The Cincinnati Bengals will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night in a crucial AFC North matchup. Both teams enter with 6-2 records, making the game a chance to take sole possession of first place as the NFL regular season reaches its halfway point.
The contest will also be Joe Burrow’s first home primetime game against a division opponent at Paycor Stadium since he entered the league in 2020. The Bengals quarterback heads into the matchup in strong form after leading Cincinnati to four consecutive games with at least 30 points.
## Burrow’s Four-Touchdown Streak
Burrow has recorded at least four combined passing and rushing touchdowns in each of the Bengals’ last four games. That streak is the second-longest of its kind since the NFL merger in 1970.
The quarterback has also put together impressive numbers across Cincinnati’s first eight games of the 2026 season. He has completed 74.0% of his passes, the highest rate in the NFL, for 2,386 yards and a league-leading 23 touchdowns. He has thrown six interceptions.
## A Pivotal AFC North Game
Cincinnati has won four straight games, and a victory over Pittsburgh could strengthen its position in the division. With a favorable schedule after Sunday’s matchup, the Bengals could also improve their chances of making a playoff push and earning home-field advantage.
Burrow emphasized the stakes ahead of the game: “Home field advantage in the playoffs is so important. This is as big of a game as we’ve had here for awhile. We lost to them earlier in the season, so number one with the standings at the end of the year you want that to be split and number two for first place outright.”
