Steelers Scouting Report: Cincinnati Bengals, Week 11

Steel City Underground scouts the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponents each week of the 2025 NFL regular season ahead of the games to preview the upcoming matchup with a focus on key players, potential outcomes, news, and the latest social media chatter.

For fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the upcoming NFL Week 11 divisional rematch may be making them feel a bit uneasy. When the two teams met in Week 7, the Cincinnati Bengals edged the Steelers, 33-31, at home. This weekend, the struggling Bengals may feel they have the Steelers figured out a bit, but there are plenty of factors that could send them back to Cincy without a win, having split the series with their rivals.

Rivalry part two

After a bye in Week 10, Cincinnati comes off consecutive losses and enters this weekend’s matchup with much to fix — and something to prove. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is eager to reclaim its footing and fend off the Bengals in a familiar rivalry that has recently swung Cincinnati’s way.

Both teams seek to climb higher in the AFC standings, which means this Sunday’s game is once again expected to be competitive. Records aside, neither the Bengals or Steelers enter this game standing on firm ground. And the AFC North is not yet owned due to the recent improvement by the Baltimore Ravens.

The Bengals’ last two outings exposed persistent flaws. In Week 8, the Bengals became the first team to be defeated by the New York Jets this season; they lost by a single point. In Week 9, Cincinnati fell to the Chicago Bears in a wild 47-42 loss after the defense surrendered 576 total yards to Chicago’s offense. As a result, the team entered its bye week at 3-6.

Running back Chase Brown allowed frustration to run over after the loss to Chicago, saying the team needed to “finish the (expletive) game” and expressed that the defense had not gotten the stop that would have secured victory. Brown’s comments led head coach Zac Taylor to explain to the media, “That’s not how we want to react… And one of our best players, one of our most high-character players, I think in a moment of frustration, said that. I don’t expect that to happen again.”

Unbalanced production

Despite their offense producing high point totals in recent games – the Bengals have scored 33, 38 and 42 points in their last three contests – their defense has had lapses. The inability to close-out games has largely overshadowed the performance of the offense. The Cincy defense has been hit hard – bleeding yardage, allowing big plays, and failing to make timely stops.

Cincinnati remains dangerous offensively. With veteran quarterback Joe Flacco leading the charge, the Bengals have shown they can move the ball and light up the scoreboard. Flacco did show up on the injury report on Wednesday (right shoulder, DNP) while Joe Burrow has been working his way back, but it is expected that Flacco will start on Sunday.

“I’m just worried about doing my job. And this week’s that’s going out and playing against Pittsburgh.” – Joe Flacco to Cincinnati.com

The Steelers, who handled the high-powered Indianapolis Colts offense yet couldn’t outlast the Los Angeles Chargers, have had a carousel of personnel in their defensive backfield due to injuries and poor play. In the last meeting between these two teams, Pittsburgh could not keep Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase from making catch after catch against them. Pittsburgh’s defense may have just gotten a boost by signing Asante Samuel Jr. after adding Kyle Dugger onto the roster, but can they help the team rebound from allowing around 28.25 points per game in their last four games, or will Chase and Flacco have their number again this week?