Game Thread: WEEK 3... vsCIN

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

STEELERS INJURIES

DOUBTFUL
WR Johnson (knee) - DNP Wed & today
OLB Highsmith (groin) - DNP Wed & today
CB Layne (achilles) - LP Wed, DNP today
ILB Allen (abdomen) - FP Wed, DNP today
DL Davis (knee) - DNP Wed or today

PROBABLE:
QB Roethlisberger (pectoral) - Went from DNP Wed, to LP today.
OLB Watt (groin) - LP Wed & today
CB Haden (groin) - LP Wed, FP today
ILB Bush (groin) - FP Wed & Today
TE Ebron (coach dec) - DNP Wed or today

BENGALS INJURIES

WR Tee Higgins (shoulder) - DNP Wed or today
CB Trae Waynes (Hamstring) - DNP Wed, LP today
OL Xavier Su’a-Filo (knee) - DNP Wed or today
DT Josh Tupou (personal) - DNP Wed, FP today
CB Darius Phillips - LP Wed, FP today
DT Larry Ogunjobi - LP Wed & today

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

As expected, Steelers will likely be without DJ this week... And possibly without Highsmith. All signs point toward everyone else playing. No setbacks reported. Ben's participation boils down to pain tolerance, which we know won't be an issue for Ben.

Bengals looking like they may be without starting WR Higgins or G Su'a-Filo.

 

[cincygrad]

As expected, Steelers will likely be without DJ this week... And possibly without Highsmith. All signs point toward everyone else playing. No setbacks reported. Ben's participation boils down to pain tolerance, which we know won't be an issue for Ben.

Bengals looking like they may be without starting WR Higgins or G Su'a-Filo.

Higgins is a huge loss.... He's a very good young player and had a nice game in Pittsburgh last year. Su'a-Filo is a below-average, veteran guard. His replacement is our second round pick, Jackson Carman.... While a lot of fans are eager to get some talent in at the position, I don't think this is an ideal place to start your first game. Definitely a big scenario to keep an eye on.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Higgins is a huge loss.... He's a very good young player and had a nice game in Pittsburgh last year. Su'a-Filo is a below-average, veteran guard. His replacement is our second round pick, Jackson Carman.... While a lot of fans are eager to get some talent in at the position, I don't think this is an ideal place to start your first game. Definitely a big scenario to keep an eye on.

Well the Steelers are without its best WR & the pass rush may be without its teeth this weekend… Watt is questionable and Highsmith is out. Melvin Ingram has been solid but Jamir Jones is a huge question mark. We may even see reclamation project Taco Charlton log some snaps. Yikes.

 

[SteelersPride]

Well the Steelers are without its best WR & the pass rush may be without its teeth this weekend… Watt is questionable and Highsmith is out. Melvin Ingram has been solid but Jamir Jones is a huge question mark. We may even see reclamation project Taco Charlton log some snaps. Yikes.

Maga mason second half.

 

[cincygrad]

Well the Steelers are without its best WR & the pass rush may be without its teeth this weekend… Watt is questionable and Highsmith is out. Melvin Ingram has been solid but Jamir Jones is a huge question mark. We may even see reclamation project Taco Charlton log some snaps. Yikes.

Yeah.... My impression is that after some feel-good stories from Week 1, both of our teams have created some concern as we come into this week.

Ben has only lost about 1 in every 4 starts he's played against the Bengals and we already cashed in on one last December. I'm not confident.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Yeah.... My impression is that after some feel-good stories from Week 1, both of our teams have created some concern as we come into this week.

Ben has only lost about 1 in every 4 starts he's played against the Bengals and we already cashed in on one last December. I'm not confident.

Steelers offense is in shambles though, and not much has changed in that area since last December. OL is still terrible and the entire offense is suffering from it. No rush attack and the receivers can't get open quick enough within the 2-4sec that Ben has before getting sacked. To make matters worse the only WR that was able to create separation consistently within that window was DJ, who is now out because Tomlin ran a pointless play last week with the game already lost and got him injured. The only thing that kept the Steelers in the game against BUF was the defense, and one of the biggest reasons they won was because of a blocked punt TD. And that defense is banged up. They got Haden & Bush back which is huge. But the pass rush wont be nearly as potent.

All I'm sayin is, the Bengals D should be able to shut down the Steelers offense with relative ease unless the Steelers OL suddenly wakes up. Even so I don't think the Steelers will be able to run very well on the Bengals front.

 

[cincygrad]

Steelers offense is in shambles though, and not much has changed in that area since last December. OL is still terrible and the entire offense is suffering from it. No rush attack and the receivers can't get open quick enough within the 2-4sec that Ben has before getting sacked. To make matters worse the only WR that was able to create separation consistently within that window was DJ, who is now out because Tomlin ran a pointless play last week with the game already lost and got him injured. The only thing that kept the Steelers in the game against BUF was the defense, and one of the biggest reasons they won was because of a blocked punt TD. And that defense is banged up. They got Haden & Bush back which is huge. But the pass rush wont be nearly as potent.

All I'm sayin is, the Bengals D should be able to shut down the Steelers offense with relative ease unless the Steelers OL suddenly wakes up. Even so I don't think the Steelers will be able to run very well on the Bengals front.

Fair assessment. I'm cynical, but I have to admit that the Bengals D has looked promising through two weeks. They played two very good running backs and limited damage from both of them. The investments in free agency have paid off with a more experienced line that doesn't get pushed around as easy. So again, on paper, they should have success against an offense that has stumbled out of the gate.

As for the Bengal offense.... Who knows? Mixon ran for over 100 in week 1 and struggled to find holes in week 2. The line isn't very good, but the next gen stats say they are giving enough time and Burrow is just holding it too long. The receivers are running five yard routes and complaining about lack of deep passes. Not much of an identity yet. Pittsburgh never makes it easy - Even when we have beat the Steelers in the past 10 years it's never been pretty.

Might be a rock fight out there on Sunday.

 

[thedddd]

Watt officially out.

I am surprised Ben's floppy man boob didn't cause him to miss the game?

 

[SteelersPride]

Watt officially out.

I am surprised Ben's floppy man boob didn't cause him to miss the game?

Mason .2nd half

 

[thedddd]

Mason .2nd half

Obligatory

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

No Watt or Highsmith today…

UDFA Jamir Jones steps into a big role today

 

[thedddd]

^^. It is amazing how much that on GIF sums up my feelings for Rudolph. You get happy when you know he does something good, knowing all to well it was an aberration. Then the next play reality sets in.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

And they elevated Derek Tuszka off the PS. Should be interesting to see how much involvement he has today

No Taco Charlton today

 

[Pure Steel]

Juju with a big game today.....should get all the underneath passes with DJ out......

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Bengals without WR Tee Higgins & G Su’a-Filo… And CB Trae Waynes is shelved for another week

 

[thedddd]

Juju with a big game today.....should get all the underneath passes with DJ out......

I hope so. Him and Chase need to step it up big time.

 

[DJ Fieri]

Not going to be an easy game like it usually is vs the Bengals.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Not going to be an easy game like it usually is vs the Bengals.

Nope. Unless the Steelers offense wakes up today this game could easily go the other way in the 2nd half when the defense gets exhausted.