There’s no getting around it: This edition of the Cincinnati Bengals versus Pittsburgh Steelers is a truly big game.
It’s November, it’s chilly and getting colder, and the top spot in the AFC North will be on the line Nov. 15 when the Bengals and Steelers meet at Paycor Stadium for an 8:20 p.m. Sunday Night Football game. It’s cliche, but this is what it’s all about.
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Based on what the teams have on their respective schedules in the months to come, the winner of the Nov. 15 clash could have a significant leg-up in determining the AFC North champion. It’s a must-win for both clubs no matter how you look at it.
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Here are some considerations and must-haves for the Bengals if they’re to emerge atop the AFC North following this game:
Sure, Cincinnati would love to have its defense create chaos for 60 minutes against the Steelers. Negative-yardage plays. Turnovers. Making Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers uncomfortable all night. The Bengals are more than welcome to do all of that against the Steelers − but it won’t take 60 minutes of perfection to get the win Cincinnati needs.
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The Bengals defense has its issues. Missed tackles and a tendency to allow explosive plays are chief among them. Teams have racked up big yardage totals against the Bengals, too. But the bottom line is what opponents convert into actual points, and Cincinnati’s 21.9 opponent points per game, which ranks No. 14 in the NFL, is solid.
Cincinnati has held opposing offenses to 20 points or less three times this season, and that sets the team’s explosive offense up nicely to out-gun almost any team in the NFL. And bear in mind that while the Steelers are one of two teams to put up 30 points on the defense this year, Pittsburgh is far from the most prolific offense in the league. Give Pittsburgh full marks for its 6-2 start, but the offense’s 22.9 points per game is ranked just the No. 17 unit in the NFL. That’s a number the Bengals offense can more than keep up with if the defense can set the table.
If the Bengals’ defense can just get off the field in key spots and generally be what it’s been all season, that’ll be “mission accomplished” for coordinator Al Golden’s unit.
When divisional opponents meet for the second time in an NFL season, those games are often framed within the context of the last time the teams met. Sometimes, that’s fair to do, but not in this case. If you’re the Bengals, keep these facts in mind about the Sept. 27 loss at Acrisure Stadium because a lot has changed in the 49 days between that game and Nov. 15
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The Bengals’ offensive line is playing at a higher level than it was Sept. 27. It’s been a while since quarterback Joe Burrow was getting knocked around like he was in September (and don’t forget the Steelers clinched their Sept. 27 win with a sack and a fumble recovery late in regulation).
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Burrow has grown into the 2026 season and is now playing some of the best football of his career. Back in Week 3, the talk around Burrow was about a slower start to his year than expected. Today? He’s leading the NFL with 23 touchdown passes and a 74% completion percentage, and is No. 2 in passing yards with 2,386 yards.
Since the Bengals are coming off a win in Madrid, there’s also been considerable talk about the 0-5 record of NFL teams coming off an international game when playing a team coming off a bye. And the stat makes sense: There’s no question about which team would be more rested, but these matchups are a relatively new thing (hence there are only five prior examples). In the past, playing abroad meant going straight into your bye, but that appears to be a bygone luxury for teams and schedule-makers. For the Bengals, it’s not quantum physics or higher math, though. They can figure out how to do this and become the first team in this situation to win coming off playing abroad. The team has eased back into preparations for Pittsburgh with great care. For instance, Wednesday’s practice inside Paycor Stadium was a walk-through as players continued to reacclimatize.
Basically, the Sept. 27 game isn’t so relevant this week. Neither is that 0-5 record, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the Bengals. These subjects are just noise, and Cincinnati needs to block them out.
The 2026 Bengals were invested in heavily by the front office for games exactly like this one. Dexter Lawrence II, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen? And don’t forget the Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase-Tee Higgins triumvirate. All of these players (and their price tags) were assembled to win these high-stakes games.
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Since the spring, all the talk has been about the Bengals contending for an AFC North title, and more. Well, that means this team’s stars have to show up, lead, and deliver. Not next week against the Commanders, and certainly in two weeks when the national TV cameras are far from Paycor Stadium when the New Orleans Saints come to town.
Based on the number of remaining games, the math suggests the Bengals could go 0-2 against Pittsburgh and still accomplish all their goals. Reality, and the makeup of those remaining games, indicates there’s far less math to suggest Cincinnati can win the North by going winless against the Steelers.
It’s been years since Cincinnati had a game like this in its backyard. Burrow lobbied for the pieces that could allow the organization to be successful on nights like this. It’s time to go.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Defense must show for Bengals to win AFC North showdown with Steelers
