Losing is never fun in the NFL. There are only 17 regular season games, and each one is extremely important. Divisional games hold even more weight. That’s why it stings so much that the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their recent game against the Cleveland Browns. It was unfortunate, but they have to learn from their mistakes this week. The Cincinnati Bengals are going to present an even greater challenge. However, former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi believes the Steelers are in a good position to win this game.
“I think this sets up perfectly for Pittsburgh,” Lombardi said Wednesday on his show, The Lombardi Line. “How don’t you take Pittsburgh, getting the two-and-a-half in this matchup? Because as good as Cincinnati’s offense is, Pittsburgh will have a game plan to stop them.”
That’s a lot of confidence from Lombardi in a team that just lost to the Browns. Maybe he has a point, though. The Bengals’ greatest strength is their offense. Joe Burrow, in particular, has been lethal this year. His team’s lack of success is not his fault, but they’ve been bad despite his efforts.
The Bengals’ defense, on the other hand, has really struggled. That gives the Steelers a realistic avenue to victory. Their greatest strength is clearly their defense. They had a less-than-stellar performance last week, but they’ve been elite for most of the season. The Bengals might find it hard to play their style of football.
If the Steelers can slow the Bengals down, they should have opportunities to score points. Russell Wilson and company haven’t been at their best over the past few weeks, but this week gives them a chance to get back on track. Against a floundering Bengals defense, it shouldn’t be impossible to move the ball.
The key for the Steelers will be to finish drives. The red zone has been their kryptonite. Their defense is great, but relying on field goals to beat the Bengals might not be wise. Protecting the ball will be important, too. Giving Burrow any extra possessions could prove fatal.
Overall, the Steelers probably aren’t as safe of a pick as Lombardi makes them seem. However, they aren’t out of luck just because the Bengals have the better quarterback. The Steelers smothered the Baltimore Ravens’ offense a few weeks ago, and they’re a better unit than the Bengals. Their styles are different, but the point stands that the Steelers’ defense is battle-tested.
