The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a rough game, losing to the Los Angeles Chargers 25-10 in Week 10. That loss was Pittsburgh’s third in its last four games, making the team 5-4. Now, entering Week 11, everyone is wondering if the offense will bounce back and help the team get back on track. While Aaron Rodgers and company absolutely need to score more than 10 points moving forward, Sunday’s game will be about how well the defense plays.
The Steelers will be hosting the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11, and it will be the second matchup of the season with the 3-6 AFC North opponent. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, it lost the first meeting back in Week 7. In a Thursday Night Football thriller, the Bengals won 33-31. If the Steelers' defense doesn’t show up Sunday, the outcome could be the same.
Pittsburgh Steelers defense needs to show up against Bengals to avoid being swept
Everyone knows what Cincinnati is: a team with a productive offense and an abysmal defense. That means the Steelers will likely find their groove offensively on Sunday. If they don’t, it might be panic time in Pittsburgh, because the Bengals' defense is a get-right unit. Assuming the Steelers take advantage of the struggling group like they should, Sunday’s game will come down to how much Pittsburgh’s defense can limit the Bengals.
Slowing down Cincinnati isn’t an easy task; as long as the Bengals have a competent quarterback under center, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown will put up points. That’s exactly what the group did in the first meeting versus the Steelers. Joe Flacco completed 66% of his passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns, Chase caught 16 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown, Higgins added six receptions for 96 yards and another score, and Brown rushed for 108 yards on 11 carries.
The Steelers don’t need to shut them out and blank all these talented players, but they can’t allow them to go off as they did last time. The Bengals were 7-of-14 on third down and 1-of-1 on fourth down, posted 470 yards, and didn’t turn the ball over at all. If Pittsburgh wants to fulfill its Super Bowl aspiration, the defense has to perform at a better level. Sunday against Cincinnati will be the perfect opportunity for the group to show it’s taking steps in the right direction.