The Cincinnati Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a season-opening clash at Paycor Stadium on Sunday.
And while most encounters between the Bengals and Steelers have plenty of storylines worth talking about, this one feels especially notable.
The Bengals, after all, crushed the Steelers over the course of two games last year before going to the Super Bowl. And while Cincinnati did that, Pittsburgh battles the reality of a post-Ben Roethlisberger era, among other issues.
Here’s a look at some of the bigger storylines that will unfold on the field and in general for both teams when the AFC North rivals link up.
Trench battles
The Bengals are unquestionably better along the offensive line this year thanks to the additions of Ted Karras (center), Alex Cappa (right guard) and La’el Collins (right tackle). But the other is fourth-round rookie Cordell Volson (left guard), who could have a brutal welcome-to-the-NFL-rookie moment against a star like Cam Heyward. Plus, the new line didn’t have a ton of reps together this summer, so how quickly they can pull it together well could decide the game outright.
QB Shuffle
The Steelers, after hosting a quarterback battle, decided on Mitch Trubisky. But it’s one of those “first-rounders behind the starter who might be on a short leash” situations thanks to the presence of Kenny Pickett. Quietly, the Steelers have a ton of weapons around the passer, but if the Bengals can disrupt Trubisky enough, they might be able to force some really tough questions in Pittsburgh right away.
What offense necessary?
How do the Bengals move the ball in this one? In one win a year ago, Joe Burrow threw three scores and just four incompletions. In the other, he was quiet while Joe Mixon ran for 165 yards and two scores on nearly six yards per carry. The Bengals won’t mind either as long as they’re winning, but it should be interesting to see how they attack and adapt to whatever the Steelers throw out there.
Rust and conditioning
Classic Week 1 storyline right here. How well will notable Bengals play in the first game of the year, which these days looks like the fourth preseason game? It’s especially notable for that offensive line that didn’t have a lot of reps together. Similar story on defense, where Jessie Bates was a holdout and guys like Eli Apple weren’t full participants in camp. These are factors that lead to the unpredictability of Week 1 games.
Start of a trend?
The Bengals walloped the Steelers last year, putting an emphatic end to the idea they were still the lesser of two in this rivalry. And now the Steelers look to be in a rut for the time being. But Burrow and Co. won’t settle and shouldn’t — this is another chance to establish dominance where they haven’t for a long time, plus quiet any doubters about last year’s playoff run.
