AFC North Top Spot on the Line as Steelers Visit Bengals

First Place Battle in Cincinnati

The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night. Both teams enter this AFC North matchup with 6-2 records and four game winning streaks. The winner of this game will take sole possession of first place in the division.

Pittsburgh won the first meeting 30-27 in Week 3. A victory on Sunday would give the Steelers a season sweep over Cincinnati. The Bengals are coming off a 34-17 victory against the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh had a full week of rest during their Week 9 bye.

Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy noted that winning division games is mandatory. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow admitted he enjoys playing under the lights on Sunday night, though this will be his first home divisional game in primetime.

Quarterbacks in the Spotlight

Joe Burrow has been in fine form for Cincinnati. Over his past four games, Burrow has thrown 16 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Excluding drops and throwaways, his completion rate stands at 82.2 percent. The Bengals offense relies heavily on the pass. Cincinnati ranks last in the NFL in rushing attempts with 177, averaging just 22.1 rushes per game.

Aaron Rodgers leads the Steelers after rest during the bye week. Rodgers holds a 2-0 head to head record against Burrow. He has 180 career victories including playoffs, sitting one win behind Drew Brees for fourth most since 1950. In the Week 3 win against Cincinnati, Rodgers averaged a season high 8.6 yards per attempt and threw two touchdowns of 20 or more air yards.

Ground Game and Pass Rush

Pittsburgh has found consistency on the ground through Jaylen Warren. In their first clash with Cincinnati, Warren gained 176 all purpose yards while Rico Dowdle was sidelined. Warren has topped 100 rushing yards in three of his last five games, including 143 yards against the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh is averaging 145.7 rushing yards over its past three games.

Stopping Cincinnati outside receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will be a heavy task for the Steelers defense. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham joked about the challenge during his Monday press conference. Pittsburgh registered just one sack against Burrow in Week 3, when Derrick Harmon brought him down late. Harmon returned to practice this week but remains on injured reserve. Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward stressed the need for patience to let the pass rush reach the quarterback late in the game.