When you do a record prediction for the Pittsburgh Steelers going into the season, you just assume they will split almost every game with their AFC North opponents. They did that already with the Cleveland Browns, but they still face the Ravens later in the schedule and the Cincinnati Bengals this week. It's going to be a hostile environment on Sunday, and it'll be tough to squeak out a victory.
Despite holding a 6-2 record, many are not satisfied with what they've seen from Pittsburgh's team. The Bengals are also 6-2, and this game will be massive for the outcome of the AFC North division come season's end. Although the loser of this battle is far from out of contention for winning the division, this could paint a clear picture of who the favorite will be going forward.
Many predictions are mixed going into this game.
The Bengals offense is red hot with Joe Burrow leading the way. That being said, the Black and Gold have had a week of rest and extra preparation going into this fight. The Steelers defense was on an absolute heater before the bye week hit. All of that being said, it's hard to rule out another split happening between these two after this matchup.
Still Curtain contributors predict a game that could change the Pittsburgh Steelers season
"The 6-2 Steelers visit the 6-2 Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Sunday night, with Pittsburgh coming off a 27-6 win over Cleveland and Cincinnati returning from a 34-17 win over Atlanta; both teams have won four straight. Pittsburgh’s seventh-ranked defense and strong ground game should keep it close, but the Bengals’ second-ranked scoring offense has a clear edge over the Steelers’ 17th-ranked unit." - Allison Koehler (Bengals 27-23)
"I would normally never pick the Steelers to sweep the Cincinnati Bengals when Joe Burrow is healthy... but the stars may be aligning for them to do just that this year. The Bengals are coming off an international game in Madrid, Spain. Though their Week 10 game against Pittsburgh is in Cincinnati, the Steelers are coming off the bye week and—when it's all said and done—they will have had 14 days to rest and prepare for this AFC North matchup." - Tommy Jaggi (Steelers 30-28)
"The Steelers are on quite the streak, but they have benefited from playing lackluster teams. The Bengals aren't that. I think this team comes off the bye in a bit of a slump. If they do win this game, look out, as Pittsburgh would be in a great spot for an actual playoff push." - Andrew Falce (Bengals 27-17)
"The Pittsburgh Steelers face a must-win game against a hot Joe Burrow on the road. A win is achievable, but it will require Mike McCarthy’s offense to keep pace with an MVP-caliber QB on the opposite sideline. T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith will be responsible for disrupting Cincinnati’s offense during a primetime showdown. Patrick Graham’s defense prevails, giving the Steelers sole possession of the AFC North." - Loyal Ricks Jr. (Steelers 27-25)
Final prediction has Steelers struggling to keep up with Bengals' offense
Score Prediction: Steelers 23, Bengals 29
It was a high-scoring affair between the Steelers and Cincinnati last time. The final score was 30-27, and Pittsburgh found a way to match their points. Pittsburgh holds a record of 4-1 in their previous games where they scored more than 30 points against Cincinnati. That directly shows this team having to pile up points in a hurry. Failure to get 30 points or more probably won't lead to victory.
Joe Burrow is playing great football right now, and both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are firing on all cylinders. Despite playing well recently, don't be shocked if the Black and Gold's secondary struggles against such an elite passing attack. Burrow and company are going to look for quick throws and dissect the predictable zone coverage that the Steelers deploy.
The Bengals offense should be able to move the ball pretty consistently during the contest.
Most of this game will come down to whether the Steelers offense can put up enough points to match the Bengals. It's clear that turnovers will be a massive factor, as that helped sway the first AFC North battle in their favor last time. The biggest question mark around Pittsburgh's team will be their offense. The inconsistencies of that group have negatively marked this team.
At the end of the day, it's hard to pick the Steelers to win this game on the road. Most predictions are mixed when it comes to this result, but it's hard to imagine the Bengals' offense getting stopped dead in their tracks at this point in the season. Barring some massive turnovers going in the Steelers' direction or unexpected injuries, Pittsburgh will have a tough time winning this AFC North brawl.
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