The Cincinnati Bengals start the Jake Browning era against a Pittsburgh Steelers team at a crossroads, too.
Those Steelers are 6-4 despite a minus-29 point differential on the season and enter this one after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Not only that, Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had a heated exchange after a loss last week, hinting at possible issues there.
Issues for Mike Tomlin’s team or not, the Bengals sit below them in the AFC North at 5-5 and face even bigger problems. The hurdle? Going from a borderline MVP contender Joe Burrow to Jake Browning, who has 15 attempts as a pro.
The Bengals have attempted to paint it as the full offensive approach doesn’t change under the direction of Browning. And while he’s got a better cast of weapons (sans Tee Higgins) than most backups would ever enjoy, it’s a tall order to successfully execute behind an up-and-down line against the T.J. Watt-led Steelers.
And a potentially struggling offense doesn’t help a defense that hasn’t looked right all year. That unit finally gets Sam Hubbard back up front, but the young secondary trying to adjust after big roster turnover could struggle against Pittsburgh’s strong cast of weapons.
Still, this feels like one of the biggest coin-flips of the season. Each team wants to rally and reset the narrative for the rest of the year. The Steelers want to prove, behind a surge after a rare in-season coaching move, that they can be a playoff threat. The Bengals want to show they can shock as an underdog and that the rest of the season really isn’t just about development.
Notably, this one goes down in Cincinnati and there’s a glimmer of hope in that a low-scoring game could favor the Bengals. While the Steelers have a new play-caller, quarterback Kenny Pickett has thrown just one touchdown since October 1.
To his credit, Browning came in and led scoring drives last week without any prep time. There’s a small chance he can scratch and claw his way into enough production against a Steelers defense that lost to a rookie quarterback last week to keep the Bengals alive.
Prediction: Bengals 17, Steelers 14
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