Pittsburgh (8-3) at Cincinnati (4-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM NFL Odds: Bengals by 2 1/2.
Against the spread: Steelers 8-3, Bengals 6-5.
Series record: Steelers lead 70-39.
Last meeting: Steelers beat Bengals 34-11 on Dec. 23, 2023, at Pittsburgh.
Last week: Steelers lost to Browns 24-19, Bengals lost to Chargers 34-27.
Steelers offense: overall (18), rush (8), pass (26), scoring (14).
Steelers defense: overall (9), rush (4), pass (17), scoring (4).
Bengals offense: overall (9), rush (27), pass (1), scoring (6).
Bengals defense: overall (23), rush (21), pass (23), scoring (28).
Turnover differential: Steelers: plus-13, Bengals: plus-1.
LB TJ Watt. The perennial All-Pro has endured a quieter-than-usual stretch in recent weeks. He was held without a tackle or a sack in a win over Washington on Nov. 10 and did little in a loss to the Browns last week. Having longtime running mate Alex Highsmith out with an ankle injury hasn't helped because it allows teams to send plenty of extra help to whichever offensive tackle is tasked with slowing down Watt. There's also this: Watt's 12 career sacks against the Bengals are five fewer than he's managed against Pittsburgh's other two AFC North rivals.
Despite Cincinnati's woes, quarterback Joe Burrow is having an outstanding season. Still not completely recovered from surgery on his throwing hand, Burrow has 3,028 passing yards and 27 touchdowns on the season.
Burrow vs. Steelers secondary. Burrow has been great lately, connecting with his two top receivers, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. They will test the Steelers outstanding defensive backs, who likely will double-team Chase.
Steelers: Highsmith (ankle) could return after missing the past two games with an ankle injury. Highsmith sat out three games earlier in the season with a groin issue. Pittsburgh is 6-0 when Highsmith plays and 2-3 when he doesn't.
Bengals: DT Sheldon Rankins has a viral illness and is day to day.
The Steelers won 11 in a row from 2015 to 2020. Since then, the Steelers have a 4-3 advantage. The longtime divisional rivals faced each other for the first time in 1970, with Pittsburgh prevailing 21-10. The Steelers swept the series in 2023 as the Bengals missed the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
The Steelers, looking to avoid their second losing streak of the season, are 9-1 in their past 10 games the week after playing on Thursday night. Two of those wins have come against Cincinnati (2012, 2019). ... A victory would assure the Steelers of finishing with a record of .500 or better for a 21st straight season, tying the longest such streak since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger (Dallas Cowboys 1965-85). ... Pittsburgh's red zone offense has had trouble producing touchdowns of late. The Steelers are 30th in the league in red zone rate (44.7%), with most of the dip coming since Russell Wilson became the starting quarterback in Week 7. ... Wilson and Justin Fields have done a good job of taking care of the ball. Pittsburgh's three interceptions are the fewest by the franchise through 11 games since 1970. ... Pittsburgh's plus-13 turnover margin is second in the NFL behind Buffalo (plus-14) entering Week 13. ... The Steelers have thrived late in the season under coach Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh's .631 winning percentage in games played in November and December since 2007 is second in the NFL behind New England (.676). ... Pittsburgh WR George Pickens is averaging 14.9 yards per reception, the third-highest in the league among players with at least 50 catches. Pickens' 12 grabs of at least 25 yards is tied for first in the league with Minnesota star Justin Jefferson. ... Steelers kicker Chris Boswell has been almost automatic in his career against the Bengals. Boswell has connected on 45 of 47 field-goal attempts (95.7%) in his career vs. Cincinnati, including 30 of 31 (96.8%) at Paycor Stadium. ... Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase has 73 catches, 1,056 receiving yards and 12 TDs. ... Against the Chargers on Nov. 17, Cincinnati rallied from a 21-point deficit in the second half, only to allow an 84-yard touchdown drive in the final minute. ... The Bengals have yet to beat a team with a winning record this season. ... Six of the Bengals’ seven losses have been by one score. Five losses were by six points or fewer. ... Bengals K Evan McPherson missed two second-half field goals that would have given the Bengals a lead over the Chargers. ... McPherson this season has a career-low field goal rate of 71.4 percent (15 for 21). ... Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson leads the NFL with 11 1/2 sacks going into Week 13.
After missing three games, Higgins was excellent against the Chargers with nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. With Chase regularly double-teamed, Higgins should get more chances.
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