First place in the AFC North is on the line Sunday night in Cincinnati. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are both 6-2, both on four-game winning streaks, and both led by quarterbacks with something to prove in November.
It is also the matchup of the season’s hottest passer against one of its stingiest defenses. Joe Burrow is the new MVP favorite. Pittsburgh’s defense ranks third in the league in touchdowns allowed, red-zone defense and run defense.
Steelers vs. Bengals: kickoff time, TV and odds
- When: Sunday, Nov. 15, 8:20 p.m. ET
- Where: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
- TV: NBC and Peacock (Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on the call)
- Line: Bengals -3.5, total 48.5 (SI)
At -180 on the moneyline, the Bengals have an implied win probability of about 64%, SI noted. Cincinnati is 2-1 at home this season.
This is also the Bengals’ annual White Bengal game, the team said. For every Week 10 kickoff, see our Week 10 schedule and TV guide.
The first meeting: Pittsburgh won 30-27
The Steelers hold the division tiebreaker right now after beating the Bengals 30-27 in Pittsburgh in Week 3.
Aaron Rodgers completed 19 of 34 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns in that game, and Jaylen Warren ran for 127 yards on 17 carries, according to Cincy Jungle. Cincinnati turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter, including a Burrow strip-sack in the final minute with the Bengals near field-goal range.
Burrow still played well that day. Pittsburgh used zone coverage on 85% of his dropbacks, and he completed 24 of 31 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown against those looks, per the Bengals’ scouting report.
Joe Burrow vs. the Steelers defense
Burrow comes in at the top of his game. He has 2,386 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions with a league-best 114.8 passer rating, according to Squawka. He is the MVP favorite at +200, SI reported.
His last outing was close to perfect: 24 of 29 for 271 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-17 win over Atlanta in Madrid. Our Bengals-Falcons recap has the details, and our MVP odds story tracks the race.
Cincinnati leads the NFL in passing yards per game (286) and third-down conversion rate (53.6%), per Squawka. Burrow is also the league’s best quarterback against zone coverage, completing 74.7% of his passes against it, according to Next Gen Stats data cited by the Bengals.
Pittsburgh is built to slow that down. The Steelers allow 1.5 touchdowns per game, a 37.5% red-zone touchdown rate and 84 rushing yards per game, all third in the NFL, according to Squawka. T.J. Watt leads the league with 7.5 sacks, Cincy Jungle noted.
Aaron Rodgers needs a bounce-back
Rodgers has been less consistent. He has completed 60.8% of his passes for 1,871 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, and his 6.9 yards per attempt are tied for fourth-lowest in the league, per the Bengals.
His last game before the bye was a struggle: 13 of 25 for 172 yards with an interception, according to Squawka.
The Steelers spread the ball around. DK Metcalf leads the team with 33 catches, with rookie Germie Bernard (32), Pat Freiermuth (25) and Warren (25) close behind, the Bengals noted. Warren also has 704 rushing yards, per Cincy Jungle, so expect Pittsburgh to lean on the run to keep Burrow on the sideline.
Rest vs. travel
Pittsburgh comes in rested off its Week 9 bye, according to NBC. Cincinnati returns from a trip to Spain, which SI called a tough turnaround on travel.
What’s at stake
The winner takes sole possession of first place in the AFC North. A Bengals win would also even the season series. A Steelers win would complete a season sweep and give Pittsburgh a one-game lead in the standings.
Both teams are chasing the 7-1 Bills for the AFC’s top seed. See our AFC playoff picture and NFL midseason report for the full race.
Sources: SI (2), Bengals.com, NBC, Cincy Jungle, Squawka
Join the conversation