Category: 2021 Week 12 Steelers vs. Bengals

Steelers vs Bengals: Experts not looking upset this week for Pittsburgh

Can the Steelers pull off the upset this week?

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Nothing the Pittsburgh Steelers have done this season has made any sense. They win games you expect them to lose, lose games you expect them to win and even found a way to tie a team they should have beat handily.

This makes trying to sort out what will happen this week against the Cincinnati Bengals even more of a challenge. The Bengals already beat the Steelers one this season, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are still banged up at some key positions and Cincinnati is a team on the rise.

All this gives pundits confidence to say the Bengals will sweep the season series. We looked to our friends over at NFL Pick Watch and according to them 76 percent of experts are leaning today Cincinnati. A majority for sure but there are 24 percent of them out there who understand when it comes to Pittsburgh you expect the unexpected.

If the Bengals win on Sunday it will be the first time they have swept the season series since 2009.

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Steelers vs Bengals Thursday practice report

The Steelers got guard Trai Turner back at practice on Thursday.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers went through a walkthrough on Thanksgiving as the team prepares for a must-win game in Cincinnati this weekend. Things are looking up on the injury side of things, keeping in mind this wasn’t a full practice.

Here’s how the injured players were reported by the team:

DE Isaiahh Loudermilk (groin)-Full

G Trai Turner (ankle)-Full

CB Arthur Maulet (illness)-DNP

G J.C. Hassenauer (pec)-DNP

TE Eric Ebron (knee)-DNP

QB Ben Roethlisberger (pec)-Limited

CB Joe Haden (foot)-Limited

LB T.J. Watt (hip/knee)-Limited

The Steelers did get some great news when starting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick came off the Reserve/COVID-19 list and should be good to go for this week’s game.

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Steelers activate S Minkah Fitzpatrick from Reserve/COVID-19 list

Pittsburgh will have Minkah Fitzpatrick back this week.

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Count this among the things Pittsburgh Steelers fans should be thankful for this Thanksgiving. After missing last week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list. This opens up his availability for this Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

In Fitzpatrick’s place, rookie defensive back Tre Norwood played every defensive snap against the Chargers. Fitzpatrick back in the lineup will allow Norwood to move around in the secondary.

On the season, Fitzpatrick has 64 total tackles. The splash plays that marked Fitzpatrick’s time with the Steelers early on have disappeared but he continues to be a smart, physical player and leader on the defense.

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Steelers vs Bengals: LB T.J. watt limited on Wednesday

T.J. Watt was back on the practice field on Wednesday.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were missing multiple starters from practice on Wednesday. One guy who was on the field, albeit on a limited basis was edge rusher T.J. Watt. The team listed Watt, along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and defensive end Isaiahh Loudermilk as limited on Wednesday. Watt hurt his knee and hip two weeks ago when the Steelers played the Detroit Lions.

Unfortunately, five starters missed the Wednesday practice. This includes cornerback Joe Haden who missed last week’s game with a foot injury. Pittsburgh also saw starting guards J.C. Hassenauer and Trai Turner sitting out on Wednesday.

Starting tight end Eric Ebron is listed as out with a knee injury and Cam Heyward got a veteran’s day off.

Meanwhile, the Bengals seem to be largely healthy on Wednesday. Only wide receiver Auden Tate was listed as out and the only starter on the list, guard Hakeem Adeniji was limited.

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Is more no huddle on the way for the Steelers?

The Steelers used no-huddle and tempo to mount a serious comeback last week.

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We have said since before the season started, this offense is going to be as good as the offensive line. Every week this plays out on the field. Pittsburgh’s offense opens up so much more when the skill players can count on the offensive line to do its job.

On Wednesday, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger addressed the media and was optimistic about the offense trending up after last week’s performance. A significant part of that was the team’s ability to operate in the no-huddle in the fourth quarter. This allowed the Steelers to score 27 points in the quarterback and nearly mount a comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Roethlisberger plays his absolute best when the team uses tempo. If the offensive line can adjust to the line calls Big Ben makes, it frees this offense up to do a lot of things better.

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Rate your confidence in the Steelers making the playoffs

Cast your vote and tell us if you think Pittsburgh can make the playoffs.

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11 weeks into the season the Pittsburgh Steelers sit at 5-4-1 and on the outside looking in as far as the AFC playoff picture. But with seven games to play, how confident are you the Steelers can find a way to make the playoffs?

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As of this week the Steelers are the No. 8 team in the AFC behind the Buffalo Bills. There are only four teams in the conference who have a record below .500 making the hunt for those wild card spots even more challenging.

The next two weeks will go a long way toward determining if this team is a contender or a pretender. This week Pittsburgh travels to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals and then follows that up with a huge road matchup against the division-leading Baltimore Ravens.

Be sure to cast your vote and let us know how confident you are in this team in a crowded AFC. And make sure to comment below and tell us how you think the season ends for the Steelers.

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Ben Roethlisberger says he never hears Mike Tomlin in his helmet

Mike Tomlin talks playcalling at his Wednesday press conference.

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Earlier in the week, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talked about the offensive playcalling and his input. Based on Tomlin’s comments, he does at times make the offensive play call, perhaps overriding what offensive coordinator Matt Canada has in mind. But according to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, he’s never heard Tomlin’s void in his helmet.

“He might. I don’t hear him on my headset,” Roethlisberger said. Roethlisberger did admit he heard his old coach, Bill Cowher get on there and let then-offensive coordinator Ken Wisenhunt was in charge and tell him to run the football.

There’s no doubt the Steelers offense is better when the playcalling is more diversified. Last week the Steelers overthought the situation when they chose to only give running back Najee Harris 12 carries. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like Canada is playing to Pittsburgh’s strengths in the most important situations.

This week the Steelers travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals.

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Steelers practice squad: Pittsburgh protects 2 tackles, 2 receivers for Week 12

Steelers go all-offense for their Week 12 practice squad protections.

The NFL carried over some successful rules from the 2020 season, including practice squad protections. Teams can protect up to four of the most valued players on their practice squad each week, preventing them from being signed by other teams.

Teams that play on Sundays can designate protected players each Tuesday at 4 p.m. Teams that play on Mondays designate players each Wednesday. Protected players are not eligible to sign with another team until after that week’s game.

For the first time since he was signed, the Steelers did not protect safety Karl Joseph.

Here are the four players the Pittsburgh Steelers protected on their practice squad for Week 12 versus the Cincinnati Bengals:

Steelers vs Bengals: Pittsburgh announces multiple roster moves

Pittsburgh is busy shuffling the roster this week.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers announced multiple roster moves on Tuesday as they start the week preparing to take on the Cincinnati Bengals.

According to the team, tight end Kevin Rader is being promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. This is in anticipation of tight end Eric Ebron missing some time with his knee injury.

Replacing Rader on the practice squad is tight end Jace Sternberger. In addition, Pittsburgh also signed guard Rashaad Coward to the practice squad. Coward had been with the team earlier in the offseason. To make room for Coward, the Steelers released quarterback James Morgan.

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