This week’s Monday Night Football game brings us a rivalry matchup between two teams desperate for a win, as the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are listed as 3.5-point favorites at home with an over/under of 45 points.
Pittsburgh is in the unenviable position of playing out the rest of their season without starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. To their credit, the Steelers came back to make things competitive with the Seahawks in Week 2 after Big Ben went down with an elbow injury. They also lost a close road game against the 49ers last week with Mason Rudolph getting the start. Alas, both are losses, and the Steelers are now 0-3 and desperate for a win.
The Bengals are in a similar position after starting the year 0-3 under rookie head coach Zac Taylor. However, they only have themselves to blame. Cincinnati held leads in the fourth quarter against both the Seahawks in Week 1 and the Bills in Week 3 but found a way to lose both games. The Bengals are now facing a must-win road trip to Pittsburgh on Monday night.
Taking Flight
Despite starting the season 0-3, it hasn’t been all bad news for Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton. He’s averaging over 300 yards per game through the air, which is particularly impressive with A.J. Green missing the first chunk of the season due to injury. Tyler Boyd has continued to be a bonafide No. 2 receiver, while former first-round pick John Ross has finally emerged and is developing into a serious playmaker right before our eyes.
Cincinnati’s problem is that its running game is going nowhere. Joe Mixon is averaging less than three yards per carry, while the Bengals as a team are gaining just 42 yards per game on the ground. That’s forcing a lot on Dalton’s shoulders while also allowing opposing teams to sack Dalton 11 times over the first three games of the season.
Grounded
The Steelers are having similar problems getting their rushing attack going. With an inexperienced quarterback running the show, the Steelers need their rushing attack now more than ever. However, James Conner is gaining less than three yards per carry on the season, which is holding back the Pittsburgh offense.
The Pittsburgh receivers aren’t doing any favors for Rudolph either. JuJu Smith-Schuster is obviously a capable playmaker, but the Steelers don’t have a reliable No. 2 receiver. Donte Moncrief was so inept the first two weeks of the season that he was a healthy scratch last week. Youngsters James Washington and Diontae Johnson offer promise but no guarantee of consistency. To top it all off, tight end Vance McDonald is questionable to play this week, depriving Rudolph of a dependable option in the passing game.
Snap the Streak
Dating back to 2015, the Bengals have lost eight games in a row against the Steelers. These two may be rivals, but the Steelers have dominated the series lately. However, Dalton will finally the best quarterback on the field when these two teams meet. Bet on the Bengals as road underdogs to finally get a win over the Steelers.
