One position matchup to watch in Steelers' Week 12 clash vs. Bengals
The Pittsburgh Steelers will hit the road for the second straight week, as they will square off with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. Pittsburgh is coming off a 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in which its front seven had a quiet outing. The Steelers sacked Browns passer Dorian Thompson-Robinson just once in the […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers will hit the road for the second straight week, as they will square off with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12.
Pittsburgh is coming off a 13-10 loss to the Cleveland Browns in which its front seven had a quiet outing. The Steelers sacked Browns passer Dorian Thompson-Robinson just once in the divisional contest, and they tallied a mere four quarterback hits.
Thompson-Robinson enjoyed much success in negating pressure from Pittsburgh with quick, short passes. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the rookie quarterback recorded a time-to-throw average of 2.34 seconds against the Steelers.
For Pittsburgh’s front seven to orchestrate a bounce-back showing in Week 12, outside linebacker Alex Highsmith will need to win his expected pass-rushing matchup against Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.
Steelers' Alex Highsmith vs. Bengals' Orlando Brown Jr.
Highsmith and Brown each had a sluggish performance in Week 11.
Highsmith did not have much to go his way in Pittsburgh’s road defeat to Cleveland. He featured in 88 percent of snaps on defense, and he failed to record a single quarterback pressure for the first time this season. He also made it back-to-back games without a sack.
On Brown’s part, he had a game to forget in the Bengals' road loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. He squared off with Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh for the majority of the contest, and the former Penn State standout wound up having the last laugh.
Oweh was able to regularly gain leverage against Brown, and his keen speed was simply too much for the veteran offensive lineman. He ended up tallying a career-high seven pressures in the contest, with five of them coming in matchups against the four-time Pro Bowler. He also logged a 35.0 percent pressure rate.
Overall, Brown has had a roller-coaster campaign in his first year with the Bengals. He has allowed three sacks and 30 hurries over 435 passing blocking snaps.
Highsmith and Brown are well familiar with each other, as the two had their fair share of duels during the latter’s runs with the Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs.
This time around, Highsmith sure will look to once again have his way against Brown.
Latest injury report for Steelers at Bengals, Week 12
Here is the latest on the status of multiple starters ahead of the Bengals game.
