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The 2-4 Cincinnati Bengals are taking on the 4-1 Pittsburgh Steelers in a battle on “Thursday Night Football.”

The game is in Cincinnati, with the Bengals hoping to pull off the upset and save their young season.

For the Steelers, they’re looking to build on some early-season success in hopes of pulling out the win and furthering their lead in the AFC North.

Here’s how each team can secure the victory. Buckle up, folks, the kickoff is set for just hours away.

How the Bengals can win

John Sheeran from A to Z Sports broke down what the Bengals need to do to walk away with a victory. Divisional games can be strange, and that’s exactly what Sheeran highlighted in his keys to victory for the Bengals.

“Thursday night games between AFC North teams almost always favor the home team. The last time a home team lost such a matchup was in 2015, when the Steelers fell to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime. Cincinnati has that undeniable advantage, and unlike last week, Joe Flacco has some on-field experience in this offense under his belt and has seen plenty of Pittsburgh’s defense in his many years quarterbacking. The Steelers are the better team, but the Bengals could definitely win a weird Thursday night game.” – John Sheeran, A to Z Sports

It all starts and ends with Flacco, with one of the keys to victory being building on his second-half performance he had against the Green Bay Packers. Cincinnati has the NFL’s worst rushing offense by yards and attempts, and it ranks 29th in rushing touchdowns on the season. It’ll be on Flacco and the high-powered passing offense to put up points in bunches in hopes of ruining the Steelers’ impressive early-season run.

On defense, it’ll be stopping the run and trying to derail the Steelers in the red zone. Pittsburgh has averaged more than 24 rushing attempts per game and ranks sixth in the NFL with a 71.4 percent touchdown conversion rate in the red zone.

Cincinnati’s pass rush getting after Rodgers and the run defense slowing down the backs, especially in the red zone, will be a tall task for the Bengals, but one they must attack if they want the victory.

How the Steelers can win

Rob Gregson from A to Z Sports has the Steelers continuing their dominance in the division, despite a potential trap game on the horizon.

“The Steelers are walking into Paycor Stadium as heavy favorites. 5.5 points in an AFC North matchup is a lot. Add on the fact that the Steelers have never won this kind of contest, and it feels like we have a trap game on our hands. In the Super Bowl era, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 0-8 all-time on Thursday night when playing a division opponent on the road. It’s not a coincidence that Mike Tomlin blasted Andrew Berry this week regarding the Browns trading Joe Flacco to the Bengals.”

“Flacco has been Tomlin’s grim reaper. He is 14-13 all-time against the veteran QB, and he saw his team lose a game to Indy last year with Flacco at the helm. But the key to winning in Cincy is simple for Pittsburgh. The Steelers have to take advantage of a ravaged offensive line and use Flacco’s 40-year-old mobility against him. Then, on offense, they need to bludgeon one of the worst units in the league, picking their shots with DK Metcalf. But just because the recipe is simple, it doesn’t mean it will be easy.” – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports

The Bengals entered the game as the fourth-worst team in the league when it comes to run defense, something that the Steelers should look to capitalize on early and often through the matchup.

While their season average is a little over 24 attempts per game, expect the team to have even more in the contest against the Bengals if they can establish the run early.

The Steelers are second in the league in sacks, and they’ll need the pass rush to get home on Flacco. Flacco has been sacked 19 times, dating back to last season, and lost four fumbles with multiple interceptions when pressured.

On offense, the goal is to continue their work in the red zone. Finishing drives has been an issue for the team in recent years. 2020 was the last time the team was over 60 percent successful in the red zone, something they’ll need to continue if they want to take down Flacco and the Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals News

Steelers insider reveals what Bengals need to prioritize in stopping Aaron Rodgers’ passing attack

Pittsburgh is coming to Cincinnati for “Thursday Night Football.”

John Sheeran

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