The Steelers face a tough challenge against a well-rested Bengals team coming off their bye week, looking to course-correct and turn their season around. With a 4-7 record, Cincinnati is much better than their record suggests, especially on offense.
They’ve been competitive in nearly every game but have struggled to close them out. If the Steelers want to avoid dropping back-to-back games and deliver a blow to the Bengals 2024 playoff hopes, here are the three key factors to focus on in order to get back on track with a win.
No room for slow starts against Joe Burrow and the Bengals
This season, the Steelers have yet to score a touchdown on their opening drive. Additionally, since Russell Wilson became the starting quarterback, the offense has taken some time to find its rhythm in the first half.
This simply can’t continue if they hope to beat a high-powered offense led by Joe Burrow. To have any chance of winning, the Steelers need to score early, and there’s no better way to start than by finding the end zone on their first offensive drive.
Steelers Red Zone struggles must be fixed now
In addition to the slow starts on offense, the Steelers absolutely need to capitalize in the red zone. We’ve already seen the same issues against the Browns, and it’s a legitimate concern moving forward. Russell Wilson and his team have struggled in this area, and the Steelers red zone woes are no different.
From play calling and personnel groupings to execution and schematics, it’s a major problem that needs urgent attention—especially in a game where they’ll need to put up a solid number of points to beat the Bengals. If this issue isn’t addressed, it’s hard to see the Steelers winning many games down the stretch.
Leverage matchups to maximize TJ Watt’s impact
I’ve been saying this for weeks, but the Steelers defensive staff continues to overlook how they can maximize TJ Watt’s impact. They refuse to move him around to exploit matchups, don’t blitz nearly enough, and rarely run stunts to create favorable situations for him. Instead, they let him face constant chips and double-teams, play after play.
Look across the league, and you see teams using their top pass rushers in creative ways to generate more pressure. Even last week, Myles Garrett was moved around to hunt for matchups and finished with 3 sacks against the Steelers. It’s frustrating to watch the Steelers fail to scheme up more opportunities for their best player.
Against a quarterback like Joe Burrow, the pass rush will be the only way to disrupt the offense, and Watt needs to be deployed in ways that make him difficult to gameplan for. The Steelers’ current approach of sticking him on one side isn’t enough to maximize his potential.
If they’re serious about getting the most out of Watt, they need to get creative and give him the freedom to wreak havoc at key moments in the game.
