Bell, Steelers face Bengals today
MEMORABLE SERIES MOMENT
Bengals 27, Steelers 9
Oct. 19, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium
The Steelers have beaten the Bengals in their last four October home meetings since losing this one in 1995 to fall to 3-4, the low point of that season. Jeff Blake threw three touchdown passes to three different receivers, but Darnay Scott, Tony McGee and Carl Pickens all beat the same guy 无毛视频� Alvoid Mays, who was filling in for Rod Woodson for a sixth consecutive game. This would be the last NFL start for Mays, because Bill Cowher moved Carnell Lake from strong safety to cornerback the next week and the Steelers went on to lose only a meaningless regular-season finale at Green Bay and the Super Bowl to Dallas.
TALE OF THE TAPE
无毛视频淵ou know the saying about having no quarterbacks if you无毛视频檙e using two. Well, the same goes for tackles if you无毛视频檙e rotating three, which is what the Bengals do. The match-up in particular I无毛视频檓 looking forward to is Cedric Ogbuehi against James Harrison. Obguehi is made to order for a bull-rusher. He plays high, he turns his body parallel to the sideline, he drops his hands down, and I无毛视频檝e seen him get bull-rushed by lesser rushers than James. That无毛视频檚 the classic match-up if James gets a chance to get a push on him, and even with the dancing bear, Andre Smith, their swing tackle. That would be another good match-up because, again, James could throw weight, no dip, just rip because Andre tends to get a little head-heavy. T.J. Watt will certainly do fine with either guy, but I really think there无毛视频檚 an opportunity to have another key match-up on third-down end in a possible sack, strip, lost ball, holding call, whatever, with Ogbuehi and Harrison.无毛视频� 无毛视频� Steelers Radio analyst Craig Wolfley.
TOP QUESTION
Can the Steelers run the ball and stay healthy?
The Steelers are at their best when their running game无毛视频檚 cranked up, as Le无毛视频橵eon Bell proved against the Bengals in 2014 when he rushed for 185 yards and added another 50 receiving. But in the next game he was belted in the knee by safety Reggie Nelson and missed the following week无毛视频檚 playoff loss. In 2015, Bell was belted in the knee by Vontaze Burfict and lost for the rest of the season. The Bengals are the second-ranked run defense by average per carry (2.8), but Bell has been hot of late, rushing for 370 yards (4.5 avg.) in the last three games. He said that all of the Bengals have targeted him over the years, and said, 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 going to protect myself, play hard and try to get the W.无毛视频�
THREE QUESTIONS: With WR JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER
Q: Did you get your license yet?
JS: 无毛视频淣o not yet. Still working on that. It无毛视频檚 getting colder every morning. I drive my bike down the hill, so I gotta do it soon. I无毛视频檓 gonna go to REI and get a hoodie, some gloves. I think I无毛视频檒l be good, but other than that, yeah, I gotta work on my license.无毛视频�
Q: How much do you have left to do?
JS: 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e got to study. I无毛视频檓 on page 12 out of 105. It takes a while. There无毛视频檚 a lot of signals, many signs.无毛视频�
Q: Which hill are you pedaling down?
JS: 无毛视频淵ou know that little trail right here? The Heritage Trail? I take that down going full speed, but it gets cooooold. Ears get cooooold. I usually come in around 7:30-8.无毛视频�
GAME BREAKDOWN
What to look for from the Steelers today at 4:25 at Heinz Field:
ON OFFENSE:
The Bengals are the No. 2 defense in the NFL, but two possible points of attack are second-year cornerback William Jackson, who无毛视频檚 in for injured Pacman Jones, and defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who, while leading the Bengals with four sacks, doesn无毛视频檛 have the lateral quickness he had before tearing his ACL in 2013. The Steelers like to run wide on the Bengals, and Atkins is part of the reason. 无毛视频淪till very strong. Still plays with great leverage,无毛视频� said Wolfley. 无毛视频淏ut when he无毛视频檚 at that point in a play where you become a little reckless, he doesn无毛视频檛 throw his body around as much as he used to. He gathers himself into a posture of strength and balance and protects himself, almost like he无毛视频檚 watching out for that knee.无毛视频�
ON DEFENSE:
Joe Mixon came into the league with raves 无毛视频� but only for his play. Off the field, a domestic violence issue caused him to fall to the middle of the second round and the Bengals, as they do, brought him on board. Mixon无毛视频檚 only averaging 2.8 yards per carry, and as a team the Bengals are 30th in the league at 3.2 per carry. Without Stephon Tuitt 无毛视频� out with a back injury 无毛视频� the Steelers have allowed opposing rushers 4.7 yards per carry, but 4.8 with him, so the loss could be minimal against Mixon. In the passing game, Andy Dalton will lean on A.J. Green with Tyler Boyd and TE Tyler Eifert out. Green无毛视频檚 personal nemesis since his college days has been Steelers cornerback Joe Haden.
PREDICTION
Should the Bengals avoid the pass rush with their weak tackles, and run the ball better than they have at any point in the season, they have a bigger problem in close than do the Steelers. The Bengals are last in red-zone offense, converting only 40 percent of their chances into touchdowns. So I look for the Steelers to find ways to finish with a hot Bell and receivers coming off a great week of practice. 无毛视频� Steelers, 23-17.
BY THE NUMBERS
2: Receptions needed by Bell to pass Plaxico Burress (264) for ninth-most in team history.
32:12: Average time of possession by the Steelers, third-best in the NFL.
34: Consecutive games with sacks by the Bengals to lead the NFL.
48: Receptions by Antonio Brown to lead the NFL.
1,314: Yards allowed by Bengals, fewest allowed in team无毛视频檚 first five games since 1976.
DOWNLOADS
n The Steelers have the mindset to ignore the notoriously dirty Burfict. Maurkice Pouncey typified the attitude when asked about one of the Bengals linebacker无毛视频檚 signature moves: stomping on ankle insteps. 无毛视频淚 just play football,无毛视频� Pouncey said. 无毛视频淗e does some little antics to try to get you going, but, I mean, who cares? You know how many times I get stepped on? Look at this right here. That happened today.无毛视频�
n The Steelers are 3-1 with both Tuitt and Heyward playing together on the defensive line the last two years. Earlier in the week, when he thought he was going to play, Tuitt was excited. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 not only both of us, but we无毛视频檝e got (Javon) Hargrave,无毛视频� Tuitt said. 无毛视频淗argrave is really good at getting to the quarterback from that zero technique. You无毛视频檝e also got Tyson Alualu, who does a really good job. But when me and Cam are in the game, it无毛视频檚 really hard for an offense to double-team just one of us because one of us can be real disruptive.无毛视频�
n The Bengals have won their last two games after an 0-3 start and are coming off a bye week. But under Marvin Lewis the Bengals are only 5-8-1 out of a bye. That didn无毛视频檛 comfort Ben Roethlisberger. 无毛视频淵ou expect something new,无毛视频� Roethlisberger said. 无毛视频淲hether it无毛视频檚 a new blitz, or a new look, new plays on offense, whatever it is. They have had a week headstart on us, so it无毛视频檚 just another eight ball that we are behind.无毛视频�
n Haden has covered Green since the two played at Florida and Georgia, respectively, in college. Haden无毛视频檚 physical play has been an admitted disruption to Green. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e had a lot of battles,无毛视频� Haden said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not going to say I shut him down. He无毛视频檚 definitely gotten the better of me a couple times. It无毛视频檚 just a battle I always look forward to. Same thing with Antonio, twice a year I used to follow him and twice a year I follow A.J. I just look forward to playing the best of the best. I just play my best against these dudes.无毛视频�
n Todd Haley hadn无毛视频檛 heard about the alleged Martavis Bryant trade request before it was reported Sunday night. Nor was Haley all that impressed with a couple of Bryant catches this week that left many Steelers awestuck. 无毛视频淚 remember the diving catch,无毛视频� Haley said with a shrug. 无毛视频淗e usually makes about one of those a day. But we need it to show up on Sunday.无毛视频�
PARTING SHOT
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 the nature of the business nowadays, like ESPN used to be about sports. Now it无毛视频檚 just drama. It无毛视频檚 a lot of talk that无毛视频檚 not about football. It无毛视频檚 the way it is nowadays. I don无毛视频檛 know if it无毛视频檚 society or what it is.无毛视频� 无毛视频� David DeCastro.