W2L4: How Bengals Keep Their Roll Going In Pittsburgh, Make Merry For The Holidays

Bengals (8-6) at Steelers (7-7), Saturday, Dec. 23 at Acrisure Stadium (natural grass), 4:30 p.m. ET, TV: Peacock, NBC (National), WLWT-TV Ch. 5 (Cincinnati), Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tappen. Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham. 700 WLW-AM, WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), ESPN1530. National: Westwood One: Mike Watts, Mike Mayock.

CINCINNATI — The playoffs start now.

No, not officially of course, but for all intents and purposes, the winner Saturday in Pittsburgh can gear up for a meaningful last two weeks with some real hope for the postseason.

The loser is in deep, deep trouble and will most likely be done after Jan. 7.

There will be a definitive playoff feel in the air when the surging Bengals visit the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday.

Much has changed since the Steelers (7-7) held on for a 16-10 win over the Bengals (8-6) in Cincinnati on Nov. 26, and dropped the Bengals to 0-4 in the AFC North.

“I never really look at it like that. We’re looking at it like we got to get this one regardless of who it is because our backs are against the wall as well,” said Pittsburgh native Tyler Boyd. “Going to Pittsburgh and the city and environment like that, I mean it’s going to mean a lot because it’s a divisional opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. But we’re the Cincinnati Bengals and teams are aiming for us, too. And at the end of the day, we they got to play us.”

The Steelers have lost three straight, dealt with the loss of starting quarterback Kenny Pickett (concussion), benched his backup Mitch Trubisky, lost their starting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to a knee injury and had their other starting safety – Damontae Kazee – suspended.

Browning was making his first NFL start at quarterback that day and struggled in leading the Cincinnati offense, gaining just 222 yards of total offense.

Since that meeting on Nov. 26, Jake Browning has led the Bengals to three straight wins, including a pair of overtime victories, putting the Bengals in playoff position.

“I’m very aware of (playoff urgency), probably everybody else is as well,” Boyd said. “Just losing any one of these next games is going to put us on a hot seat, not knowing how other teams perform, how they finish out their season. But like I said, we got to control what we can control and that’s the opponent in front of us. And if we just go out there and handle business and everybody plays collectively from special teams to defense to offense, I believe we’ll be fine.”

Browning has completed 76 percent of his passes since Week 12 and thrown for more than 1,000 yards, the only NFL quarterback to do so since 1950.

The Steelers gained a season-best 421 yards, their first game of more than 400 yards in offense in 59 games in their first game without fired offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

Since then, under interim OC Eddie Faulkner, the Steelers have scored just 41 points in three losses.

“Our problems in a couple of these last few games have been penalties and shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Faulkner.

Mason Rudolph took over for benched Mitch Trubisky in last week’s loss to the Colts and will make his first start this week since 2021.

“I’ve got a lot of good relationships with the guys in the locker room,” Rudolph said. “I think anytime you’re here as long as I’ve been here, you had better have some or you’re probably not a good dude.

“Guys are excited for me and I’m excited to go out there and you know, you think as it has a third-string quarterback, you feel like you’re sort really earning your paycheck week to week. And so I finally get to earn it this week and put my hand in the pile and go fight for victory together.”

The Bengals are facing their own adversity. After losing Joe Burrow to season-ending wrist surgery, they lost starting nose tackle and their best run-stopper DJ Reader to a torn quad tendon in his right leg and backup rookie corner DJ Ivey to a torn left ACL.

Star receiver Ja’Marr Chase injured his right shoulder in the overtime win against Minnesota and has been ruled out. He’s the only player on the active roster who didn’t not practice this week.

“I think we continue to improve week-to-week and there are some things we need to get better at,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “I think the team is in the right mindset right now. We know it’s going to be a tough battle going on the road – 4:30, Pittsburgh – always a big challenge for us, these divisional games.

“Pittsburgh is a really good football team. I know they’ve lost the last couple, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not in for a big time fight. Our guys are going to be prepared for that.”

The Bengals are coming off a thrilling 27-24 overtime win against Minnesota last week in which Cincinnati erased a 14-point deficit going into the fourth quarter.

The comeback marked the fifth time in team history that the Bengals won a game when trailing by 14 or more points in the final quarter. Browning finished 29 of 42 for 324 yards, with 243 coming after halftime.

Here’s what to look for:

• Jake Browning vs. Steelers secondary:

Browning might just be licking his chops a bit, looking downfield not having to worry about Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) and Damontae Kazee (suspended). Fitzpatrick is out, and while Ja’Marr Chase is out, Higgins and Boyd could take big advantage of the secondary if there are communication breakdowns with the two starters out.

• Bengals offensive line vs. T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cam Heyward:

Browning was sacked four times in the last meeting. The Bengals amassed just 222 yards. The Bengals ran it just eight times with Joe Mixon. Chase Brown didn’t run it at all. That will not be the case this time. There are two things the Bengals can do to neutralize Watt, Highsmith and Heyward: Run the ball and quick releases from Browning. The screen game could be big again, as well as tight end targets for Cincinnati.

• Tee Higgins vs. Steelers DBs:

Higgins, coming off his four-catch, 61-yard day against the Vikings, could be in store for much bigger numbers against the Steelers and their depleted secondary.

• Domenique Davis, Josh Tupou vs. Steelers offensive line, Najee Harris:

Davis, in his first action of the season, gets his chance to fill in for DJ Reader. Davis is a classic nose tackle, combined with Tupou should be enough against the Steelers. The Bengals allowed the Steelers to run for 158 yards on 33 carries. Najee Harris had 99 yards. The Bengals can’t and shouldn’t allow that to happen again.

• Bengals D vs. Mason Rudolph:

The Steelers quarterback situation has been a disaster over the course of three bad losses to the Cardinals, Patriots and Colts. If the Bengals don’t let the Steelers run the ball the way they did the last time, this could be a huge opportunity for Trey Hendrickson to add to his team (official) record of 15 sacks. Sam Hubbard and BJ Hill could also do big time damage in obvious passing situations. Again, take care of the run and put the game in Rudolph’s hands, and the Bengals should be in good shape. Dare Rudolph to feed George Pickens, who no doubt will be targeted since he isn’t committed to run blocking. There could be opportunities for jumping routes and interceptions.

• Bottom Line:

Sandwiched around a blowout win over the Colts, the Bengals have walked a tightrope with overtime wins against the Jaguars and Vikings. This game should not be that close. The Bengals are the better team, playing better football. Yes, the crowd will be nuts at first but a few solid plays should go a long way in quieting them. Don’t let the towels get going. The Bengals should be able to breathe a bit at the end if they play fundamentally solid early. Here’s thinking they will.

Bengals 25, Steelers 16