The Steelers haven't played a game against the Bengals with this much on the line since a wild-card playoff victory in Cincinnati in 2005. Both teams are 6-2 and tied for the top spot in the AFC, but the Bengals won the first meeting 23-20 after scoring 14 points in the final seven minutes. That game ended the Steelers' eight-game winning streak in Paul Brown Stadium.
Since then, the Steelers have won five in a row, the NFL's second-longest streak. They have not lost at Heinz Field since November 2008, against the Indianapolis Colts, a span of 10 games, including playoffs. But the Bengals are 3-0 on the road and 4-0 in the AFC North. They have a chance to sweep both the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers.
The game is also a matchup of top running backs -- players who have been among the league's most productive rushers the past five games. Rashard Mendenhall is averaging 105.6 yards per game since replacing Willie Parker as the starter five games ago. Mendenhall also is coming off a game in which he had 155 yards on 22 carries against the Broncos' No. 1-ranked defense. Cincinnati's Cedric Benson has three 100-yard games in his past four starts, two of which came against the Ravens. Curiously, the Bengals have not had a running back gain more than 100 yards against the Steelers since Rudi Johnson in October 2004, a span of 11 games.
Bengals Keys For Success
1. Blitz pickup: When Benson isn't hammering away between the tackles for valuable yardage, he must help pick up the Steelers' blitz coming from all directions. Benson is a complete back who can run, catch and block. His blocking ability will be severely tested.
2. Corral Big Ben. Pressuring Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger isn't the problem. Sacking him is. Roethlisberger is a big, mobile, athletic QB with great vision and arm strength. He keeps plays alive with this feet, sheds tacklers with his size and strength, and keeps focused downfield for receivers breaking open on the scramble drill. DTs Domata Peko and Tank Johnson must get a solid push up the middle, and ends Robert Geathers and Jonathan Fanene must keep Roethlisberger contained to the pocket. The goal is to hit him, hold on and hope help arrives quickly. 3. Cover three. As much as the Steelers like to run the ball with physicality, their WR corps of Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace has emerged as a true strength. If the Bengals' front seven doesn't apply the necessary pressure, the secondary will be forced to cover longer, and that will likely spell doom for the Bengals. However, if the pressure is there, CBs Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph will make quicker breaks on the ball, giving the Bengals an opportunity to create turnovers.
Steelers Keys For Success
1. Stop Benson. The Steelers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 30 consecutive games, counting playoffs, but Benson had 76 yards on 16 carries against them in the first meeting -- the most the Steelers have allowed an opposing back this season. Since then, he has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of his past four games.
2. Pressure Palmer. The Steelers did not do that in the first meeting and instead allowed Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer to dink and dunk his way down the field on 85- and 71-yard scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Palmer was sacked twice in that game. Since then, the Steelers have 18 sacks, 11 takeaways and three defensive touchdowns during their five-game winning streak. 3. Go hard with Rashard. In five games as a starter, Mendenhall has 528 yards rushing and is averaging 5.73 yards per carry. The only back among the NFL's top 30 rushers with a better yards-per-carry average is Tennessee's Chris Johnson (6.7). But the Bengals' run defense has tightened with young linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga.
The Bottom Line
This is a chance for the Bengals to take a stranglehold in the division race because they would own most tiebreakers against the Steelers. But don't forget that the Steelers dominated the team's first meeting until the Bengals mounted two long scoring drives in the final quarter to win. Since then, the Steelers have changed the way they play defense, becoming more aggressive when the game is on the line. It's no coincidence they have won five in a row since that defeat.
Scoring prediction: Bengals 13 - Steelers 27
Since then, the Steelers have won five in a row, the NFL's second-longest streak. They have not lost at Heinz Field since November 2008, against the Indianapolis Colts, a span of 10 games, including playoffs. But the Bengals are 3-0 on the road and 4-0 in the AFC North. They have a chance to sweep both the Baltimore Ravens and Steelers.
The game is also a matchup of top running backs -- players who have been among the league's most productive rushers the past five games. Rashard Mendenhall is averaging 105.6 yards per game since replacing Willie Parker as the starter five games ago. Mendenhall also is coming off a game in which he had 155 yards on 22 carries against the Broncos' No. 1-ranked defense. Cincinnati's Cedric Benson has three 100-yard games in his past four starts, two of which came against the Ravens. Curiously, the Bengals have not had a running back gain more than 100 yards against the Steelers since Rudi Johnson in October 2004, a span of 11 games.
Bengals Keys For Success
1. Blitz pickup: When Benson isn't hammering away between the tackles for valuable yardage, he must help pick up the Steelers' blitz coming from all directions. Benson is a complete back who can run, catch and block. His blocking ability will be severely tested.
2. Corral Big Ben. Pressuring Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger isn't the problem. Sacking him is. Roethlisberger is a big, mobile, athletic QB with great vision and arm strength. He keeps plays alive with this feet, sheds tacklers with his size and strength, and keeps focused downfield for receivers breaking open on the scramble drill. DTs Domata Peko and Tank Johnson must get a solid push up the middle, and ends Robert Geathers and Jonathan Fanene must keep Roethlisberger contained to the pocket. The goal is to hit him, hold on and hope help arrives quickly. 3. Cover three. As much as the Steelers like to run the ball with physicality, their WR corps of Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace has emerged as a true strength. If the Bengals' front seven doesn't apply the necessary pressure, the secondary will be forced to cover longer, and that will likely spell doom for the Bengals. However, if the pressure is there, CBs Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph will make quicker breaks on the ball, giving the Bengals an opportunity to create turnovers.
Steelers Keys For Success
1. Stop Benson. The Steelers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 30 consecutive games, counting playoffs, but Benson had 76 yards on 16 carries against them in the first meeting -- the most the Steelers have allowed an opposing back this season. Since then, he has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of his past four games.
2. Pressure Palmer. The Steelers did not do that in the first meeting and instead allowed Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer to dink and dunk his way down the field on 85- and 71-yard scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Palmer was sacked twice in that game. Since then, the Steelers have 18 sacks, 11 takeaways and three defensive touchdowns during their five-game winning streak. 3. Go hard with Rashard. In five games as a starter, Mendenhall has 528 yards rushing and is averaging 5.73 yards per carry. The only back among the NFL's top 30 rushers with a better yards-per-carry average is Tennessee's Chris Johnson (6.7). But the Bengals' run defense has tightened with young linebackers Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga.
The Bottom Line
This is a chance for the Bengals to take a stranglehold in the division race because they would own most tiebreakers against the Steelers. But don't forget that the Steelers dominated the team's first meeting until the Bengals mounted two long scoring drives in the final quarter to win. Since then, the Steelers have changed the way they play defense, becoming more aggressive when the game is on the line. It's no coincidence they have won five in a row since that defeat.
Scoring prediction: Bengals 13 - Steelers 27
