Steelers vs. Bengals: TV Schedule, Odds, Ticket Info, Game Time and More

The NFL's most heated rivalry gets a third edition this year when the Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Cincinnati Bengals in Saturday's AFC Wild Card Round.

Doubt the label? According to Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman, the NFL issued warnings to both teams ahead of the game after the second matchup resulted in about $140,000 in fines to seven players for pregame scuffles, personal fouls, illegal hits and more.

So no, they don't like each other too much. The two sides split the season series, with Pittsburgh winning the most recent encounter in Cincinnati and finishing the season on a 4-1 mark.

Cincinnati faltered down the stretch with Andy Dalton hurt, finishing 2-2 but still seizing the AFC North crown. Below, let's take a look at everything to know about the upcoming showdown.

Game Details

When: Saturday, January 9, at 8:15 p.m. ET

Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Television: CBS

Live Stream: CBSSports.com

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 45.5

Spread: Pittsburgh (-2.5)

Team Injury Reports

NAME	STATUS
DeAngelo Williams, RB	Questionable
Martavis Bryant, WR	Questionable

NAME	STATUS
Andy Dalton, QB	Doubtful

Injury reports courtesy of ESPN.

No Place Like Home

What's that? Pittsburgh's the road team this weekend?

Don't tell the Steelers, who have posted wins in 14 of 17 appearances at Paul Brown Stadium since it opened in 2000, including the 2005 postseason encounter ahead of the Super Bowl XL title.

In the Week 14 contest resulting in all the fines, Pittsburgh cruised to a 33-20 victory in front of the mostly hostile crowd behind two rushing touchdowns from DeAngelo Williams and picking off an unprepared AJ McCarron twice after Dalton left in the first quarter with an injury.

Cincinnati isn't the only team dealing with a major injury going into Saturday, though, as
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pointed out:

Missing Williams would be quite a problem for the Steelers, who have to once again find a way around a Cincinnati defense allowing just 17.4 points per game. Not to mention the offense has to compensate for its own defense, which ranks 30th by allowing 271.9 passing yards per game.

Since their meeting in Week 14, Cincinnati hasn't allowed more than 20 points in a game, including shutting down a Denver offense on the road. For Pittsburgh, rattling McCarron and using the ground game and short passing attack to control the game looks like the key.

Of course, that's nothing new for the Steelers at this venue.

Ready and Healthy 

The Bengals can only hope they trot out a different McCarron this time around.

Not that McCarron was bad in his first taste of NFL action. After all, he threw for 280 yards with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. But he hadn't taken any first-team reps that week, nor for most of the season, and star tight end Tyler Eifert left the game early with an injury, meaning it was A.J. Green or bust (he responded with six catches, 132 yards and one score).

There was a semblance of hope Dalton could return this week, but things sound grim in that regard, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

Presuming McCarron starts, the Bengals are far from doomed. Since his surprise trip into the fire, he's thrown for four touchdowns with no picks over three games, helping the team win two, the loss a three-point overtime defeat on the road in Denver, otherwise known as nothing to knock the team about.

Eifert was back and healthy last week, doing what he does by catching touchdown reception No. 13 on the season. Running back Jeremy Hill posted one of his best games of the year to close the season, too, averaging six yards per carry on the way to 96 rushing yards and a score.

Long story short, Cincinnati's getting healthy at just the right time, the exception being quarterback. But with so many weapons available and one of the league's top defenses backing the offense, not to mention the exploitable Pittsburgh defense, it's no wonder Las Vegas doesn't dare go big with this spread, Dalton or not.

Prediction

Don't count out the Bengals. 

For one reason or another, Ben Roethlisberger just cannot get it going against Cincinnati. This year, over two games, he's posted one touchdown to four interceptions, losing one and winning another while those around him performed. Now he might have to go at an elite defense without his top back.

This time out is different, with Cincinnati actually prepared to start McCarron and at least hoping to have Eifert for a full four quarters. The Cincinnati offense doesn't change much with the backup under center, and the defense hasn't changed all year.

Look for McCarron to continue his turnover-free ways while Green and Eifert stretch the field wide and open things up for the ground game. With Williams hobbled and Big Ben stagnant against the Bengals, Cincinnati will be able to pull away late and get the win. 

Prediction: Bengals 27, Steelers 24

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of January 6. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus. All betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.