Preview: AFC North Showdown

Preview: AFC North Showdown

8:38am - Sunday, November 15th, 2009 by InsidePittsburghSports News Wire

Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

The most important game on the week 10 NFL schedule is not the Colts-Patriots, it's the AFC North showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cincinnati which is 4-0 in the division that includes a home win against Pittsburgh, will be looking to knock of the Super Bowl champs for the second time this season. A win goes a long way towards winning the AFC North for both team.

Pittsburgh is on a 5 game winning streak and hasn't lost since week 3 in Cincinnati. With a healthy Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh has the look of a Super Champion while the Bengals are proving that they are true contenders in the AFC, boasting a dominant running game, top 10 defense and a franchise quarterback.

Steelers - Bengals: What to watch for

1. Steelers will look for a balanced attack: Last week's win against Denver was impressive for Pittsburgh because of their balanced attack. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 155 yards, while Ben Roethlisberger added 3 touchdowns.

Pittsburgh was able to run on Cincinnati in the first half of the teams week 3 meeting. The Bengals made adjustments and shutdown Willie Parker after that.

With the way Mendenhall and the offensive line are playing, Pittsburgh believes they will be able to run on the Bengals.

2. Loss of Rivers will be costly: One reason for the Bengals turnaround on the defense is a dynamic group of linebackers led by 2008 1st round pick Keith Rivers. Rivers will be out for today's game and for the Bengals, that's like Troy Polamalu being out of the lineup for Pittsburgh.

He's that important to their defense.

3. Cedric Benson versus Steelers run defense: The Steelers only give up 70 rushing yards per game but The Bengals averaged 5.3 yards per game in their week 3 meeting with Pittsburgh and Cedric Benson is second in the NFL with 800+ yards.

4. Steelers must pressure Carson Palmer: Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger are franchise quarterbacks but they are totally different quarterbacks. Pittsburgh must pressure Palmer and look for that pressure to come from inside stunts as the Steelers plan to rush Palmer from the inside. Dick LeBeau will be ready to dial up a variety of pressure packages.

Two key matchups to watch

WR Chad Ochocinco vs CB Ike Taylor & LB James Harrison vs OT Andrew Whitworth

Outlook

This game has the look of being a great one but it's hard to imagine the Bengals coming into Pittsburgh and winning. Pittsburgh is playing their best ball of the season.

Troy Polamalu is healthy and the Steelers running game is emerging. Pittsburgh should also be able to stretch the Bengals secondary.

Pittsburgh 28 - Cincinnati 20

Recent Steelers Posts

Comments

deesh138

Can't really get on board with the idea that Rivers equals Polamalu in any sense. If that's true, Rivers has truly blown up in the past eight games and I totally missed it.

11/15/2009 11:59am

todd

When is Logan going to do something? D is he worth a roster spot in your opinion? Maybe Wallace is a better option?

11/15/2009 12:04pm

Monrovian12

Rivers doesn't equal Polamalu...He is just the Bengals Polamalu....if that makes sense.

11/15/2009 12:30pm

deesh138

I'm sick of Santonio's act. Flex your arms after a 10 yard completion then drop an easy TD before halftime....

11/15/2009 2:34pm

deesh138

..I guess that's how you be great

11/15/2009 2:34pm

im sick of roethlisberger getting sacked almost once every drive

11/15/2009 2:35pm

who did Foster come in for on Steelers o line ???

11/15/2009 2:41pm

Strike

The Steelers just look flat. This is painful to watch. The Bungles beating us at Hienz Field in this fashion is unbelievable.

11/15/2009 3:55pm

Strike

The Steelers do have one of last years top punt return man on the inactive list.

11/15/2009 3:57pm

SV84

Yuck.

11/15/2009 4:15pm

Sports70

wtf...1) why in God's name didn't the Steelers lose their last timeout after that third kneel down...they still would have had 10 seconds left after whatever 4th down play occurred...grrrr...2) Timmons isn't even close to healthy...3) the defense from the first 4 games showed up today (i.e., no turnovers, not really any big plays besides Woodley's sack)...4) the Bengals still don't scare me...the Steelers played down to the competition, and the bengals are mediocre at best

11/15/2009 4:15pm

Sports70

*use, not lose their last timeout

11/15/2009 4:15pm

hull07

not only Logan can't return kicks he can't cover them either.....

11/15/2009 4:18pm

Monrovian12

Ben was pretty off today.

11/15/2009 4:32pm

Trapjaw

When Troy went out I thought the D would cost us today. But it wasn't the D that killed us. Why did they not go to the no huddle to jump start the offense? That series to start the second half really hurt.

11/15/2009 4:36pm

Monrovian12

And Jimmy Fallon can die for bringing up the Madden Curse...Troy should beat the shit out of him.

11/15/2009 4:54pm

SV84

Jimmy Fallon needs to be exiled to an island with Jimmy Football. They both suck.

11/15/2009 6:13pm

SV84

Brady showing off his true self.

11/15/2009 7:25pm

our play calling on offense was absolutely terrible

11/15/2009 7:26pm

Juice731

ya, i think ben would do a better job calling plays that bruce but holmes did have a dropped touchdown pass and ben overthrew alot of easy first downs so it not just on the coaching. cincy out played us two games this year and it showed.

11/15/2009 7:41pm

seabs926

Ben can't consistently beat the blitz. If you force him to make quick decisions he's either going to make mistakes or take the sack. It was evident in the Tennessee game and it today.

11/15/2009 8:19pm

Sports70

2nd ranked run defense or not - 13 carries for Mendenhall...that's all I'm gonna say...

11/15/2009 8:43pm

SV84

You hit it right on the had Rothy, Arians had his worst game of the year. 3rd and 2 and we bomb it. Throwing deep on every play on the final drive thus putting us in 3rd and 4th and 10. I thought Arians was gong to learn from last game and play more aggressive. Turns out he was too aggressive....way too aggressive.

11/15/2009 9:10pm

seabs926

SV84 do you think it was Arians decision to throw deep on that last drive? Just because theres one deep route doesn't mean Arians is only calling deep passing plays. It was Ben's decision to throw deep. That said, I thought there were other times where the play calling was suspect.

11/15/2009 10:38pm

↑ previous comments ↑

SV84

It could have been Ben, and he should also get some blame as well. But I think I remember all four or at least three being deep shots. Could be wrong.

11/15/2009 11:14pm

SV84

If only one receiver goes deep and he throws it there that is probably what he is supposed to do that play.

11/15/2009 11:16pm

SV84

I think those plays he is supposed to go deep and the shorter routes are to draw guys away.

11/15/2009 11:18pm

deesh138

He definitely shouldn't be "supposed" to throw deep. He needs to go through his progressions and find the open guy, that's what being a QB is all about.

11/15/2009 11:39pm

seabs926

The shorter route runners aren't clearing space for the deep route. The deep route is supposed to clear the underneath stuff for guys like Ward and Miller. You've got it mixed up. Arians wasn't the problem on the last drive, it was the OL.

11/15/2009 11:55pm