Cheat Sheet: Steelers vs. Bengals

SERIES HISTORY

This series began in 1970 and Pittsburgh lead, 70-39. Two of those games occurred in the postseason, in 2006 and 2016, with the Steelers winning both of those contests. The Steelers swept Cincinnati last season. Pittsburgh was recently on an 11-game winning streak between December of 2015 to November of 2020. Cincinnati has won just 13 of the 50 games between these divisional rivals that have been played in the 2000s. Mike Tomlin is 26-11 vs. Cincinnati, including a playoff win in 2016. The Bengals are 3-2 when Joe Burrow starts vs. Pittsburgh and Burrow didn't finish one of the losses because of injury.

MATCHUP OVERVIEW

• Cincinnati was off last week, and the Steelers lost in Cleveland on Thursday night. So, both teams will have extended rest for this matchup. The Steelers are 8-3 and atop the AFC North, while Cincinnati is 4-7 and on a two-game losing streak. The Bengals are 1-4 at home, and Pittsburgh is 4-2 on the road. The Steelers have split their two AFC North games while Cincinnati is 1-2. Pittsburgh has a three- and five-game winning streak this season. The longest winning streak the Bengals have posted this year is just two games.
• The Bengals have outscored their opponents by one point. Pittsburgh has a plus-66-point differential. The Steelers' three losses have come by a combined 11 points. Cincinnati had a 20-point loss against the Eagles in Week 8. Every other loss has been by one score (8 points or less). The Bengals are 1-6 in one-score games. Their seven losses have come by a combined 43 points, an average margin of loss of 6.1 points. The Steelers average margin of loss is 3.7. The Bengals average margin of victory is 11 points. Pittsburgh's average margin of victory is 9.6.
• The current record of the four teams the Bengals have beaten is 10-34.
• Cincinnati is 0-6 vs. teams .500 or better and 4-1 in all other games this season. In their games against teams .500 or better, the Bengals have produced 29.0 points per game (second most) but have allowed 35.2 (most in the NFL).
• The Steelers and Lions are the only two teams that are undefeated against teams .500 or better. Both are 5-0. The Steelers have allowed 13.8 points per game against teams over .500, best in the league. They also have a plus-5 turnover differential in those games, also best in the league.
• Since hiring Tomlin in 2007, the Steelers have the NFL's best record in divisional games from Weeks 12 through the end of the regular season (38-13) with a 74.5% winning percentage.
• The Steelers have a plus-13 turnover differential compared to plus-1 for Cincinnati. Pittsburgh has 22 takeaways and have recovered 10 fumbles. The Steelers have only turned the ball over nine times and have only thrown three interceptions. Cincinnati has only thrown four.
• After possessing the ball for 35:02 against the Browns, Pittsburgh leads the league in time of possession at 32:50. The Steelers average 35:51 over their past three games and 33:41 on the road. Cincinnati holds the ball for 29:30 on average, but 33:39 in the last three games.
• The Steelers run the third-most (65.5) plays per game on offense and their defense is on the field for just 58.2 plays per game, the second-fewest in the NFL.
• Pittsburgh has 126 more rushing attempts and 494 more rushing yards than it has allowed this season. The Bengals' opponents have 79 more rushing attempts, 421 more rushing yards, seven more rushing touchdowns, and 41 more rushing first downs than Cincinnati has produced. But the Bengals have thrown for 408 more yards and eight more touchdowns than they have given up.
• Cincinnati produces just .9 more yards per game than it allows.
• Cincinnati averages 4.0 yards per carry. Pittsburgh averages 3.9. The Steelers defense allows 4.0 yards per carry. Only four defenses are better. The Bengals allow 4.4.
• The Cardinals are the only team with fewer accepted penalties than Cincinnati and the Bengals' 414 penalty yards are the fewest in the NFL.
• The Steelers' average offensive drive begins on the 32.2-yard line. That is the league's third-best starting average field position. Pittsburgh's average starting defensive drive begins at the 27.3-yard line. Only the Saints begin with better starting field position. And only the Saints as a team have better average starting field position overall.
• George Pickens leads the NFL with 11 receptions of 30-plus yards but has yet to score a touchdown on such a reception. Ja'Marr Chase is second with nine such receptions but has scored seven such touchdowns.
• The Steelers have allowed the fewest rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks. Cincinnati has allowed 401, the most by over 100 yards more than the second-worst defense.
• On average, at halftime, Pittsburgh is losing by 1.4 points. Cincinnati is winning by .1 points. But the Steelers outscore their opponents by 7.4 points in the second half while the Bengals outscore their opponents by .2 points in the second half. Bengals games average 30.6 total points scored in the second half.
• The Bengals have only trailed on the scoreboard for 32.2% of their offensive snaps, fourth-highest.
• Cincinnati has given up 95 points in the second quarter and 105 in the fourth quarter, 200 total in the closing of each half. The Steelers have allowed 186 points all year.
• The Steelers' opponents the rest of the season currently have a combined 38-29 record. Only six teams face an upcoming slate with a better current record.
• Burrow has 300-plus passing yards, three or more touchdown passes and zero interceptions in three different losses in 2024. That is the most such losses in such games by any quarterback in the Super Bowl era … with six games still to play.
• Cincinnati has lost three games this year in which it has scored 33 or more points. The rest of the league combined has two such losses. The Bengals have five losses in which they have scored 25-plus points. The Buccaneers (3) are the only other team with more than two such losses.

WHEN PITTSBURGH HAS THE BALL

• Pittsburgh's offense averages 5.0 yards per play for the season, but only 4.6 over their past three games even after averaging 5.5 against Cleveland. The Bengals allow 5.5 yards per play, but 5.8 over their past three after giving up 6.9 in their most recent game against the Chargers.
• 52.5% of the Steelers set of downs reach third down. That is 30^th in the league.
• The Steelers offense throws the ball on just 47.7% of its snaps. Only the Eagles throw it with less regularity. Pittsburgh is at a 44.7% pass rate away from home. The Bengals defense sees pass on 54.3% of the plays, but 60.6% over the past three weeks.
• The Steelers have put points on the board in 25 of their last 26 quarters of football.
• Pittsburgh is 25^th in usage of 11 Personnel, but first in their usage of 14 and 13 Personnel.
• The Bengals defense sees 11 Personnel at the league's 24^th highest rate and see the fifth-highest rate of 13 Personnel.
• The Steelers turn a set of downs into a new set of downs or touchdown at a 68% rate. The Bengals' defense is at a 75% clip. Only the Jaguars and Panthers are worse.
• 23% of Pittsburgh's dropbacks result in either a scramble, sack, throw away, or batted pass/pass breakup rather than a target for a receiver. Only the Eagles, Bears, Commanders and Patriots have a higher percentage.
• Of the 39 passers with 100-plus attempts, Russell Wilson ranks seventh in yards per attempt (8.1), fourth in average depth of target (9.5), and third in deep throw percentage (17.4%).
• Wilson has eclipsed 9.0 yards per attempt in three of his five starts.
• Of the 55 wide receivers with at least 50 targets, Pickens ranks sixth in average depth of target (14.0), fourth in percentage of team air yards (46.7%), seventh in team target share (26.6%), eighth in yards per route run (2.57), and first in end zone targets (13).
• The Bengals allow 8.1 catches per game to outside receivers (28^th) for 107.2 per game (29^th). Pittsburgh has targeted receivers in that area of the field a league high 49.4% of its pass attempts.
• Targets for tight ends with Wilson at quarterback: Darnell Washington 15, Pat Freiermuth 14. Freiermuth's 59 receiving yards last week was his season high, but he has yet to have more than four receptions in any game.
• The Bengals allow the fifth-most yards per game (62.2), fifth-most receptions per game (5.7), and an 8.5% touchdown rate (28^th) to tight ends. Tight ends have 26.8% of the receptions vs. the Bengals, the seventh highest percentage in the league.
• Trey Hendrickson has 11.5 sacks in 11 games, the NFL's current leader. Hendrickson's 24 quarterback hits also lead the league. The next-highest sack total by a Bengals defender is from Sam Hubbard with two. No one else on this defense has more than one. The Bengals have just 19 sacks all year, just 1.7 sacks per game. Only the Falcons and Panthers are worse. Cincinnati records a sack on 4.5% of opposing drop backs. Only the Falcons and Panthers are worse. Hendrickson has accounted for 57.1% of his team's sacks and 32.2% of their pressures, both league highs. He is the only player with over 35% of his team's sacks. Since joining the Bengals in 2021, Hendrickson has accounted for a league-high 36.1% of their total sacks during that time.
• Steelers quarterbacks are getting sacked on 9.3% of their drop backs, the fifth-highest percentage in the league, and are deemed under pressure on 37.8% of drop backs, the sixth-highest percentage. Wilson was sacked four times in Week 12.
• As a team, Pittsburgh has the fourth-highest (3.01 seconds) time to throw.
• The Steelers are utilizing play-action on 29.1% of their drop backs, fifth-highest. Cincinnati's defense has given up nine touchdowns off play-action, tied for most in the league.
• Najee Harris has touched the ball 18 or more times in every game Wilson has started with Pittsburgh. Last week, Harris produced 54 yards from scrimmage, his lowest output of the season.
• Jaylen Warren has a streak of five games in a row with 55-plus scrimmage yards. Over the past four games, he is touching the ball 13.8 (10.5 rush attempts and 3.3 targets) per game and he leads the backfield in route participation (41%) and target share (12%).
• The Steelers are averaging 135.2 rushing yards per game, eighth-best. Cincinnati gives up 129.8, 21^st in the league. The Steelers have 43 rushes of 10-plus yards, seventh-most.
• Harris has 157 rushing yards in the three games after Pittsburgh's bye week while averaging 2.9 yards per carry during that stretch.
• 25.1% of running back runs against Cincinnati result in a first down or touchdown. Only two defenses are worse.
• The Bengals have allowed the most rushing yards (401) to opposing quarterbacks.
• The Steelers have just a 44.7% conversion rate and are at 40% over their past three games. However, only Dallas' defense has been worse in the red zone than the Bengals, which allow a 70.5% conversion rate and a rate of 85.7% over the past three games.
• Pittsburgh has 38 red zone trips this season. The Steelers had 42 all last year.
• Pittsburgh has 19 passing plays of 30+ yards. They had 19 all last year.
• The Steelers are converting 38.5% of their third-down attempts. The Bengals allow a conversion on third downs at a 44.4% clip.
• Cincinnati's defense has given up 34 touchdowns. Only the Panthers, Jaguars and Cowboys have allowed more.

WHEN CINCINNATI HAS THE BALL

• Cincinnati's offense produces 5.7 yards per play. The Steelers defense gives up 5.2, but only 4.9 on the road this season.
• The Bengals throw the ball 63.5% of their offensive snaps, the sixth-highest percentage in the league. Cincinnati is throwing it 67.9% over their past three games. The Steelers defense sees pass on 60.8% of its plays, the sixth-highest percentage in the league.
• The Bengals have utilized an extra offensive lineman on 5.5% of their snaps this season, with the bulk of those coming with one running back, two tight ends, and one wide receiver on the field. Cincinnati uses this "Heavy 12 Personnel" at the NFL's third-highest rate.
• Pittsburgh's defense sees the seventh-highest percentage of 11 Personnel. In turn, the Steelers see 12 and 21 Personnel each at the league's 21^st highest rate.
• The Bengals turn a set of downs into a new set of downs or touchdown at a 74% rate. Only eight offenses are better. The Steelers defense is at a 67% clip, tied for best in the league.
• The Bengals 262.7 average passing yards per game is the highest in the NFL.
• Pittsburgh's 61.5% completion percentage allowed is only behind the Texans and Jets.
• Of the 39 passers with 100-plus attempts, Burrow ranks second in yards per game (275.3). He has thrown three or more touchdown passes in three consecutive games. Burrow hasn't faced the Steelers since the 2022 season.
• Pittsburgh's defense has yet to allow a passer to throw for three touchdowns and has only allowed a two-touchdown game just twice.
• Chase averages 96 receiving yards per game (only behind Nico Collins) and leads the NFL with 1,056 receiving yards. He is the only player in the NFL with over 1,000 receiving yards. Tee Higgins averages 81.5, seventh-highest. Chase has accounted for 12 of the Bengals' 27 receiving touchdowns.
• Of the 55 wide receivers with at least 50 targets, Chase ranks sixth in targets per game (8.9), seventh in yards per target (10.8), sixth in yards after the catch per reception (6.74) and sixth in team receiving touchdown percentage (44.4%). Chase's 493 yards after the catch are the most in the NFL. Chase has received 11-plus targets in four-straight games.
• Higgins ranks fifth in targets per game (9.3), sixth in yards after contact per reception (2.76), and seventh in first downs per route run (.13). Higgins' 2.31 yards per route run is his career high. In Higgins' past five games played, he has target shares of 33.3%, 35.9%, 30.4%, 33.3% and 28.3%.
• With Higgins on the field, Burrow averages 8.5 yards per pass attempt. Without Higgins, that drops to 6.4. Burrow's touchdown rate is 7.8% with Higgins compared to 5.6% without. Chase averages 2.76 yards per route run with Higgins on the field, compared to 2.1 without Higgins.
• Bengals quarterbacks are getting sacked on just 6.0% of their drop backs, the sixth-best percentage in the league. The Steelers defense pressures opposing quarterbacks on 36.2% of drop backs, eighth-best.
• Cincinnati is being blitzed on 21.0% of drop backs. Only Miami and Dallas see a lower percentage of blitz.
• Chase Brown has produced 394 yards from scrimmage over the past three games. He has 62 rush attempts and been targeted 23 times during that time. Since Zack Moss was injured, Brown has gotten every single backfield touch, played on 84.8% of the snaps, ran a route on 61.5% of drop backs, and has commanded a 15.2% target share.
• The Bengals are averaging 91.5 rushing yards per game, sixth-worst. The Steelers allow just 90.3, fourth-best.
• 14.9% of Cincinnati's rush attempts have been stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage. That is the seventh-highest percentage. The Bengals generate just .98 yards before first contact per rush. Only four offenses are worse. The Steelers defense allows 1.12 yards before first contact. Only four defenses are better.
• Pittsburgh has given up 26 runs of 10-plus yards. Only the Ravens, Chiefs and Vikings have allowed fewer, and Baltimore has yet to have their bye week.
• 58.2% of the Bengals' rushing attempts have been between the tackles, the third-highest percentage in the NFL. Pittsburgh's defense sees 56.6% of rush attempts between the tackles. Only San Francisco faces a higher percentage of inside runs.
• The Bengals red zone offense ranks only behind Baltimore and Tampa Bay. Cincinnati has a 69.7% conversion rate in the red zone and is at 75% over the most recent three games. The Steelers defense has a 51.5% conversion rate allowed after giving up a rate of 88.9% over the past three games.
• On third downs, Cincinnati is converting at a 45.2% clip, fifth-best in the league. Pittsburgh allows a conversion rate of 33.0%. Only four defenses are better. Over their past three games, the Steelers allow just a 28.6% third-down conversion rate.
• The Steelers have allowed just 20 touchdowns. Only the Lions, Broncos, Eagles and Chargers have allowed fewer, and Denver has yet to have its bye week.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Steelers average punt return results in a 11.4 gain while they allow just 4.5 yards per punt return, the lowest in the league. Pittsburgh's opponents have just 72 total punt return yards this season.
• Evan McPherson is making just 71.4% of his kicks this year compared to 93.9% for Chris Boswell, who missed his second kick attempt of the season last week. Boswell is perfect from within 57 yards.
• Boswell has two games with six or more made field goals. The rest of the NFL has two combined.
• Boswell has scored 46.2% of the Steelers' points this year. That is the highest percentage by any player at any position since 2016. That is the second-highest percentage by any player on a team with a winning record during the Super Bowl era.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT:

Dec. 31, 2006: Steelers 23, Bengals 17 (OT)

Coming into this final week of the 2006 regular season, the Bengals needed to win this game to get into the postseason. The Steelers were out of the playoff race. This was Bill Cowher's final game as the Steelers head coach and he produced a great quote, "Let me just say this. Misery loves company. And we're looking for company." Well, Cowher got his wish as his Steelers took Cincinnati to the wire and kept the divisional rival out of the playoffs. Two great quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer, battled it out and the Steelers got 134 rushing yards from Willie Parker on 34 carries. In overtime, Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes on a quick slant that Holmes took to the house to crush Cincinnati's postseason dreams.

KEY MATCHUPS

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase vs. Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. - With Tee Higgins also in the equation, it is difficult to speculate if Porter will follow Chase in this matchup. Either way, Cincinnati's pair of receivers is clearly one of the best duos in the league and just slowing those two down would go a long way to a Steelers victory on Sunday.

Steelers LT Dan Moore vs. Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson - The Bengals haven't gotten enough pass-rush from defenders other than Hendrickson, but this guy is once again having a monster season in a Bengals uniform. Moore and Hendrickson have squared off plenty over the past few years. There is no question who the Bengals most dangerous defensive player is and that is obviously Hendrickson.