The Cincinnati Bengals hope the second encounter with the Pittsburgh Steelers this season goes much better than the first, equating to a fourth consecutive win and keeping playoff hopes alive.
In a week-to-week league like the NFL though, the roughly month distance between matchups against the Steelers feels more like years.
Back on November 26, the Bengals took a 16-10 loss to the Steelers in the first game without Joe Burrow. Backup Jake Browning took over the same offense and struggled to just 227 yards with one score and an interception and the offense attempted just 11 rushes.
Fast forward nearly a month later, the Bengals have won three straight, with Browning throwing for 275-plus yards in each triumph and totaling seven touchdowns against two interceptions.
The complete playbook overhaul should, frankly, have head coach Zac Taylor in the Coach of the Year conversation given the way it has worked with Browning’s strengths. That includes more under-center looks and an emphasis on the running game (things Burrow’s offense might’ve installed over the summer if he hadn’t suffered the calf injury, for what it’s worth).
At the same time, the Steelers have predictably collapsed, a string of good luck despite a miserable point differential resulting in three consecutive losses to hit 7-7. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett is out and Mitchell Trubisky was benched this week in favor of Mason Rudolph, who has attempted three passes this year after none since the 2021 season.
Both teams’ defenses enter this one missing key pieces. The Bengals won’t have nose tackle DJ Reader, one of the best in the NFL in that role, which will have a profound ripple effect on the entire unit. And the Steelers won’t have star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, as well as the other starting safety.
Unfortunately for the Bengals, the injury bug hasn’t slowed, with Ja’Marr Chase out due to a shoulder injury suffered last week. It’ll be Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and the likes of Trenton Irwin tasked with working within Browning’s offense well.
This is one of those December games that will say much about where each organization stands. The Bengals have rallied despite losing a top-five passer, while the Steelers have fallen apart amid controversies. For the Bengals, the task is going on the road and not suffering an upset while standing as a get-right game for a bitter rival.
Zooming out a bit, Cincinnati’s showing last week really set the tone for the rest of the season, though. They had two games’ worth of film for opponents to use and still got the best of a solid Brian Flores-coached Minnesota defense, so Browning should be able to again move the football well enough to get a win. The bigger question might be whether a Reader-less defense can slow the Steelers’ rushing attack, though a third-string quarterback under center should make that simpler.
Look for the Bengals to play a more classical AFC North-styled game on the road, pulling away in the second half.
Prediction: Bengals 27, Steelers 17
