The AFC North looks set to be one of the NFL’s best divisions again this year. It’s home to some of the NFL’s best rivalries, too. The biggest matchup is usually between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. However, the Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals have also had some classic battles over the years. Former Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson recently had some fun trying to stoke the fires of that rivalry.
“When the Steelers play the Bengals, we know what’s gonna happen,” Johnson said recently on Nightcap. “They’re still gonna get this work. I love [Darius] Slay, I love Joey Porter Jr., too. I love Jalen Ramsey.
“But when you play the Bengals, and this is to all my Steelers fans that are watching, as much as I love y’all, because I show love to you, and you show love to me, but we’re gonna get in your you-know-what. We’re gonna beat them again.”
The Steelers last played the Bengals in Week 18 last year. That game ended in heartbreaking loss for Pittsburgh. They were going through a losing streak, but their playoff spot was secure. The Bengals game presented them with an opportunity to get back on track.
Instead, they continued to look dysfunctional in a 19-17 loss. While they still had a postseason game to play, that loss felt like the final nail in the Steelers’ coffin. They went on to get crushed by the Ravens, once again failing to win a playoff game.
That’s likely left a sour taste in the Steelers’ mouths when it comes to Cincinnati. However, earlier in 2024, they beat the Bengals in a high-scoring affair. It was Pittsburgh’s best offensive game of the season, but unfortunately, it was also one of the last times that year that the entire team seemed to be on the same page.
This season, the Steelers will be looking to sweep the Bengals when the two teams meet in Week 7 and Week 11. While the Bengals’ offense has the potential to be one of the NFL’s best again, their defensive struggles might continue. That unit was often a liability last season, and they’ve been dealing with some turmoil this offseason, too.
The Steelers and Bengals will be fighting for a playoff spot in a competitive AFC this year. Both teams want to be Super Bowl contenders, so their games against each other will matter a lot. Winning the AFC North is a priority for every team in the division. Johnson believes his former team will come out on top against the Steelers, but we’ll see if they can back up his trash talk.
