After suffering their third consecutive embarrassing loss, the Steelers now face a pivotal moment in their season. The most recent defeat, a Christmas Day drubbing by the Kansas City Chiefs, has only heightened concerns.
A fourth straight loss heading into the playoffs would be a severe blow to team morale and could force them into a difficult road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. However, a win over the Bengals this Saturday could shift their trajectory, potentially setting up a more favorable playoff game against the Houston Texans.
Beating the Bengals won’t be an easy task. Cincinnati is riding high with four straight wins, fueled by a red-hot offense and postseason aspirations of their own. Meanwhile, the Steelers seem to be reeling, struggling to recapture the form that made them a contender earlier in the season. This matchup pits a desperate Bengals squad playing their best football against a Steelers team in dire need of a reset.
For Pittsburgh to regain its footing and overcome the Bengals, they must execute these three critical keys to win.
Steelers must win the turnover battle
Turnovers have plagued the Steelers' offense in the past two games, while the defense has struggled to generate takeaways to balance the scales. This overreliance on turnovers to dictate outcomes is a risky and unsustainable strategy. If the offense continues to give the ball away without the defense compensating by forcing turnovers, the likelihood of losing games increases significantly.
Leaning so heavily on splash plays creates a precarious situation, as the Steelers depend on game-changing moments rather than consistent execution. In their first matchup against the Bengals, a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, which turned the tide in their favor.
To stop the Bengals this time, the Steelers need to protect the football, limit extra possessions for Cincinnati, and create opportunities for their own offense to put up points. Without these adjustments, their current approach could spell trouble moving forward.
Backend communication issues require immediate attention
The Steelers' defensive struggles have been a hot topic this past week, as the unit has completely unraveled in recent games. Big plays and communication breakdowns have repeatedly led to touchdowns, exposing glaring issues that need immediate attention.
After the blowout loss to the Chiefs, it’s clear that players and coaches alike have made defensive adjustments a top priority. Early reports suggest progress, with efforts to address these issues ahead of the upcoming matchup against Cincinnati.
However, whether those fixes hold up remains to be seen. The stakes couldn’t be higher: not only must the defense contain Joe Burrow and his nearly unstoppable offense, but the playoffs loom just a week away.
If these problems persist, another blowout loss on Saturday could lead to an early playoff exit—a painful scenario Steelers fans have witnessed too often in recent years. It’s Week 18, and these are issues that should have been ironed out earlier in the season. That they’re still plaguing the team now is a troubling sign.
The clock is ticking for the defense to step up—or risk watching another season end in disappointment.
Russell Wilson needs to play much better
The past three weeks have been tough for Russell Wilson. After showing promise in his initial starts, his performance has been one of the main factors behind the offense's recent struggles. Yes, these games were against the top three teams in the league, and two out of the three came without your best offensive weapon, but Wilson hasn't exactly helped his case either.
If he wants to secure a significant payday this offseason, he needs to step up when the pressure is on, particularly this Saturday and in the playoffs. He’ll have to prove he’s worth the investment for Pittsburgh. As of now, there's no way I'd be willing to pay close to $40 million for Wilson based on his recent play.
This upcoming game against the Bengals will likely be another high-scoring affair, and we'll see if he can deliver once again. But if this team is serious about a playoff run, Wilson needs to break out of this slump.