Despite losing last week, many media members still believe the Pittsburgh Steelers will beat the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. That’s mostly due to how disappointing the Bengals have looked at times this year. However, their backs are up against the wall. If they lose to the Steelers, their playoffs hopes will essentially go down the drain. They’re still extremely talented, and for that reason, analyst Peter Schrager thinks they could send the Steelers home with a Sunday loss.
“Bengals, 4-7, they’re gonna be the ultimate spoiler,” Schrager said Friday during Good Morning Football. “You know they’re gonna win this game. I’ll put everything on this game. This is just what they do. Like, really Bengals? and then [Joe] Burrow is gonna throw for 400 yards and mess things up. Bengals are not going away.”
Considering the Bengals are only one game above the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North, that’s quite the declaration. Not that it is crazy. The Steelers have been better than the Bengals this year, but that doesn’t mean they’ll win this week. They did just drop a game to the Browns.
The Bengals are better than their record indicates. Burrow has been arguably the best quarterback in the NFL this season, and the Bengals’ struggles are not because of him. The Steelers has been fantastic defensively this year, but Burrow could give them their toughest day yet.
The Steelers’ pass rush might be the difference in this matchup. For as good as Burrow is, he can’t beat the Steelers if his struggling offensive line can’t protect him. T.J. Watt will likely get chipped and double-teamed at a high volume, but he will be matched up against rookie RT Amarius Mims. That’s a battle Watt should win more often than not.
It isn’t like Watt is the Steelers’ only pass rusher either. Cam Heyward seems to have found the fountain of youth. Alex Highsmith might not play this week, but Nick Herbig and Preston Smith should mitigate his absence. Larry Ogunjobi and Keeanu Benton have been solid players as well.
However, even with all of that talent, the Steelers’ defensive front looked asleep at the wheel for most of the Browns game. That cannot happen this week. Gifting Burrow a clean pocket is asking for trouble.
Schrager is clearly extremely confident in the Bengals, but things really aren’t that clear-cut. The Bengals have been a massive letdown this year while the Steelers have been one of the NFL’s biggest surprises. Many people still aren’t sure if either team is as good or bad as they look. The Steelers have stepped up in big moments, and perhaps they’ll do it again this week.
