The Pittsburgh Steelers are capable of rebounding from last week’s tough loss, but it’s unclear whether they will. You truly don't know what type of team will show up for every game with Mike Tomlin leading the way this season. They might shock you and beat the Colts, or they could struggle to do anything on offense and get steamrolled against the Chargers.
Sitting at 5-4 after ten weeks of action still allows Pittsburgh to be the directors of their own destiny.
They have one of the strongest schedules to endure for the remainder of the season, which will be tough to overcome. The Baltimore Ravens are nipping at the Steelers' heels in the division standings, and their hated rivals are highly favored to overtake Pittsburgh in the AFC North pecking order.
Week 11 doesn't get any easier for Tomlin's group as they host the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s been only four weeks since the two divisional opponents faced each other. The Bengals' offense caught on fire that game and pulled off the upset. The Steelers want payback, but beating Cincinnati won’t be easy since the Bengals have weapons all over the field.
Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 11 Still Curtain predictions provide a tough outcome to pick
"The Bengals have some amount of momentum with Joe Burrow nearing a return, with the AFC North standings being what they are. They have reasons to feel confident that Pittsburgh lacks. Still, Pittsburgh is back at home, where they've generated 10 of their 16 takeaways this season. Call it hope, but Pittsburgh can't get swept by the Bengals this year, right?" - Jacob Harrison (Steelers 24-17)
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"The Steelers looked pitiful against the LA Chargers on Sunday Night Football in Week 10, but Mike Tomlin's teams have a way of bouncing back from games like this. The Bengals have the league's worst defense, and I fully expect Aaron Rodgers to have a redemption game in Week 11. Pittsburgh's defense struggled to contain Ja'Marr Chase last time around in the loss. I would expect at least some improvement in the defensive execution this time." - Tommy Jaggi (Steelers 30-27)
"It is easy to pile onto the doom and despair after the Steelers' loss to the Chargers. However, AFC North games are typically competitive, and I feel like Pittsburgh will have a better game plan this week for the Bengals. If they drop this game, we will be in trouble." - Andrew Falce (Steelers 26-20)
Final prediction believes it will be too hard for the Steelers to defend an elite offense
Final prediction: Steelers 23, Bengals 27
Logically, this is the game where the Steelers could bounce back and find a way to win after last week’s poor performance. The Steelers can’t afford to drop any more division games, especially with Baltimore still on the schedule twice before the season ends. Beating Cincinnati must happen this week, or the roster could crumble. A win here would put them back in the division race.
But Flacco remains a nightmare for Tomlin to combat.
The coach openly expressed his frustration with facing the veteran quarterback the last time these two teams met. Those words made the longtime Pittsburgh coach look foolish after the Bengals handed them a loss. The Steelers need to fix themselves, but it will be difficult with a group of players who haven't shown they can be a consistent bunch.
Either their defense is going to cause a handful of turnovers, or they will fail to get off the field and allow 30 points in a game. Their offense isn't any better as they can put up big numbers, but in recent weeks, they have struggled to move the ball at all. With a strong offense and a weak defense, the Bengals could set up a fairly even matchup against their opponent.
With how strong Cincinnati's offense has been playing since beating the Steelers last time, it's hard to imagine Pittsburgh outscoring them. Tomlin’s defense will fight harder, but they may give up a late touchdown and lose the game. There are too many inconsistencies from a week-to-week basis by the Steelers to consider making them favorites in this week's prediction.