The Steelers and Bengals enter this Week 13 contest after some extra rest. Pittsburgh is coming off a loss to the Browns on Thursday Night Football, while Cincinnati is returning from a bye week. Before that, they suffered a troublesome loss on the road against the Chargers. Please make no mistake about the record difference in this contest, because it will be an uphill battle for the Steelers.
There are plenty of things the black and gold need to solidify if they want to win this game. Russell Wilson and the offensive line need to find ways to give him more time to throw the football and refuse turnovers. They also need to find a way to get back to running the ball more effectively. Their defense has to get T.J. Watt involved at some capacity because opposing teams have taken him out.
Cincinnati might have an average record, but their offense can still produce plenty of points. Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase have been electric. They couple that with some other explosive weapons on offense.
The Bengals have a nice complimentary running back, but their offensive line has shown signs of struggle. When it comes to the Bengal's defense, well they have allowed plenty of points this year.
Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati Week 13 prediction: Steelers 21, Bengals 26
When you break down these two teams, it should be a tough battle on both sides. Cincinnati loves to throw the football and Pittsburgh's secondary has become too inconsistent to believe they can handle Burrow slinging the ball for an entire game. There are a couple of ways this contest could change the tide toward victory for Pittsburgh, but it is going to be tricky.
Playing three AFC North games in a row will be difficult, but both teams getting extra rest heading into this contest should cancel each other out. It's been pretty average when you look at Burrow's record when he goes up against the Steelers no matter if it's in Cincinnati or Pittsburgh. These are two completely different types of teams entering the game, and the away club must slow Burrow down.
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If they can find ways of pressing Burrow and baiting him into bad situations to cause an interception or two, then the black and gold will be in this game. Their offense led by Wilson and hopefully, a quality rushing attack could limit Burrow's chances on the field. Wilson and company cannot afford costly turnovers. This is a good opportunity for the Steelers offense to turn things around after two subpar outings.
When you look at this matchup, it is hard to not side with the better quarterback. Pittsburgh's secondary has shown plenty of struggles in recent weeks, and that will be exploited. It should be a good game, but the Steelers' offense won't be able to keep up with the Bengals passing attack. It could get ugly if they get down by two scores or more early in this game.