As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, scouting the Cincinnati Bengals.
*Important note. For today’s report, we’ll be doing things a little differently. Because the Steelers played the Bengals earlier this year, we’ll have a more abridged version that focuses on the Week 13 game. So this report will be laid out a bit differently and provide a more focus analysis since overall scheme and individual are similar.
Alex’s Schematic Report
Bengals’ Run Defense
Off the top, the Bengals’ defense has tightened up since their 44-38 loss to the Steelers. We’ll touch on stats below but it’s an important headline note leading into this game.
Some personnel notes. He didn’t play in the first game, but LB Logan Wilson remains out. That’s put Germaine Pratt and especially Akeem Davis-Gaither into more prominent roles. Since Wilson’s injury, Davis-Gaither has logged 98 percent in four of the last five games.
Against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati consistently used its five-down front of five defensive linemen whenever the Steelers trotted out 13 personnel.
The Steelers smartly didn’t run their head into the wall. Instead, with aid of Russell Wilson’s checks at the line, they utilized play-action and screens off it to counter.
Beyond that, they mostly played two-gap and stuffed the run.
If I’m Pittsburgh, the first personnel grouping I’m coming out with Saturday night is 13 to see if Cincinnati again comes out in their five-down look. If they don’t, run on it. If they do, use the same plan as before to win.
To hammer home their improvement. In the four games since losing to the Steelers, the Bengals have allowed just 77 total points. That’s tied 12th-fewest over that span. And on a per game basis, they slide up to top 10, allowing just 19.3 PPG.
Cincinnati has allowed under 350 yards to offenses in three of their last four games. In their first 12, including to Pittsburgh, they have up at least 350 seven times.
Bengals’ Pass Defense
Improvement here, too, though there’s been injuries impacting the group. DE Trey Hendrickson continues to pace the league in sacks with 14, tied with Myles Garrett for the NFL’s top spot. He has at least a half-sack in three of the last four games.
S Geno Stone is also paying off as an impact free agent. He picked off passes in three-straight games after playing Pittsburgh and now has four on the season. The defense as a whole found their knack in taking the football away. From Weeks 14-17, their 12 takeaways are No. 1 in the entire NFL. Pretty impressive.
One clear trend from the Steelers-Bengals game. Cincinnati played a ton of Cover 2 against Pittsburgh’s 2×2 formations. A consistent check for them, and because of how much depth the MIKE got, it created easy checkdown opportunities to the Steelers’ backs underneath. Those came on early downs.
On third downs, they played more quarters and three-deep shells, tending to blitz. NCB Mike Hilton blitzed from the field/open side twice on third-and-long.
In the two-minute drill Pittsburgh ran, Cincinnati came out playing Cover 2. Once the Steelers crossed midfield, the Bengals came out in a more aggressive posture, showing Cover 0 looks and more blitzes. Some were bluffed. But they also used more post-rotation with a safety buzzing down instead of playing deep-half.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
For the second time in a little over a month, the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to face the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game of the regular season.
The last time these two teams met, it ended up becoming a wild shootout in which Pittsburgh prevailed as the victor, winning 44-38 in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati’s defense made a splash early in the contest as CB No. 29 Cam Taylor-Britt picked off QB Russell Wilson on a pass intended for WR George Pickens on Pittsburgh’s first possession of the game, taking it back 51 yards to the house for the defensive score.
Taylor-Britt finished the game with seven total tackles (four solo), one pass deflection, and one interception returned for a touchdown.
However, Pittsburgh got their passing offense going after the mishap on their first possession as Wilson completed 29-of-38 passes for 414 yards and three passing touchdowns. Cincinnati’s pass defense allowed 14.3 yards before completion with 10 players catching a pass for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh did a good job protecting Wilson in the pocket against the Bengals, allowing just two sacks, but did allow nine quarterback hits in the contest. Star pass rusher No. 91 Trey Hendrickson was held to just one tackle and one quarterback hit during the contest as Pittsburgh did a good job neutralizing Cincinnati’s best pass rusher.
Cincinnati’s two sacks came from EDGE No. 58 Joseph Ossai and DL No. 92 B.J. Hill. Hill was fifth on the team in total stops on the day (six), including three solo stops, two tackles for loss, a sack, and two quarterback hits. He proved to be a handful for Pittsburgh’s rookie along the interior of the offensive line and is a name to circle in the rematch.
LB No. 57 Germaine Pratt and LB No. 59 Akeem Davis-Gaither led the way for the Bengals’ defense in tackles, each totaling 13 stops. Davis-Gaither stepped in for LB No. 55 Logan Wilson who was placed on IR prior to their first meeting with Pittsburgh due to a knee injury, ending his 2024 season after having a procedure done on his knee.
Cincinnati will also be without EDGE No. 94 Sam Hubbard who injured his knee against the Tennessee Titans after catching a touchdown on a goal line package, forcing Ossai and EDGE No. 99 Myles Murphy into more playing time.
Cincinnati’s defense allowed 110 rushing yards the last time these two saw each other on the field, surrendering a 4.2 yards per carry average on 26 rush attempts. RB Najee Harris found the end zone against Cincinnati, leading the way with 75 yards and 16 carries.
For the season, the Bengals have had issues keeping a lid on opposing offenses, ranking 29th in the NFL in points allowed. They are currently 24th in the league against the pass and 21st in the league against the run. Since their last game against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati has allowed 20 or more points in all but one contest, holding the Cleveland Browns to 6 points back in Week 16.
Given Pittsburgh’s recent struggles on offense and Cincinnati being banged up on defense coming into the finale, the Steelers will have a chance to get their offense going in the season finale and can eliminate Cincinnati from postseason contention with a win at home on Saturday.
