Even though the focus has been on Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have one more game to play this week. The stakes are also high. They are facing the Cincinnati Bengals and both teams are 6-2. The Steelers have already beaten the Bengals once this year, so they sit in first place in the AFC North. However, the Bengals can take that spot if they win on Sunday. Former NFL corner Richard Sherman also doesn’t have much confidence in Pittsburgh sweeping Cincinnati.
“It’s just hard to watch,” Sherman said of the Steelers recently on his podcast. “They find ways to win games, they’re 6-2, but it’s not a fun watch. Aaron Rodgers is going to find Darnell Washington, they’re going to spit on the field. Jaylen Warren is having a really good season, so you give him a ton of credit…I think Joe Burrow is going to be too much for this defense.
“Obviously, Pittsburgh’s pass rush is one of the best in the National Football League… But I don’t think that’s going to be enough to stop Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase and that receiving corps. They’re one of the best, if not the best receiving duo in the National Football League… Give me Cincinnati in this one by a touchdown.”
If the Bengals win this week, it will likely be a result of Burrow, Chase and Higgins overwhelming the Steelers defense. This trio has been basically unstoppable this season.
Burrow is an MVP candidate, leading the league in touchdown passes while being second in passing yards. Meanwhile, Chase and Higgins both gave opposing defenses nightmares. Chase has 53 catches for 647 yards and seven touchdowns, and Higgins has 48 catches for 758 yards and six touchdowns.
The Steelers already had issues with this trio earlier this season. Burrow threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns, Chase caught nine passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, and Higgins had six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati’s Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh.
It was an ugly game for the Steelers defense, but it says a lot that Pittsburgh was able to win this game despite Cincinnati’s offensive push. The Steelers defense has also improved since that game. He is ranked seventh in the league, allowing around 305 yards per game.
The Bengals offense could give the Steelers defense a few fits, but that’s not the only matchup in this game. Cincinnati’s defense will also have to try to stop Pittsburgh’s offense.
The Steelers have been a mess offensively in the past, but they have been better on that side of the ball this year. Specifically, Warren and the offensive line have given Pittsburgh one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL. In comparison, the Bengals’ run defense ranks 25th in the league, allowing about 126 rushing yards per game.
This game made enough of a difference for the Steelers to win in Week 3, when Warren ran for 127 yards. Although Sherman has little confidence in the Steelers, they could make this game more competitive than he thinks.
Gn sports
