Category: 2024 season Week 18 – Steelers vs Bengals

Steelers expected to get offensive weapon back for season finale vs. Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting an offensive boost ahead of their critical Week 18 showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are getting a boost ahead of their critical Week 18 showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. Backup quarterback Justin Fields has recovered from the abdominal injury he sustained in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles and is expected to return. Fields’ return comes at a pivotal moment as the Steelers aim to solidify their playoff position in what promises to be a high-stakes AFC North clash on Saturday night.

Fields had been instrumental in providing depth and versatility to the Steelers’ offense throughout the season. Although primarily a backup, his mobility and playmaking ability have allowed the Steelers to introduce dynamic elements to their game plan when they needed a spark.

The Steelers will need every weapon in their arsenal to face a Bengals team led by Joe Burrow. Fields offers an insurance policy for Pittsburgh’s offense, as his dual-threat capability can keep Cincinnati’s defense guessing.

The only questions are whether Arthur Smith plans to use him and whether he’ll do it correctly. Fields’ comeback also boosts team morale, underscoring the Steelers’ resilience as they aim to finish the season on a strong note.

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Steelers HC fails to acknowledge in-fighting on defense

Mike Tomlin saw no issues with the comments by Steelers defenders last week.

After the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day, multiple members of the Steelers defense spoke publicly and aired their dirty laundry about lack of effort by unnamed teammates. It wasn’t a great look for the team but many hoped it might spark some action by the players and coaching staff.

Clearly, that did not happen.

Head coach Mike Tomlin addressed the media on Monday and when he was asked if he addressed the defense about the public airing of grievances at all. Tomlin said he did not and then offered up the most Tomlin answer he could.

“They bicker because they care,” Tomlin suggested.

This is the best he could do just days away from the biggest game of the season. If the Steelers defense struggles against the Bengals on Saturday night, we will revisit Tomlin’s lack of action on this matter and wonder if he could have done more.

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Playoff scenarios show Week 18 vs. Bengals is a must-win for Steelers

The Steelers could end up playing the Ravens in the first round of the playoffs.

Prior to kickoff on Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers will know if they have a shot at winning the AFC North. The Baltimore Ravens take on the Cleveland Browns in the afternoon half of the Saturday doubleheader, and if Baltimore wins, they are North champions.

But the Steelers’ game against the Bengals is a must-win regardless of how the Ravens do against the Browns. If the Steelers win and the Ravens win, Pittsburgh would finish as the No. 5 seed and travel to Houston to take on the Texans.

However, if the Ravens win and the Steelers lose, Pittsburgh runs the risk of falling to the No. 6 seed. That would send the Steelers to Baltimore. The Steelers and Ravens split the regular-season series, but Baltimore blew the Steelers out 34-17 in Week 16.

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Steelers will know if they can win the AFC North before they kick off vs the Bengals

The Steelers will know if they have a shot at the AFC North before they kick off on Saturday night.

By the time the Pittsburgh Steelers kick off against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night, they will already know if they have been eliminated from contention for the AFC North.

The NFL released the full schedule for Week 18 late Sunday night and they have the Cleveland Browns vs the Baltimore Ravens in the afternoon slot on Saturday, January 4 and the Steelers vs Bengals game to follow in prime time.

If the Ravens beat the Browns, the Steelers cannot win the AFC North, even with a win over the Bengals. Unfortunately, with those two games being on Saturday, the Steelers cannot try to strategize at all for a more comfortable seeding for the first round of the playoffs.

If the Ravens win, the Steelers will go on the road for their playoff game but until the full Sunday night slate wraps up, they won’t know for sure where they are traveling and who they will be playing.

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Kickoff date and time announced for Steelers vs Bengals

The Steelers will be watching the scoreboard on Sunday after their game with the Bengals on Saturday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18 could have huge playoff implications for the Steelers and Bengals. The NFL waited until after the Sunday Night Football game between the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons to announce the kickoff time for the games but now we know.

The Steelers and Bengals will kick off at 8:00 ET on Saturday, January 4. The game will be in Pittsburgh and the 10-6 Steelers are hoping they can get a win over the Bengals paired with a Browns upset of the Baltimore Ravens to help Pittsburgh secure an AFC North title and a home playoff game.

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati squared off in Week 13 with Pittsburgh winning a shootout 44-38. The Bengals offense is still humming along with quarterback Joe Burrow a legitimate MVP candidate. Meanwhile, the Steelers offense has ground to a screeching halt accounting for Pittsburgh’s three-game losing streak.

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Steelers star approaching NFL milestone vs Bengals

Chris Boswell has had an All-Pro season in 2024.

All season long and beyond, the most consistent scoring threat on the Pittsburgh Steelers has been kicker Chris Boswell. Boswell is one of, if not the best kicker in the NFL right now and the Steelers have leaned on him heavily this season.

Boswell’s 40 field goals are currently the second-most in NFL history for a single season. He trails only David Akers, who hit 44 field goals on a remarkable 52 tries as a member of the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.

This season Boswell has hit his 40 field goals on only 43 attempts and if he can get four field goals against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18, he will tie Akers for the record.

Boswell has four games this season where he has made at least four field goals including two games with six. Given the Steelers struggles on offense, a four or five field goal game is not at all out of the question.

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