In this rematch, both teams will be without multiple defensive starters — including key players on each side of the ball. With Cincinnati already fielding the worst defense in the NFL and the Steelers’ defense being up and down lately, this one has all the makings of another shootout.
Steelers' Alex Highsmith, Bengals' Trey Hendrickson lead a growing list of players sidelined for Sunday
The Steelers will be looking for revenge against the red-hot Bengals offense, which completely shredded them in their first meeting. Pittsburgh will have to do it without two defensive starters and a key depth piece. Alex Highsmith is sidelined once again with a new pec injury that will keep him out on Sunday.
Darius Slay, who has struggled this season, remains in concussion protocol after taking a hit against the Chargers last Sunday night. Meanwhile, Cole Holcomb is out again with an illness that has caused him to miss consecutive games.
On the Bengals side, they will be without star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is sidelined with a hip injury — the same issue that kept him out of the first matchup. First-round draft pick Shemar Stewart will also miss Sunday’s game with a knee injury. For a Bengals defense already struggling, losing both starting pass rushers makes their task even tougher.
For a Steelers offense that has looked sluggish over the past two weeks, this game could be the chance to get back on track and give Aaron Rodgers a chance to bounce back after last week’s poor showing against the Chargers.
Even with these injuries on both sides, this game figures to be another high-scoring affair. The Steelers’ defense will need a key stop or turnover if Pittsburgh hopes to come out on top this time. Sunday’s matchup is huge for both teams: a Steelers win keeps them in first place in the AFC North, while a Bengals victory helps them stay afloat and keep their season alive, holding out hope for Joe Burrow’s imminent return.