Here's What Should Scare the Bengals About the Steelers

Cincinnati’s biggest concern could be what Jaylen Warren does on the ground. The Steelers running back is averaging 5.9 yards per carry, the best mark in the NFL. The Bengals have had quite the opposite experience defending the run, allowing 5.04 yards per attempt, the most in the league, according to StatMuse. It’s a mismatch Pittsburgh will likely be keen to take advantage of.

And Warren has already shown what that could look like. He finished their Week 3 meeting with 127 rushing yards and another 49 as a receiver. He’s also gone over 100 rushing yards in two of his last three games against Cincinnati. So the Bengals have more than enough reason to be concerned about facing him again.

The problem gets bigger when you consider Cincinnati’s struggles against runs to the outside. Defensive coordinator Al Golden has acknowledged that weakness, and Pittsburgh has a running back who can make the most of it.

Warren’s strength makes him difficult to bring down in space, giving the Steelers a good reason to attack the edges. It worked in their previous meeting, too. One of Warren’s runs helped put Pittsburgh in position to kick the game-winning field goal in Week 3.

T.J. Watt and Co. Could Make or Break the Bengals’ Night

Joe Burrow knows how difficult it can be to play against Pittsburgh’s defense. The Steelers have already recorded 26 sacks this season, tying for the fourth-most in the NFL. T.J. Watt leads the way with 7.5, while Alex Highsmith has made life uncomfortable for quarterbacks with 30 pressures.

Burrow has struggled against this pass rush in the past, too. He’s been sacked 24 times in eight career meetings with Pittsburgh. The Steelers only got to the Bengals QB once in their first meeting this season.

But they made that one sack count. With less than a minute left on the clock, Derrick Harmon brought Burrow down and forced a fumble. Pittsburgh recovered, setting itself up to finish off the 30-27 victory.

Harmon has been on injured reserve since then, but he’s back at practice and could return for Sunday’s game. That would give the Steelers another boost up front. The Bengals will need to do a better job of protecting Burrow this time around, especially if Pittsburgh’s pass rush gets another chance to make a late impact.

The Steelers Have Had More Time to Prepare for Cincinnati

It’s not exactly a scare, but it could still derail the Bengals’ plan to grab the AFC North’s top spot. Cincinnati is coming off an international game in Madrid and heading straight into its Week 10 matchup. The Steelers, on the other hand, had a bye week, which means they have had more time to prepare for the game.

There’s also an interesting stat working in Pittsburgh’s favor. The Associated Press reported that teams coming off a bye are 5-0 against opponents who played an international game the previous week. 

Pittsburgh is in the same position for the second straight year, having had a bye before facing a team returning from a European game. The Bengals will have to see whether that extra rest makes a difference on Sunday.