Losing is never fun in the NFL. There are only 17 regular season games, and each one is very important. Divisional games carry more weight. This is why it was so heartbreaking for the Pittsburgh Steelers to abandon their recent game against the Cleveland Browns. It was unfortunate, but we must learn from our mistakes this week. The Cincinnati Bengals will present a much bigger challenge. However, former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi believes the Steelers are in a good position to win this game.
“I think it’s a perfect fit for Pittsburgh,” Lombardi said Wednesday. On his show The Lombardi Line. “Why not beat Pittsburgh by two and a half points in this matchup? Because as powerful as Cincinnati’s offense is, Pittsburgh will have a game plan to stop them.”
That’s a lot of confidence from Lombardi for a team that just lost to the Browns. But he might have a point. The Bengals’ biggest strength is their offense. Joe Burrow in particular has been lethal this year. It’s not his fault his team wasn’t successful, but despite his efforts, they were bad.
The Bengals’ defense, on the other hand, really struggled. This gives the Steelers a realistic path to victory. Their biggest strength is obviously their defense. They didn’t perform very well last week, but they have been at an elite level for most of the season. The Bengals may find it difficult to play their style of football.
If the Steelers can slow the Bengals down, they should have a chance to score. Russell Wilson and company haven’t been at their best over the past few weeks, but this week gives them a chance to get back on track. It shouldn’t be impossible to move the ball against a floundering Bengals defense.
The key for the Steelers will be finishing drives. Red John was kryptonite. Their defense is good, but relying on field goals to beat the Bengals might not be wise. Protecting the ball will also be important. Giving Burrow extra possessions could be fatal.
Overall, the Steelers probably aren’t as safe a pick as Lombardi thinks. But that doesn’t mean the Bengals are out of luck because they have a better quarterback. The Steelers suppressed the Baltimore Ravens’ offense a few weeks ago and are a better unit than the Bengals. Their styles are different, but the point is that the Steelers’ defense is battle-tested.
