Get ready for a high-stakes AFC North matchup. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Cincinnati in Week 10 to face the Bengals on Sunday Night Football, with the division’s top spot on the line. Cincinnati will aim to keep its productive offense rolling, while Pittsburgh will need to find a way to slow down one of the league’s strongest offensive units.
The teams met earlier in the season in Week 3, when they combined for 57 points. Their rematch could bring another busy night for the offenses—and potentially a major change in the AFC North standings.
Here are four bold predictions for Steelers vs. Bengals.
## 1. Jaylen Warren will rush for 100 yards and score twice
Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren is coming off a productive stretch and has become an important part of the Steelers’ offense. After a strong Week 3 performance against Cincinnati, he could again test a Bengals defense that has allowed the 25th-most rushing yards per game.
Warren’s contribution may extend beyond the ground game. If Pittsburgh can use him effectively as both a runner and a receiver, Cincinnati will have to account for him in multiple ways. That could create opportunities for the Steelers to keep drives moving and put pressure on the Bengals’ defense.
**Prediction:** Warren will record at least 100 rushing yards and score twice: once on the ground and once as a receiver.
## 2. Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers will each throw three touchdown passes
Joe Burrow and Aaron Rodgers both had three-touchdown passing performances in the teams’ Week 3 meeting. With the AFC North lead at stake in the rematch, both quarterbacks will have plenty of incentive to make plays and keep their offenses productive.
Cincinnati’s ability to generate points will be central to its effort to defend home territory, while Pittsburgh will look to match the Bengals’ scoring pace. The matchup could become a test of which quarterback can keep finding openings in the opposing secondary. If both passing games hit their stride, another high-scoring contest is possible.
**Prediction:** Burrow and Rodgers will each throw three touchdown passes, giving both offenses a major role in the game’s outcome.
## 3. Neither team will record a sack
The offensive lines will have an important assignment: give Burrow and Rodgers enough time to work through their progressions and target receivers downfield. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are both expected to rely on their passing attacks, so protection could be a deciding factor in whether either offense can sustain its rhythm.
There were three sacks in the teams’ Week 3 matchup, but this prediction calls for a different result in the rematch. If both offensive lines hold up, the quarterbacks may have the time they need to deliver the ball without being brought down behind the line of scrimmage.
**Prediction:** Neither team will record a quarterback sack during Sunday Night Football.
## 4. Cincinnati will win and take the AFC North lead
The Week 3 game between the Bengals and Steelers produced 57 combined points. This rematch could feature another exchange of scoring drives, with both teams trying to take advantage of their offensive strengths.
The prediction is for an even higher-scoring contest, with 71 points scored. In that scenario, Cincinnati will have the final say. A game-winning field goal would give the Bengals the victory, even the season series with Pittsburgh and move them into first place in the AFC North.
**Prediction:** The Bengals will defeat the Steelers on a game-winning field goal, even the season series and take over the division lead.
## A high-scoring division clash
This Week 10 matchup brings together two teams competing for the same division prize, along with quarterbacks and offenses capable of producing points. Warren’s impact, protection for Burrow and Rodgers, and the outcome of the teams’ scoring exchanges could all shape the game.
The boldest forecast is a 71-point Bengals victory that changes the AFC North standings. If Cincinnati can finish with the winning field goal, it will leave Sunday night with both a win over Pittsburgh and the division’s top spot.
