Steelers vs. Bengals: Full Cincinnati Game Preview

With the top seed in the AFC on the mind, it's only right the Cincinnati Bengals host one of the conference's hottest teams when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Queen City for a rematch in Week 14.

Cincinnati boasts a commanding 10-2 record and control of the AFC North. What was once thought of as a key divisional game now takes a different form with the Bengals thinking bye week and the surging 7-5 Steelers thinking wild card.

The Bengals have won two in a row with a new focus on the ground game. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has won three of four to save the season with a renewed focus on the passing game behind the arm of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Within, let's take a look at everything to know about the important Sunday showdown (1 p.m. ET on CBS).

Week 13 Results and Recap

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Cincinnati bulldozed Cleveland in Week 13.

AFC North Standings

Cincinnati Bengals (10-2)

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

Baltimore Ravens (4-8)

Cleveland Browns (2-10)

Cincinnati didn't need to do anything special last week when paying the bottom-feeding Cleveland Browns a visit, an eventual 37-3 affair.

The Bengals got two touchdown passes from Andy Dalton on just 19 attempts. His day was an easy one in large part because running back Jeremy Hill put on his best performance of the season, rushing 22 times for 98 yards and a score.

With tight end Tyler Eifert out of the picture, A.J. Green caught five passes for 128 yards and a score and Marvin Jones stepped up with five grabs for 55 yards.

The defense couldn't have played much better, either, with the unit grabbing three sacks of Austin Davis, forcing a fumble and holding the Browns to 68 rushing yards.

Dalton and the Bengals posted a balanced offense and an elite defense against Cleveland to keep pace in the AFC North despite another Pittsburgh win.

News and Notes

Frank Victores/Associated Press

Hue Jackson had strong words for the organization.

Lewis Plans to Keep Running

Despite favoring the pass for most of the season, Cincinnati still has a reputation as a run-first team, which is what tends to happen to teams with a tandem such as Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard in the backfield.

Hill has been the workhorse in recent weeks, helping the Bengals to control games and make passing easier. Coach Marvin Lewis explained the difference recently and said the team will look to stick with the approach during his press conference, via Bengals.com:

"

I think it’s a combination of both. I think it’s about an opportunity for him to get his shoulders pointed in the right direction. I think we’re doing a good job at the point of attack. We need to continue to do that. I think, for the most part we eliminated some of the penalties that took runs away at times. I think that’s one of the biggest keys. So, you probably have three elements to it.

"

In other words, Lewis and the team wanted better overall play and for Hill to get upfield instead of dancing in the backfield.

Look for the Bengals to use a heavy dose of Hill again with Pittsburgh in town.

Hue Jackson Praises Depth

At this point in the season, teams will have a hard time surviving without proper depth.

This past weekend, the Bengals trotted out reserves such as Josh Shaw and Troy Hill to great effect while big names like George Iloka and Leon Hall watched from the sideline. The result was the aforementioned three-point allowance against the Browns.

For offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who got some depth help from tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, tight end C.J. Uzomah and wideout Mario Alford, the game was nothing short of impressive.

“I’ve never been in a situation like this. This is all new to me, too. I’ve said it from day one. Kudos to the organization,” Jackson said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com.

Said depth will once again need to show up against the Steelers on Sunday. Cincinnati looks like it's getting healthier, but more injuries wouldn't be a surprise this late in the season.

Steelers Make Pivotal Change

One of the running jokes around the league going into last weekend was Pittsburgh's miserable pass defense.

Why not? In Week 12, the secondary allowed Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson to throw five touchdowns.

That performance, though, forced the Steelers to make a big change. ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler explained: "Seldom-used cornerback Brandon Boykin saw 40 snaps in Sunday's 45-10 win over the Colts, nearly doubling his 11-game total of 22 defensive snaps entering the week. He got an interception and a pass deflection out of the slot."

Mixing Brandon Boykin with the likes of William Gay and Antwon Blake helped the Steelers hold the Indianapolis Colts to 10 points last weekend.

Cincinnati now has to encounter the improving unit in what looks like a tougher matchup than the first meeting.

Latest Injury News

Frank Victores/Associated Press

Adam Jones is one of the notable names on the injury report.

Mario Alford: DNP

Clint Boling: LP

Tyler Eifert: LP

Leon Hall: DNP

Ryan Hewitt: LP

George Iloka: DNP

Adam Jones: DNP

Dre Kirkpatrick: LP

Josh Shaw: FP

Andrew Whitworth: DNP

This might be the longest the Cincinnati injury report has been all season.

The good news? Guys like Andrew Whitworth, Leon Hall, Clint Boling and a few others either don't have major injury issues to worry about or they always get a day off earlier in the week.

The concerns would be Iloka and Adam Jones. The former didn't play last week and the latter is a new name on the report and won't be able to go his week, according to ESPN.com's Coley Harvey.

• DNP: Did not practice
• LP: Limited in practice
• FP: Full practice

Courtesy of Bengals.com.

Key Matchups

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Dre Kirkpatrick and others need to step up Sunday.

Cincinnati Offensive Line vs. Steelers Defense

In Week 8, Andrew Whitworth and the Cincinnati offensive line surrendered three sacks of Dalton, who tossed a pair of interceptions under fire in a six-point win. 

The line will need to play better this time around if the offense hopes to establish the run and keep Dalton in a comfortable situation while passing the ball.

The Steelers have 35 sacks this year and only allow 90.3 rushing yards per game on average, meaning Dalton will be pressured for most of the afternoon if Hill cannot hit open holes created by the line against a stout run defense. 

While Hill has looked good over the course of the last couple of weeks, Pittsburgh presents a sort of "prove it" test. He won't be able to do it without a strong game from the line. 

Cincinnati Secondary vs. Steelers Wideouts

As hinted, Pittsburgh does its damage through the air as of late with a ridiculous number of weapons capable of torching defenses on their lonesome.

In Week 10, it was Martavis Bryant leading the team with six grabs for 178 yards and a score. After a bye, it was Markus Wheaton with nine for 201 and a score. Last week, Antonio Brown led the way with eight for 118 and two scores.

This could be a problem for a secondary that missed big names last week. Dre Kirkpatrick and Leon Hall, among other depth names in passing situations, will have to hold their own mostly on islands when the Steelers look to spread them out.

If the defense's rush doesn't hit home fast, it will be left to the secondary to prevent big play after big play.

Matchup X-Factors

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

Jeremy Hill needs a big game against the Steelers.

Steelers X-Factor of the Week: Ben Roethlisberger

Obvious?

Maybe, but recall the first meeting between these teams, a 16-10 win for Cincinnati. Big Ben tossed a trio of interceptions while leaning on tight end Heath Miller, targeting him a team-high 13 times. The reliable Miller caught 10 of those for 105 yards, but it wasn't exactly the explosive production the team needed to pull off a win.

Pittsburgh has corrected the issue in recent weeks by leaning on what might be one of the league's most explosive wideout corps led by perhaps the best wideout in the game.

Familiar with the Bengals and healthier than when he entered the first meeting, Pittsburgh's playoff aspirations hinge on Big Ben's ability to extend plays and find his wideouts deep down the field.

Bengals X-Factor of the Week: Jeremy Hill

In the first game against the Steelers, Hill actually put up solid numbers, taking 15 carries for 60 yards and hitting an average of four yards on the head.

For whatever reason, though, Cincinnati decided it best to have Dalton attempt 38 passes to 23 total rushes, six of those going to Dalton.

Don't expect a similar approach this time out. Numbers say the Steelers look beatable through the air, but Hill—even during his sluggish first half of the season—proved he can gain respectable yardage against the unit.

Cincinnati has taken a run-first approach in recent weeks and helped Hill get his confidence back. So long as that happens again, the Bengals will put themselves in a position to win without out-thinking themselves.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Steelers 17

David Richard/Associated Press

Cincinnati has the talent to sweep the Steelers.

Pittsburgh looks unstoppable, but what the face-value analysis doesn't show is the quality of the competition. 

Big Ben and Co. have mustered 30 or more points in four consecutive games, but the wins have come against Oakland, Cleveland and an Andrew Luck-less Indianapolis squad.

Cincinnati, on the other hand, already touts a win against Pittsburgh and happens to allow a league-best 16.3 points per game on average.

On Sunday, a heavy dose of Hill will keep the Pittsburgh offense off the field. When on it, Big Ben will have to deal with the cold, a strong rush led by Geno Atkins and a loud environment in a playoff atmosphere.

Look for the Bengals to fluster Big Ben most of the day while the balanced attack led by Hill posts another 30-point outing, giving the unit four in a row.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Steelers 17

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of December 9. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.