Bengals @ Steelers: Official Game Thread

In week 9, the Steelers defeated the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Now the Steelers travel back to Heinz Field to host the Bengals.

For the Steelers to win:
The Steelers need to play a complete game (Offense, Defense, Special Teams for 60 min.).
The Steelers defense needs to pressure Joe Burrow.
The Steelers defense needs to shut down the Bengals running game (Joe Mixon, Giovani Bernard, and Joe Burrow). Tyson Alualu's presence should significantly aid in shutting down the Bengals running game.
The Steelers need to run the ball effectively (James Conner and Benny Snell Jr.).
Ben Roethlisberger needs to play well - getting the ball out quickly.
The Steelers need to score TDs when in the red zone (and when not).
Chris Boswell needs to play well - like he did in 2019.
The Steelers need to protect the ball. They need to win the turnover battle.
Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler, Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, and Chukwuma Okorafor need to play well as a unit.

From Steelers Depot:
Steelers Versus Bengals Week 10 Projected Inactive List

QB Joshua Dobbs – Dobbs remains the third-string backup quarterback to starter Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph going into the team’s Week 10 game and that’s not a bit surprising. Roethlisberger coming off the COVID-19 list on Saturday means all that talk about Dobbs possibly dressing in Week 10 was all for naught. Barring any injuries, Dobbs is likely to remain the Steelers third quarterback all season so that means he will likely be listed quite frequently on the team’s game-day inactive list in 2020. Dobbs has already been inactive eight times this season and his ninth time should happen on Sunday against the Bengals.

CB Mike Hilton – The shoulder injury that Hilton suffered back in Week 6 continues to hinder the veteran cornerback. While Hilton was able to practice fully on Wednesday, he was listed as a limited participant on Thursday and Friday and ultimately ended the week listed as questionable on the team’s Week 10 injury report. Hilton’s likely to be a game-time decision on Sunday and I’ll guess that the team decides to go one more week without him. A report on Saturday indicated that Hilton is not expected to play against the Bengals. Should Hilton once again wind up being inactive on Sunday and that will make four games in a row he’s missed with his shoulder injury. With Hilton likely sidelined again, cornerback Cameron Sutton will continue to play a considerable amount of sub package snaps against the Bengals on Sunday.

DT Carlos Davis – The Steelers will get defensive tackle Tyson Alualu back on Sunday against the Bengals that likely means that either Isaiah Buggs or Davis will be the odd man out. Buggs, however, ended the week listed as questionable on the injury report. Davis, on the other hand, has only dressed for one game so far this season and that was last Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Davis played well last Sunday, but was it good enough for him to get a Sunday helmet over Buggs? If Buggs is healthy enough to play, which I bet he is, he’ll likely get the helmet. Regardless, one of Davis or Buggs will likely be inactive on Sunday against the Bengals.

OLB Jayrone Elliott – The Steelers currently have five healthy outside linebackers on their 53-man roster so one might need to sit on Sunday, and especially if fullback Derek Watt finally gets the green light to return to action from his hamstring injury. If Watt dresses, he can absorb the special rams snaps that Elliott has been logging. Elliott has also not been used on defense, either, as he is behind Olasunkanmi Adeniyi on the depth chart, which makes him fifth of five at the position.

RB Anthony McFarland – The fifth and final inactive is a tough guess. Assuming rookie safety Antoine Brooks Jr. dresses on Sunday following his Saturday promotion, it would make sense for either McFarland or running back Jaylen Samuels, who spent the week on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, to be inactive. McFarland, who missed several practices this week with an illness, does not have any special teams value, so he could easily wind up being the odd man out because he’s a rookie. That’s my guess, but I will not be surprised if Samuels is sat down just the same. It’s likely to be one of the two, however.

 

Keys to the game:

Bob Labriola: Control the Line of Scrimmage when the Bengals have the football.
Mathew Williamson: Sack Differential. PIT # 1 - CIN # 32
Charlie Batch: Turnovers.

 

Score TDs and get lots of sacks

 

As much as Burrow has played well, the Steelers need to put the Bengals in 2 and 3rd and long. The Steelers have the best numbers in the NFL when it comes to opponent passer rating and completion percentage. Plus, they pressure the QB as well as anyone. No Mixon today. That will help.

 

Well, gotta FG off the turnover. Would've been been nice to get 7.

 

We need a TD now

 

Johnson

 

Johnson owned that drive

 

Another turn over

 

Bengals turn it over again.

 

Eh. 2 big mistakes in pass coverage.

 

19-7 Steelers

 

Connor slipped but the Steelers have got to get the run game rocking.

 

22-7 halftime

 

Overall, I'm happy. Watt brought pressure. I would've liked to have seen then not go for 2 so they are up 16. Run game needs to turn it on. Ben has been great. Diontae too.

Keep it going.

 

Nice close of the half by TJ Watt. Need to close this game out early.

 

Why are we forcing the run?

 

Berry is kicking some ass

 

Ray Ray is a great return man

 

29-7 Steelers