Steel City Underground scouts the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponents each week of the 2024 NFL regular season ahead of the games to inform fans of the latest news, roster moves, important players, and latest social media chatter.

The Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) host the Pittsburgh Steelers (8.-3) at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, December 1, (1:00 p.m. Eastern) in what will be the third AFC North divisional match in as many weeks for the Steelers. The Bengals are coming off their bye week while the Steelers enter after their win streak ended with a loss against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 of the 2024 NFL regular season.

In the past, the Bengals and Steelers have played physical football and Week 13’s game is expected to be highly competitive despite official statistics and past performances.

Embed from Getty Images

Concerns over Burrow?

If you ask any of the Steelers players or coaches whether there are concerns about Joe Burrow‘s MVP-like quarterback performance this season, you’ll get responses that echo the sentiment that they had better respect his skill and capabilities because it will take a full-team effort to prevent him from running the field.

As for overall concerns, Burrow brought up, on his own, some regarding his surgically-repaired wrist on his throwing arm this week. “I haven’t experienced a cold weather game with that yet. In the past when I’ve had injuries, cold weather does affect it,” he said on Wednesday. The weather forecast has temps in the low 30s on Sunday.

Burrow has remained on the injury report all season, and is on it for Week 13 as well, but affirmed that his wrist “could have been better” in practice this week. That may be his honest response, but the injury hasn’t prevented him from throwing for 3,028 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season or his 67.2 completion percentage.

“They’re the dynamic and great offense that they’ve always been… we know that we’ve got to get after them, especially up front. We have to bring a lot of pressure… We’ve just got to be relentless on the defensive side because they’ve got a lot of weapons and they’re a good offense, so we’ve got to get after them.” – Steelers OLB Alex Highsmith

Embed from Getty Images

Bengals on injury report to watch

As of Wednesday, the game designations were yet to be announced due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Fans should check the official injury report ahead of kickoff. The following players were on the list as of early this week:

• LB Joe Bachie (hip, limited)
• OT Orlando Brown, Jr (fibula, limited)
• WR Tee Higgins (NIR-rest)
• DT B.J. Hill (NIR-rest)
• WR Charlie Jones (groin, limited)
• OT Amarius Mims (ankle, limited)
• DT Sheldon Rankins (illness, DNP)
• LB Logan Lee (knee, no report)

Higgins is expected to be a full-go on Sunday, giving Burrow an explosive target against the Steelers.

Steelers week.

Uni Combo | @PennStationSubs pic.twitter.com/yv8qo882mt

— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 25, 2024

Can the defense limit Wilson and company?

The mood amongst the Bengals defensive players may have been summed up on Monday by safety Vonn Bell when he spoke to the media, saying, “What did I come back here for?” It was a rhetorical question, perhaps, but it seems to point at frustration in the locker room.

Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has a lot on his shoulders when it comes to figuring out what personnel to use against Russell Wilson and the Steelers offense. Granted, Pittsburgh has struggled to get into the end zone on offense recently, but they’re still stacked with talent and looking for opportunities to strike.

Whether injuries or just inconsistent play, the Bengals defense ranks near the bottom of the league in several categories.

“It’s guys missing their assignments or guys like myself missing opportunities to change the game on turnover plays. It’s been a whole multitude of things.” – cornerback Mike Hilton

The defensive backfield has been a rotating door for the Bengals this season. That could be a major matchup issue against a Steelers squad that has George Pickens, Calvin Austin, Pat Freiermuth, and Mike Williams as their top tier receiver options with talent behind them.

“One thing I’m not gonna do is go out there and chase plays… So whatever it may be, I’ll take the criticism… I definitely have plays where I wish I could take back. Me, I probably had like one or two plays last game. So, it is what it is.” – safety Geno Stone

Fourth-quarter defense has been the biggest reason the Bengals are in the position they are headed into Week 13. The Steelers have found themselves warming up in the second half of games, offensively, which creates a mismatch despite Cincinnati being a three-point favorite to win on Sunday.