Steelers' Secondary Faces Huge Challenge Sunday Night

The Pittsburgh Steelers are finally set to get back on the field following their bye week. They have a chance to put themselves in the driver's seat in the AFC North division. Their matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals will present a big challenge, especially for the defense. Quarterback Joe Burrow has been red hot in recent weeks and will challenge the secondary. Cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Asante Samuel Jr. will have a tall task as they defend wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

On Friday, team insider Mark Kaboly specifically mentioned them as two players to watch on defense in the divisional showdown.

The defense, under the leadership of Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, has been a strong unit through eight games in 2026. They are currently third in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing just 83.9 yards per game. They are also in the top-10 in total defense. The one weakness, to an otherwise great showing so far this year, is that it is 16th in the NFL in passing defense.

On Friday, Kaboly appeared on 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh to discuss the upcoming matchup. The receiving duo of Cincinnati was mentioned as a big factor in the matchup and he posed a big challenge to the Steelers' secondary. Kaboly specifically mentioned Dean and Samuel as two players who will be tested.

“It’s their biggest question mark heading into this game," Kaboly said. "Let’s see if Asante Samuel Jr and Jamel Dean can hold their own.”

The front seven on defense has been a strong group all year long, which includes star edge rusher TJ Watt. They could assist in negating the passing game for Burrow and the Bengals if they are able to get pressure on him early and often. 

However, he has been on fire the last month and can also get the ball out quickly to offset that pass rush for Pittsburgh. That is where the veteran Dean and his teammate Samuel will need to answer the call if they are going to win this huge battle.

When the Steelers played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dean's former team, he had a significant impact on the outcome of that matchup. The veteran was able to snag an interception that happened to go for a 40-yard return, as he was tackled down inside in the red zone to set up the offense. 

He was one of several signings from the offseason by the front office and is having a solid year at cornerback. They will also need a strong performance from Samuel, who recently mentioned a past matchup against Higgins when the team took on the Bengals.

Steelers Defense Has Huge Chance To Prove Themselves In Divisional Showdown

The Steelers now have a big chance to make a few statements as they get into the stretch run of their schedule. The start of that is on Sunday night. They also have matchups against likely playoff teams in the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars coming up. 

Higgins will be a huge challenge on Sunday, as he already has 758 receiving yards and six touchdowns on the year for Cincinnati. His counterpart Chase already has 647 yards receiving yards this season as well, as seven receiving touchdowns. Graham's group has a chance in front of them to contain two phenomenal receivers and also position the team very well as they look towards the rest of the year and the postseason.

Burrow is always going to be someone that is in NFL MVP talks with this year being no different. However, over the last month, he has found a way to take his game to even greater heights especially with throwing the ball to Chase and Higgins. 

The Steelers are looking for the season sweep to eliminate any head-to-head tiebreakers between the two franchises this season. If they are going to earn that sweep, their secondary will have to answer the call on Sunday night.