{"id":54653,"date":"2022-11-19T17:41:35","date_gmt":"2022-11-19T22:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ngscsports.com\/?p=54653"},"modified":"2022-11-19T17:41:35","modified_gmt":"2022-11-19T22:41:35","slug":"steelers-gameday-preview-cincinnati","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ngscsports.com\/2022\/11\/19\/steelers-gameday-preview-cincinnati\/","title":{"rendered":"Steelers GameDay Preview: Cincinnati"},"content":{"rendered":"
Steeler Nation is a world-wide army that lives and dies with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The six-time Super Bowl champions are a franchise that considers excellence the only standard, and their fans expect nothing less than hard hitting, top notch football. This is the ultimate Steelers GameDay Preview that all followers of the black and gold come to find everything they need to know about the Steelers<\/a> and their upcoming opponent! Mike Drakulich (@PghSportsNation), who covers both Pitt football and the Steelers for NGSC Sports,<\/a> brings you inside the huddle for both teams with the Plan of Attack, The Scoop and score prediction, Game Day information, a detailed breakdown of each team, and an up to date team injury report. Heck, you\u2019ll even know the weather at kickoff. The only thing you\u2019re missing is a game uniform.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n NFL Week 11<\/strong><\/p>\n Game-time: <\/strong>Sunday, November 20th, 4:25 PM<\/p>\n Venue: <\/strong>Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Overall<\/strong><\/p>\n O<\/strong>ffense<\/strong><\/p>\n Defense<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In terms of the death of the Pittsburgh Steelers season in 2022… well, not just yet.<\/p>\n There is still a crack of space left in the door, and on Sunday at 4:25 pm at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers (3-6) have a huge opportunity to kick that door open with a win over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals (5-4).<\/p>\n A victory would place the Steelers at 4-6, with upcoming games vs Indianapolis and Atlanta. If the Steelers could get a streak going, they could very well be 6-6 when they face off vs the Baltimore Ravens at home on December 11th.<\/p>\n First things first, and that involves taking down the Bengals again, as they did in the season opener.<\/p>\n Cincinnati is having a Super Bowl hangover, but they seemed to get a few issues straightened out when they pounded Carolina 42-21 two weeks ago.<\/p>\n One very good thing going for Pittsburgh is that they come into this game almost fully healthy, only missing corner Ahkello Witherspoon, who will miss his 6th game out of the past seven.<\/p>\n Star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returns after missing last week from an emergency appendectomy.<\/p>\n Damontae Kazee, who played in place of Fitzpatrick, will look to make some more splash plays as he did in his 2022 debut.<\/p>\n \u201cThis guy is just a football lover,\u201d Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. \u201cHe is. He brings energy and enthusiasm. He\u2019s a good communicator. He\u2019s a playmaker. We\u2019re lucky to have him.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bengals will be without star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, so Tee Higgins and former Pitt star Tyler Boyd will be busier than normal when Joe Burrow drops back to pass.<\/p>\n The Steelers will have to keep Higgins and Boyd in check, as well as tight end Hayden Hurst underneath. Pittsburgh has defensed the run well lately, so limiting Joe Mixon from having a big day would go a long way in securing a 2nd consecutive victory.<\/p>\n Steelers QB Kenny Pickett will have to elevate his play as well, especially with pocket awareness, going through his progressions, and stepping into some throws that lead to big plays downfield, but especially in the red zone.<\/p>\n The Steelers longest touchdown play is just eight yards.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not where we need to be,\u201d Pickett said.<\/p>\n Against the Bengals, who have just 14 sacks on the year, this could be a breakout game for the first round pick out of Pitt.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s less grass, right, so there are tighter windows,\u201d Pickett said in regards to plays inside the 20 yard line. \u201cThe timing, everything is faster. I\u2019ve got to meet the guys at certain spots with the ball so they can get there on time. The game definitely changes when you get down there. The call changes, the system really changes. It\u2019s something we can get better at. We definitely had improvement, but we\u2019re not where we want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Settling for field goals has to cease as soon as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cAt times we\u2019ve shown we can score in the red zone, but it\u2019s got to be consistent,\u201d wide receiver Diontae Johnson said. \u201cWhen we get down there, we have to punch it in regardless. You do all that stuff to get down there, and you don\u2019t get in and it bothers you.\u201d<\/p>\n Pickett is confident in his ability to adapt and vows to improve his game overall.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to continue to get better,\u201d Pickett said. \u201cI\u2019m nowhere where I need or want to be. It\u2019s a day at a time. There are things we liked that I\u2019ve done that I can continue to improve on. There are things I can get a lot better at. It\u2019s knowing what those things are and finding that out and going and attacking it.\u201d<\/p>\n The Steelers are a franchise that will never take a knee on a season, or ever go down without fighting back.<\/p>\n With a healthy team and some confidence from last week’s win over the Saints, this is the game that will truly decide the fate of where this season is headed.<\/p>\n Look for the Steelers to get another big day out of Harris and the run game, and for Kenny Pickett to finally break through with multiple scoring drives.<\/p>\n Should be a close affair, but in the end, Pickett will lead a late game drive to shock the Bengals for the second time this year.<\/p>\n Prediction: Steelers 27 Bengals 24<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n TV: <\/strong>CBS (Local- KDKA-TV)<\/p>\n Local Radio:<\/strong> Pittsburgh- 102.5 WDVE-FM & 970 WBGG-AM<\/p>\n National Radio: <\/strong>N\/A<\/p>\n Internet broadcast:\u00a0<\/strong>Steelers Nation Radio (SNR) on Steelers.com<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Weather at kickoff: <\/b>28 and sunny. Winds out of the W at 10 mph.<\/p>\n NFL Links<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Overall record:<\/strong> 3-6 (4th in AFC North)<\/p>\n Last game: <\/strong>Steelers 20 Saints 10<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Head Coach:<\/strong> Mike Tomlin<\/p>\n Team Links<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Offensive Stats<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kenny Pickett | #8<\/strong><\/p>\n Has had his ups and downs as a rookie starter, but it’s hard to gauge his progress in an offense designed for junior high school. The next few weeks should show some progression in his game, especially staying in the pocket and hitting his receivers deep down the field.<\/em><\/p>\n Back-up: Mitch Trubisky | #10<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Najee Harris | #22<\/strong><\/p>\n Harris finally broke through last week with a 99 yard effort. Seems he is getting healthier, so hopefully we’ll see the power back we’ve expected to see.<\/em><\/p>\n Jaylon Warren | #30<\/strong><\/p>\n Good change of pace back when he comes in for relief of Harris. Runs hard and hits the hole going downhill.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Derek Watt | #44<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Diontae Johnson | #18<\/strong><\/p>\n Has been Pittsburgh’s most consistent threat as a receiver. Needs to stop dropping passes at the absolute worst times.<\/em><\/p>\n George Pickens | #14<\/strong><\/p>\n A soon to be force in the NFL. Pickens has already made one of the greatest catches of 2022 and may become Kenny Pickett’s favorite target.<\/em><\/p>\n Myles Boykin | #82<\/strong><\/p>\n Steven Sims | #13<\/strong><\/p>\n Gunner Olszewski | #89<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pat Friermuth | #88<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the better tight ends in the game, and should flourish with Pickett at quarterback, and even more when a competent\u00a0OC is hired.<\/em><\/p>\n Zach Gentry | #81<\/strong><\/p>\n Conner Heyward | #83<\/strong><\/p>\n *Injured\/Out<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Defensive Stats<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n DE: <\/strong>Cam Heyward #97 | DT:<\/strong> Tyson Alualu #94 | DE:<\/strong> Larry Ogunjobi #99<\/p>\n OLB: <\/strong>T.J. Watt #90 | ILB:<\/strong> Devin Bush #55 | ILB:<\/strong> Myles Jack #51| OLB:<\/strong> Alex Highsmith #56<\/p>\n CB: <\/strong>Levi Wallace #29 | SS:<\/strong> Terrell Edmunds #34 | FS:<\/strong> Minkah Fitzpatrick* #39\/Damontae Kazee #23 | CB:<\/strong> Cameron Sutton #20<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matthew Wright | #4<\/strong><\/p>\n Chris Boswell* | #9<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the best clutch kickers in the game, but is out.<\/em><\/p>\n Steven Sims | #13<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Steven Sims | #13<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Overall record:<\/strong> 5-4 (2nd in AFC North)<\/p>\n Last game: <\/b>Bengals 42 Panthers 21<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Head Coach:<\/strong> Zac Taylor<\/p>\n Team Links<\/strong><\/p>\nPittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Plan of Attack<\/h1>\n
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The Scoop<\/strong><\/h1>\n
Game Day Information<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Scouting the Pittsburgh Steelers<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Steelers Offense<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Quarterback<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Running Backs<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Wide Receivers<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Tight Ends<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Steelers Defense (Base 3-4)<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Defensive Starters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Steelers Special Teams<\/strong><\/h1>\n
Placekicker<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Kickoff Returners<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Punt Returner<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Scouting<\/strong> the Cincinnati Bengals<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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