Pittsburgh Review

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals are set to face off once again, continuing a rivalry that dates back to 1970. The Steelers have historically dominated the series with a record of 71-39, including two postseason victories in 2006 and 2016. Last season, Pittsburgh swept Cincinnati and aims to repeat that success in 2024.

Currently, the Steelers hold a 10-6 record and have secured a playoff spot. However, they trail Baltimore in the AFC North standings. They have an even split of five wins at home and on the road. Meanwhile, the Bengals stand at 8-8 after a four-game winning streak, having won five games away from home.

The Bengals could become one of only four teams in NFL history to make the playoffs after losing eight of their first twelve games. Additionally, they might miss the playoffs despite throwing over forty touchdown passes this season.

Pittsburgh has outscored opponents by thirty-five points overall but has been outscored by fifty points during their recent three-game losing streak. In contrast, Cincinnati boasts a plus-thirty-six point differential and is plus-forty-one over their last four games.

Turnovers have played a significant role this season; Pittsburgh leads with a plus-fifteen turnover differential compared to Cincinnati's plus-four. The Steelers' defense has excelled with ten more interceptions than they've thrown.

When it comes to possession time, Pittsburgh averages thirty-one minutes and twenty seconds per game while Cincinnati sits at thirty minutes and three seconds for the season.

On offense, Ja'Marr Chase leads all wide receivers with sixteen end zone targets for Cincinnati. For Pittsburgh, George Pickens ranks eighth with thirteen end zone targets despite missing three games.

As both teams prepare for their upcoming matchup, key battles include Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown against Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and Steelers left tackle Dan Moore facing Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

In special teams play, Chris Boswell stands out as he leads the NFL with forty successful field goals this season while Brandon Aubrey trails slightly behind with thirty-six made attempts.

As these divisional rivals meet again on January fourth in what promises to be another intense contest between two competitive teams vying for playoff positions within their division standings—only time will tell which team emerges victorious from this storied rivalry clash!