October 16, 2025 • 27 mins
Ed Troup and Jacob Recht go through the history of the Bengals and Steelers rivalry and the Bengals 2025 season so far ahead of their Thursday Night Football matchup tonight.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
The Steelers are nine and eleven on Thursday Night football
under Mike Tomlin, in two and eight on the road,
with an oh and six road divisional record on Thursday nights.
The Steelers last Thursday Night football win was back in
twenty sixteen versus the Colts. Welcome into another edition of
the Steelers Standard here on Steelers Nation Radio and the
Steelers Audio Network. I am Ad Troup. Joining me is
(00:24):
Jacob Brett Jacob to dig deeper on the Steelers playing
tonight on Thursday Night. They have never won a road
divisional Thursday Night game in franchise history, going oh to eight.
This includes an oh and six record under Tomlin, as
I just mentioned, and the last road Thursday Night win
for the Steelers was clear back in two thousand and seven.
Back then, the Saint Louis Rams is who they beat.
(00:46):
They will try to change that tonight in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, I mean, and that of course was the Saint
Louis Rams and not even they weren't even in La yet,
uh And they were probably like a two and fourteen
team at the time. So Steeers needed to win that game,
I mean, to avoid embarrassment. And like you said, it
wasn't a divisional road game, so it's really hard to
really take credit for that.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
One as well.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
But yeah, the nine to eleven speaks for itself. Oh
to six speaks for itself. We have legitimate reason to
be nervous about this game tonight.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
I was thinking about it yesterday when I pulled these numbers,
and I was nervous at first, but then I started thinking.
The Steelers are due. They're due to win on Thursday
night in franchise history a divisional. Now again, we go
back to the last Thursday Night game that they won
on the road. They've won some at home during that
time period from two thousand and seven to now, but
the last road Thursday Night win in general was that
(01:40):
Saint Louis game back in two thousand and seven against
the Rams. But oh lifetime, they've never won a road
divisional game on Thursday nights. So that tells me that
this is the best opportunity tonight against the Cincinnati team
that's banged up, they don't have Burrow. All errors are
pointing up for the Steelers. I'm throwing the jinks out, man.
I like the Steelers to.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Because where was that due when they were three and
then oh and four, and then oh and five.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Right, it's a good point. Good point. I mean, it's
it's been rocky at times, but again they're going to
try to make franchise history tonight to win their first
road divisional game on a Thursday night. Oh in eight
lifetime under tomlin o and six. It's time for our
Iron City insight. You gotta do it with the Pittsburgh
Easts here in week seven Thursday nights, the Steelers four
and one at the Bengals two and four. Let's talk
(02:25):
about the rivalry between these two teams. The Bengals and
the Steelers have a history. That's for sure. Their last
meeting last year or their first meeting, I should say.
Let me start out with that last meeting last year
was when the Bengals beat the Steelers nineteen to seventeen
at the end of the season. That's when the Steelers
were falling quickly at the end of the twenty twenty
four season. But it was January fourth, twenty twenty five
(02:45):
Bengals at Akushore Stadium win that game nineteen to seventeen.
The first meeting ever between the two franchises was back
on November tewod nineteen seventy, in which the Steelers beat
the Bengals twenty one to ten. The all time series
they've met one hundred and eleven times. The Steelers own
the series, not even close. Jacob seventy one and forty.
The Steelers are lifetime, including a two to zero postseason
(03:08):
record against the Bungals. Largest victory the Bengals forty two
to seven and nineteen eighty eight. The Steelers in two
thousand and eight beat the Bengals thirty eight to ten.
They also beat them thirty five to seven in twenty eleven.
Most points scored the Bengals with that forty two and
eighty eight, and the Steelers most points they put up
in this series was back in nineteen ninety five they
put forty nine on Cincinnati. The longest win streak in
(03:30):
this series, the Bengals won six straight from eighty eight
to ninety and the Steelers eleven straight wins. I remember
that one from twenty fifteen to twenty twenty, so pretty recent.
And the current win streak is the Bengals with that victory.
That is, the two teams split last year with the
Steelers winning forty four to thirty eight and twenty twenty
four in Cincinnati and the Bengals beating the Steelers at
Akershore Stadium nineteen to seventeen. And just one last thing
(03:53):
on the series, Jacob, then we'll get your thoughts on
this historic series. The two postseason games two and five
AFC Wild Card Steelers upset them thirty one to seventeen
on the road. That was the game in which Carson
Palmer got hurt by m oh Hoffen. Oh, boy, that's
a tough one, Von ol Hoffen. There you go. That's
a tough one to year for sure, all these years later. Yeah,
(04:15):
you injured him at the beginning of that game.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Yeah, I know a lot of Bengals call that the
Steelers game spelled s t e A l e r s.
We think they think that we stole their Super Bowl team.
And it was a good team. I mean, you remember
Chad Johnson, Rudy Johnson, the running back. Sadly, rip you
just passed away, passed away. Yeah, that was a great
(04:37):
Bengals team. And Carson Palmer was young and fresh you
remember he was. He was Troy Palmalu's college roommate at
USC when they both came into the draft in two
thousand and three. He was the first overall pick that year,
so he was spry. I mean, he was coming into
the peak of his career. And then Chemo came in
(04:58):
and the Bengals call it a dirty hit. I just
think it was. It was pretty appropriate at the time.
I think now going low sometimes with quarterbacks you can
get flagged for that, But at the time it seemed
like a normal hit by Keimo. And honestly though that
even if Carson State's in that game, I think the
sealer was still still pull it off. I mean, that
defense was historically good, and Ben obviously was on a
(05:21):
tear with a great young oc and Ken wasn't hunt.
You remember they pulled off that trick play in that game.
They pulled off actually a trick play in pretty much
every game except for the Indie one. They pulled off
the trick play against Cincy and then Denver, and of
course in the Super Bowl with that touchdown pass by
Antoine Raynoel to Hines Ward. But yeah, I mean, I'm
never gonna say that Keemo made that play intentionally. It
(05:43):
was it was trying to hurt and take out Carson.
I don't think that was him. I mean You also
have to remember Chimo was kind of like a the
fourth man on that defensive line, So I don't think
that he was trying to really come out there and
make a name for himself for anything. I think he
was just happy to be on the field. But you know,
the Bengals are gonna be are gonna complain. Well, we'll
(06:05):
talk more about the history and some other more controversial moments,
but I don't think that one is as bad as
Bengals fans make it out to be.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
The Bengals during the regular season, it was TJ. Huschmanzada
on the side, and that was in Pittsburgh. The Terrible
Yeah Yah yah yah, Curse of the Terrible Tower. No,
I don't love t J.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Hushman Zada for that, of course, And as as you said,
it's the Curse the Terrible Towel.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
I think the Terrible Towel is undefeated.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
When it's disrespected at any point, it's going to get
its revenge. I think most recently, the moment that sticks
out for me is if you remember a couple of
years ago, it was a rainy dane Pittsburgh, the Jaguars
came to town, and I believe it was either Mitch
Trubisky or Kenny.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Picketty was in that era.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And uh, the Jags defense really lit up the Steelers offense.
George Pickens was a non factor of the rare guys
in the locker room criticizing pick Ends.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
And they used the terrible towel. You remember that.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
There was like an interception in the bank and the
Jags defender went into the linebackers, yeah, forty four, and
then stole a terrible towel from a fan and started
twirling it. And then from that point on, I think
the Steelers went like seven to three and the Jags
went three and seven and missed the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Curse of the Terrible Towel. It's undefeated in that two
thousand and five run. They go on to beat the
Colts the following week on the road, the Broncos on
the road in the AFC Championship, and then Seattle in
Super Bowl forty twenty fifteen. This was a wild one
Steelers win eighteen to sixteen. Another wild card game in Cincinnati.
This is the famous game with ab taking the big
(07:40):
hit from Burfet and he got I mean, there were
fireworks everywhere this game. Remember that was the crazy game,
personal foul after personal.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Foul, crazy game.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I believe the final score of that one was what
eighteen to sixteen. I think what a weird score that was.
Chris Boswell obviously the hero coming in at the end
to kick the game when you field goal, but like
you said, Vontes Berfect hitting eight eight League over the middle,
and then pac Man Jones getting into that kerfuffle with
Joey Porter Senior, who was the linebacker coach at the
(08:11):
time with the Steelers. Yeah, that one will go down
in for me for sure, but I think you know,
it's just the tail of the tape, right. The Steelers
just have the Bengals edge when it comes to those
key moments, and that was one of them, and that's
probably the most memorable one out of the entire modern
(08:32):
Steelers Bengals history.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That one was special, and even late in the game
they had the interception and thought that they had the
game iced, and then the Steelers come back with Big Ben,
as you said, with the Chris Boswell game winning field
goal to beat the Bengals again. The Steelers two to
zero in postseason, but overall seventy one and forty Let's
talk about the current scouting report of the Cincinnati Bengals
two and four, losing to Green Bay last week twenty
(08:55):
seven to eighteen, currently second place in the AFC North.
But this listen Engles offenses in shambles Following the injury
of Joe Burrow when he went down in week two,
they brought in Jake Browning on the season, Browning eighty
of one to twenty four for seven hundred and fifty
seven yards, six touchdowns, eight interceptions, sacked nine times. They
did not feel that he was getting the job done,
(09:16):
and rightfully so because they had lost three straight up
to that point, so they trade for Joe Flacco. He
comes in last week, not too bad in his first
appearance twenty nine to forty five for two hundred and
nineteen yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, But they still lose
to Green Bay. And they are reeling right now, four
straight losses and starting the season two and zero when
Joe Burrow was their starting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah, I mean the Bengals are nothing without Joe Joe
Burrow for that matter. I know they got Joe Flacco
at quarterback right now, and you know, Flacco looked pretty good.
I think he's a step up by Jake Browning. But
you have to remember the guy's forty one years old.
I mean, people are calling this the uncol or, the
NA what is it?
Speaker 3 (09:56):
The NA what is it?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
The uh oh?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
The icy ice hot c hoppole or the whatever that
AA sorry, the aar puable.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
I almost called it the NAACP.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Award for the for the listening Audience. I'm closer to that,
and I'm closer to that than you are to the ARP.
Not you, so you're too young.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, you wouldn't know that time.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
So some of us, even though we in our mid forties,
are starting to get literature for that already.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I got time.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
But yeah, the AARP Bowl, the icy Hoppole, the uncle bull.
I mean, this is the second oldest quarterback matchup between
two guys in NFL history. The oldest one was in
twenty back in twenty twenty one between a forty two
year old Drew Brees and a forty three year old
Tom Brady. It's hard to believe those guys were that
old are still playing that late into their careers. I mean,
(10:43):
I guess it's believable for Brady, but for Drew Brees,
I don't remember him sticking around for that long. But yeah,
it's just it's it's crazy that Joe Flaco has made
his way around the AFC North. He's obviously has made
a career for himself in Baltimore, has played for the
Browns already once this season, is now playing in his
(11:03):
second game for the Bengals. I still think though that
even though he's a step up from Jake Browning, he's
a significant step down from Joe Burrow. But he's got
the weapons, and I think that's gonna be the biggest
factor here is the Steelers secondary versus the Bengals receivers.
What damage can Joe Flacco do? That's gonna be tough
(11:25):
to make that differentiation every time. What difference can Joe
Flacco make with those receivers available to him? Because I
think if you look at his career, right, if you
look at his time spent in Baltimore, if you look
at his time when he was in Cleveland the first
go around, when he was an Indie for a short
time last year, and now in the Cincinnati Bengals, I
(11:46):
think you could argue this is the best receiving core
he's ever played with. I mean, it's one of the
better receiving goals any quarterback could ever have. Right, So
this is his real opportunity, and he's got an arm.
This is his real shot to say, hey, I finally
got the weapon. Let me tear it up out here. Uh.
And you saw that happen last week against Green Bay
for Joe Flacco. Would remember they brought it to within
(12:07):
six points late in the fourth quarter on the road.
So it's it shouldn't be a surprise if if he
goes balls to the wall with his receivers tomorrow or tonight.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Last week in that game against Green Bay, he only
managed sixty five total yards in the first half. So
it wasn't until the second half that Joe Flacco started
to get going. And by the way, Mike Tomlin backed
me up this week when that trade was made, What
did I came into this room and I told you,
I said, I can't believe you would trade and within
your division in season. And then you know there's a
lot of arguments. While in hockey they've done it this,
(12:38):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It's there is no position like the quarterback in football.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
It's the main spot. Yeah, And and there's now their
speculation that Cleveland did it because they knew that the
Steelers were going to play the Bengals two more times
before they I.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Don't know, I don't know if you agree with that.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I don't I don't know if the conspiracy theorists are
onto something there or not.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Either way, Flacco is here in Cincinnati and he will
play the Steelers tonight on Thursday night. And we know
Joe Flacco's history against the Steelers is more good than
bad throughout his career, when he's quarterbacked the Ravens, when
he's quarterback the Colts, and when he's quarterback the Browns.
And now you can add another team to that list
tonight against the Steelers. In the Bengals overall passing game,
(13:18):
just real quick before we move on, Ranked thirtieth in
the NFL, the Bengals averaged just one hundred and seventy
eight yards passing per game, a stark decline since Burrow's
been out. And again, they got some big time receivers
running game, they've struggled there too. Chase Brown sure seventy
four carries, two hundred and two yards and a touchdown
leads that room. Overall, the Bengals have rushed one hundred
(13:40):
and eight times for three hundred and forty yards, only
averaging three point one yards per carry and only two
rushing touchdowns so far this season. And then receiving wise,
we know Jamar Chase one of the best in the NFL.
Despite all the quarterback carousel that is happening in Cincinnati,
he has still been strong. Last week ten receptions for
ninety four yards in a touch down. For the season,
(14:00):
he leads the team with four hundred and sixty eight
yards receiving and four touchdowns. And don't forget about T Higgins,
who everybody wanted to come here in the offseason to
the Steelers, but Cincinnati retains him, they re sign him.
He's the dual threat with Chase very good so far
the season eighteen catches, two hundred and twenty yards and
two touchdowns. So not off to the best start for
T Higgins, but he's another guy that you have to
(14:22):
account with along with Jamar Chase.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Absolutely, I mean, like I said earlier, this could be
the number one wide receiver duo in the NFL right now.
There's definitely a lot of options, but we've seen them
play together for a couple of years now and ever
since Jamar Chason T Higgins teamed up and got Joe
Burrow as their quarterback.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
It's been a deadly trio.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
You remember too a couple of years ago and they
had Tyler Boyd thrown into the Knicks there. Everyone was saying,
that's the best one two three punch of wide receiver.
But even when Boyd left for Tennessee, the respect is
still there for Tea and for Jamaar T. Higgins has
been dealing with injuries and the majority of his career
but went healthy. I mean, you cannot discount them. And
(15:05):
like I said earlier, I think this is the matchup
to watch. It's see Higgins Jamar ches versus that Steeler
secondary and we'll talk about it with Ray Filpaldo, maybe
get some insight on it. But we know the news
now that Shawn Elliott is questionable for tonight's game. He
did not travel with the team yesterday when they made
the trip to Cincinnati due to personal reasons, so we
(15:26):
don't know if he'll be available right now. We're recording
this at ten thirty in the morning on Thursday. There
has been no update as of yet, but if he's
not out there, that could be a huge problem for
the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
And we'll get to our injury report a little bit
later on in our third segment today when we go
through our three rivers confluence and get you ready for
tonight's game. But yesterday, when I pulled that injury news
late yesterday, he was not honored that news came out
late last night about the Shawn Elliott now questionable due
to personal reasons tonight in Cincinnati. All right, let's continue
to go through our scouting report on the two and
(15:57):
four Cincinnati Bengals. By the way, one last note on
Chase Brown on averaging fifty six point himself. We talked
about the team and their average three point one yards
per carry. Brown fifty six point seven rushing yards per
game this season. That's last the average that's last in
the NFL. So again, the Steelers, you know, they have
a great opportunity tonight defensively to really get after the
(16:19):
Cincinnati offense that has struggled this season, and offensive line
is one of the key reasons they are a major problem.
They've been in the past. They've tried to upgrade their
offensive line to protect Burrow. Pro Football Focus ranks them
as the fourth worst pass blocking offense in the NFL.
So for a team like the Steelers that are blitzing
right now. Every week they've ramped up their blitz packages,
(16:39):
their sack numbers are increasing, their tackle for losses, hits
on quarterback, all that's been on the up. I would
hope that they'll continue tonight in Cincinnati. And one final
note on the offense turnovers a negative four turnover differential
for Cincinnati, which means they are giving the ball up
more than they are getting it back. And again, since
Burrow's been out, that offense has lacked a lot of
consistency and an identity so far with the four straight losses,
(17:01):
so on that side of the of the field, I
think the Steelers have a golden opportunity tonight to get
after the Cincinnati offense.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Yeah, I mean, I think it should be a very
similar game plan to what you did in Cleveland, beat
the hell out of Joe Flack all the way you
beat the hell out of Dalan Gabriel. And given Flacco's
ability to spread the ball around it and take more
shots and Dylan Gabriel, remember they Cleveland came out two
weeks ago in his first start in the rookies first
start against Minnesota with the very conservative play calling sheet.
(17:31):
They did something similar in last week against Cleveland, and
we know, all right, I'm sorry against Pittsburgh and we
know how conservative it was because the Steelers did a
great had done a very poor job rather of preventing
splash plays. Well, the Browns only had two plays of
twenty plus yards, which was the best the Steelers have
had all year. So you're gonna see more risk taken
(17:52):
by Joe Flacco. But that means more opportunities for turnovers, which,
as you said, the Steelers should take advantage of, considering
their their ability to force the ball out of the
quarterback's hands, whether it's a fumble or interception, and the
Bengals propensity to do so.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
And the secondary is struggle now that it's been in
a long long time to face Jamar Chase and t
Higgins and those talented.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Whitey getting Joey Porter junior back will be huge. Yep.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
And now you're Deshaun Elliott, maybe you're a little concerned
about We'll see how that plays out. But even without Elliott,
you know, Jan Thornhill's done a nice job, Chuck Clark's
done a nice job in that secondary did the step in.
I mean again, Shawn, ye go ahead. I was gonna
say de Shawn. The last couple of games, though it
has played at a very high level. I pointed him
out yesterday during our Terrible Takes segment that he may
be the best defender right now on that defense. The
(18:37):
last few.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Games, he's certainly made his presence known. I think tomorrow,
or I keep saying tomorrow, I think tonight's game is
going to.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Be a big Jalen Ramsey game.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I think, like you have to if you want to
stop the Bengals, you have to have to have Jalen
Ramsey be the guy.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
To step up. And you can see him chirping on.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
You know, I mean you.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I'm sure you've seen the photo from We didn't get
to this when we were going over the history of
the Steelers and Bengals Week.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
One in twenty twenty one or twenty twenty two.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
It was twenty twenty one because it was Kenny Pickett's
rookie year when Mitch Trubisky got the start in Week one.
You remember it was Steelers at Bengals, and it was
that weird game.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Miss Stewarts, yeah, Missfield goals. The blockfield goal.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
And if you remember, there was that photo of Jamar
Chase giving Micka Fitzpatrick the double bird. That's right, yeah,
and that's Mike if Fitzpatrick Jalen Ramsey. They're both equally
talented Mica and Jalen. You could argue Jalen's even better,
but Jalen Ramsey is a is a cut above when
it comes to the smack talk. So j I'm sorry
if Migga Fitzpatrick got the double verd from Jamar Chase,
(19:41):
I don't want to know what's going to happen tonight
between Jalen Ramsey and Jamar Chase.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Let's talk Bengals defense. Now. The defense has been a
big disappointment so far this season, ranking thirty first in
the NFL by allowing three hundred and ninety four point
two yards per game and giving up Jacob Listen to
this thirty point five points per game throughout this He's
and Trey Hendrickson is a big part of why why
they have success and why they don't have success. And
(20:06):
he's he's banged up going into this week, questionable for tonight.
I'd expect to still see him though, I think he
will get to our injury port in our third segment
today and check in on Hendrickson. I think as of
yesterday he did give it a go at least limited
for Cincinnati this week. He has four sacks on the season,
but he is dealing with that hip injury. As we
talked about, overall, pass rush has not been a strength,
(20:26):
ranking thirty first in the NFL so far this season.
The linebackers and the secondary another area with poor pass coverage,
ranking third worst in the league. The defense overall in
Cincinnati surrendering the second most passing yards in the NFL
with two hundred and seventy three. Aaron Rodgers. Hello, so again,
I think Rodgers has shot out there. I think he
(20:47):
has a big, big opportunity tonight to attack this secondary,
attack this front seven with a running game. Again all Jacob,
I hate to say it. I hope I don't come
in here tomorrow to do the standard with you. No,
you were disappointing, You're Jenson, But my goodness. So we're checking.
I think we're checking more boxes for Thursday Night football
than we did on Sunday against the Browns, And we
checked a lot of boxes on Sunday going into that
(21:08):
game against the Browns.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Well, yeah, I think the difference here is that defense, right,
because you knew that the Steelers offense had shown signs
of struggling throughout the year. They've shown signs of improvement,
but overall, they haven't been super effective consistently, at least
through the first four games leading up to that fifth
game against Cleveland. Whereas now and whereas now against Cincinnati,
(21:30):
where your offense could struggle, Well, you predicted they were
going to struggle against Cleveland's defense because Cleveland's defense is
like a top two defense in the league and every
which way possible, every which way you look at it.
Whereas Cincinnati is like a bottom two, if not bottom
one defense, every which way you look at it. So, yeah,
I agree with you, and I think we're checking off
(21:51):
more boxes. But because that matchup is so much more
advantageous for the Steelers and they just have to take
advantage of it.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
The only thing I don't like is getting tangent of
what I opened up the show with today, these numbers
on Thursday Night Football under Mike Tomlin. Still, that's the
only thing that makes me want to go hide in
that corner over there and say, you know what, But
At the same time, I'll go back to what I
said at the beginning. They're due. The Steelers are due
on Thursday night. They've never won a road divisional game
(22:18):
in the history of this franchise, which six Super Bowls,
you know, winning percentage one of the best since what
two thousand across the NFL. This franchise is well overdue
to go on the road and win a divisional game
on Thursday night and tonight at least, I think everything
is lining up in their favor. But again, that intangible
(22:38):
is out there and we can't ignore it. Okay, let's
wrap up the scouting report on the Bengals before we
move on here At the end of the segment, again,
the run defense very ineffective so far this season in Cincinnati,
alowing the fifth most rushing yards per game one hundred
and nineteen. The Steelers rushing attack of Jalen Warren and
Kenneth Gamewell and then you throw Caleb Johnson as a
third part last week got a few carries. They could
(22:59):
have a lot of success tonight. Again, the run sets
up the pass, so pound these guys on the ground,
set up the pass with DK and company, and get
after it. From a special team standpoint. Evan McPherson is
a very good kicker. You know, he's been very strong
in Cincinnati over the season, twenty nine points so far
this season, and they have a good returner and Charlie
Jones as well, So look out for that tonight with
(23:20):
the Bengals. But again, Cincinnati is a team a lot
of struggles on both sides of the ball, a lot
of injuries, and we'll have to see tonight if Hendrickson
can go. If Hendrickson does not go tonight, that's basically
your Miles Garrett not going tonight.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
But you saw how ineffective Miles Garrett was last week.
So even if Trey is a go tonight, I don't
even know how effective he'll be considering the progress we've
we've seen out of the offensive line by the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I don't want to jump to my keys to the
game on my five keys on offense five keys on
defense we'll do in the third segment today, but that
might be one of them, Broderick Jones versus Trey Hendrickson.
If Hendrickson plays, Broderick Jones continues to build confidence on
that offensive line, and what a right follow up that
would be Jacob to come into this game tonight on
Thursday Night Football and shut down another good edge rusher
(24:06):
in Trey Hendrickson. And then you look back at Miles Garrett.
You're building a successful season and again a lot of
the stuff is in between the years. Man. When it
comes to switching things on the offensive line, you got
to run with the positivity and keep pushing things forward.
We're not making any picks tonight, are we, or at
least not yet. You want to wait for the third
segment to do that towards the end for our Steelers Bengals. Yeah,
(24:27):
we got to say that for That's how we always
do it for the very end. Yeah, well, well, well wait,
we don't want to get ahead of ourselves. You probably
know where I'm leaning. We maybe we know where you're leading.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
I don't know, and I have.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
No I don't know where. I don't know where. Tricky,
what's your what's your favorite part about Thursday Night Football?
Do you dig the prime video? Al Michaels, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Do you know?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Do you We actually just talking about this on the
morning show today. Do you know who does the Thursday
like Thursday Night Football song? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Like there's you know, I mean, well, you know, you
know the Sunday night football of course is Oh my goodness,
I'm drawing a Plank's Carrie under Carrie Underwood. You know
we've been waiting, which, by the way, my wife and
I always joke, no one's been waiting all day and
all week for Sunday night. People jobs do not like
Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
So similarly, Mike Persuna made the point saying, why would
you put that song on Sunday night because you not
only that, you know Monday's the looming Monday, looming Monday
and the Sunday scary suck. I understand that point, but
he was also making the point of you're not waiting
all day for Sunday night because you're watching football all day,
So why are you looking forward to the end of
(25:32):
a marathon of football?
Speaker 1 (25:33):
That's my point.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Should be only for Thursday night and Monday night football,
and then if you got to.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Get up and go to work early on Monday morning
Sunday nights like do every week, that's gonna say that's you, right,
So who who does the song for Thursday Night's boozy?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And it's not good either. We listened to another morning
show today was it was not good. But do I
like Thursday night football? I guess because you kind of
get the stress out of the way. But if your
team loses, then you're kind of bummed for an extra three.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Days, right, So absolutely, well, get you're shutting down for
a whole ten days. You have a ten day period.
That's why you gotta win tonight for the Steelers, We'll
go through a ten day funk here.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I actually think of the of all the night game
windows to have, the best one is Sunday night because,
like I said, if you lose on Thursday, then you're
you're bummed out for an extra three days. But the
Monday night stress, like, you just have to wait so
long to see your team play, and I don't like
having that extra anticipation. Love Al Michaels, So yeah, you
(26:27):
love Herbie, love Kirk Herbstreet as well.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Herbstreak is one of my favorites. Whether it's one of
the hardest working dudes and and in the media, he
is in my eyes. And you know I I do.
I do high school games. I mimic him a lot.
You know, as a commentator, you're always mimicking somebody ahead
of you. Now, granted he started even you know, before
I did. But Herbstreak's the best man NFL college. Whatever
(26:51):
he's describing on air, the O.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
The thing is, he's a buck guy, and you don't
like that.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
You're You're in Indiana guy. When we come back, we
will talk to Ray fit Apaldo from the Pittsburgh Post
Gazette in our next segment, Get raised thoughts tonight. He's
in Cincinnati. I believe he's in a hotel room hanging
out getting ready for tonight's game. So we'll get his
thoughts on Bengals Steelers tonight. It's Week seven across the
NFL and it kicks off tonight on Thursday Night Football
as the Pittsburgh Steelers. You're Pittsburgh Steelers on the season
(27:19):
at four and one. Visit the two and four Bengals
should be a good one, and we'll be right back here.
You are listening to the standard here on Steelers on
the Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
The Steelers are nine and eleven on Thursday Night football
under Mike Tomlin, in two and eight on the road,
with an oh and six road divisional record on Thursday nights.
The Steelers last Thursday Night football win was back in
twenty sixteen versus the Colts. Welcome into another edition of
the Steelers Standard here on Steelers Nation Radio and the
Steelers Audio Network. I am Ad Troup. Joining me is
(00:24):
Jacob Brett Jacob to dig deeper on the Steelers playing
tonight on Thursday Night. They have never won a road
divisional Thursday Night game in franchise history, going oh to eight.
This includes an oh and six record under Tomlin, as
I just mentioned, and the last road Thursday Night win
for the Steelers was clear back in two thousand and seven.
Back then, the Saint Louis Rams is who they beat.
(00:46):
They will try to change that tonight in Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, I mean, and that of course was the Saint
Louis Rams and not even they weren't even in La yet,
uh And they were probably like a two and fourteen
team at the time. So Steeers needed to win that game,
I mean, to avoid embarrassment. And like you said, it
wasn't a divisional road game, so it's really hard to
really take credit for that.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
One as well.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
But yeah, the nine to eleven speaks for itself. Oh
to six speaks for itself. We have legitimate reason to
be nervous about this game tonight.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
I was thinking about it yesterday when I pulled these numbers,
and I was nervous at first, but then I started thinking.
The Steelers are due. They're due to win on Thursday
night in franchise history a divisional. Now again, we go
back to the last Thursday Night game that they won
on the road. They've won some at home during that
time period from two thousand and seven to now, but
the last road Thursday Night win in general was that
(01:40):
Saint Louis game back in two thousand and seven against
the Rams. But oh lifetime, they've never won a road
divisional game on Thursday nights. So that tells me that
this is the best opportunity tonight against the Cincinnati team
that's banged up, they don't have Burrow. All errors are
pointing up for the Steelers. I'm throwing the jinks out, man.
I like the Steelers to.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Because where was that due when they were three and
then oh and four, and then oh and five.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Right, it's a good point. Good point. I mean, it's
it's been rocky at times, but again they're going to
try to make franchise history tonight to win their first
road divisional game on a Thursday night. Oh in eight
lifetime under tomlin o and six. It's time for our
Iron City insight. You gotta do it with the Pittsburgh
Easts here in week seven Thursday nights, the Steelers four
and one at the Bengals two and four. Let's talk
(02:25):
about the rivalry between these two teams. The Bengals and
the Steelers have a history. That's for sure. Their last
meeting last year or their first meeting, I should say.
Let me start out with that last meeting last year
was when the Bengals beat the Steelers nineteen to seventeen
at the end of the season. That's when the Steelers
were falling quickly at the end of the twenty twenty
four season. But it was January fourth, twenty twenty five
(02:45):
Bengals at Akushore Stadium win that game nineteen to seventeen.
The first meeting ever between the two franchises was back
on November tewod nineteen seventy, in which the Steelers beat
the Bengals twenty one to ten. The all time series
they've met one hundred and eleven times. The Steelers own
the series, not even close. Jacob seventy one and forty.
The Steelers are lifetime, including a two to zero postseason
(03:08):
record against the Bungals. Largest victory the Bengals forty two
to seven and nineteen eighty eight. The Steelers in two
thousand and eight beat the Bengals thirty eight to ten.
They also beat them thirty five to seven in twenty eleven.
Most points scored the Bengals with that forty two and
eighty eight, and the Steelers most points they put up
in this series was back in nineteen ninety five they
put forty nine on Cincinnati. The longest win streak in
(03:30):
this series, the Bengals won six straight from eighty eight
to ninety and the Steelers eleven straight wins. I remember
that one from twenty fifteen to twenty twenty, so pretty recent.
And the current win streak is the Bengals with that victory.
That is, the two teams split last year with the
Steelers winning forty four to thirty eight and twenty twenty
four in Cincinnati and the Bengals beating the Steelers at
Akershore Stadium nineteen to seventeen. And just one last thing
(03:53):
on the series, Jacob, then we'll get your thoughts on
this historic series. The two postseason games two and five
AFC Wild Card Steelers upset them thirty one to seventeen
on the road. That was the game in which Carson
Palmer got hurt by m oh Hoffen. Oh, boy, that's
a tough one, Von ol Hoffen. There you go. That's
a tough one to year for sure, all these years later. Yeah,
(04:15):
you injured him at the beginning of that game.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Yeah, I know a lot of Bengals call that the
Steelers game spelled s t e A l e r s.
We think they think that we stole their Super Bowl team.
And it was a good team. I mean, you remember
Chad Johnson, Rudy Johnson, the running back. Sadly, rip you
just passed away, passed away. Yeah, that was a great
(04:37):
Bengals team. And Carson Palmer was young and fresh you
remember he was. He was Troy Palmalu's college roommate at
USC when they both came into the draft in two
thousand and three. He was the first overall pick that year,
so he was spry. I mean, he was coming into
the peak of his career. And then Chemo came in
(04:58):
and the Bengals call it a dirty hit. I just
think it was. It was pretty appropriate at the time.
I think now going low sometimes with quarterbacks you can
get flagged for that, But at the time it seemed
like a normal hit by Keimo. And honestly though that
even if Carson State's in that game, I think the
sealer was still still pull it off. I mean, that
defense was historically good, and Ben obviously was on a
(05:21):
tear with a great young oc and Ken wasn't hunt.
You remember they pulled off that trick play in that game.
They pulled off actually a trick play in pretty much
every game except for the Indie one. They pulled off
the trick play against Cincy and then Denver, and of
course in the Super Bowl with that touchdown pass by
Antoine Raynoel to Hines Ward. But yeah, I mean, I'm
never gonna say that Keemo made that play intentionally. It
(05:43):
was it was trying to hurt and take out Carson.
I don't think that was him. I mean You also
have to remember Chimo was kind of like a the
fourth man on that defensive line, So I don't think
that he was trying to really come out there and
make a name for himself for anything. I think he
was just happy to be on the field. But you know,
the Bengals are gonna be are gonna complain. Well, we'll
(06:05):
talk more about the history and some other more controversial moments,
but I don't think that one is as bad as
Bengals fans make it out to be.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
The Bengals during the regular season, it was TJ. Huschmanzada
on the side, and that was in Pittsburgh. The Terrible
Yeah Yah yah yah, Curse of the Terrible Tower. No,
I don't love t J.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Hushman Zada for that, of course, And as as you said,
it's the Curse the Terrible Towel.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
I think the Terrible Towel is undefeated.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
When it's disrespected at any point, it's going to get
its revenge. I think most recently, the moment that sticks
out for me is if you remember a couple of
years ago, it was a rainy dane Pittsburgh, the Jaguars
came to town, and I believe it was either Mitch
Trubisky or Kenny.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Picketty was in that era.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
And uh, the Jags defense really lit up the Steelers offense.
George Pickens was a non factor of the rare guys
in the locker room criticizing pick Ends.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
And they used the terrible towel. You remember that.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
There was like an interception in the bank and the
Jags defender went into the linebackers, yeah, forty four, and
then stole a terrible towel from a fan and started
twirling it. And then from that point on, I think
the Steelers went like seven to three and the Jags
went three and seven and missed the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Curse of the Terrible Towel. It's undefeated in that two
thousand and five run. They go on to beat the
Colts the following week on the road, the Broncos on
the road in the AFC Championship, and then Seattle in
Super Bowl forty twenty fifteen. This was a wild one
Steelers win eighteen to sixteen. Another wild card game in Cincinnati.
This is the famous game with ab taking the big
(07:40):
hit from Burfet and he got I mean, there were
fireworks everywhere this game. Remember that was the crazy game,
personal foul after personal.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Foul, crazy game.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
I believe the final score of that one was what
eighteen to sixteen. I think what a weird score that was.
Chris Boswell obviously the hero coming in at the end
to kick the game when you field goal, but like
you said, Vontes Berfect hitting eight eight League over the middle,
and then pac Man Jones getting into that kerfuffle with
Joey Porter Senior, who was the linebacker coach at the
(08:11):
time with the Steelers. Yeah, that one will go down
in for me for sure, but I think you know,
it's just the tail of the tape, right. The Steelers
just have the Bengals edge when it comes to those
key moments, and that was one of them, and that's
probably the most memorable one out of the entire modern
(08:32):
Steelers Bengals history.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That one was special, and even late in the game
they had the interception and thought that they had the
game iced, and then the Steelers come back with Big Ben,
as you said, with the Chris Boswell game winning field
goal to beat the Bengals again. The Steelers two to
zero in postseason, but overall seventy one and forty Let's
talk about the current scouting report of the Cincinnati Bengals
two and four, losing to Green Bay last week twenty
(08:55):
seven to eighteen, currently second place in the AFC North.
But this listen Engles offenses in shambles Following the injury
of Joe Burrow when he went down in week two,
they brought in Jake Browning on the season, Browning eighty
of one to twenty four for seven hundred and fifty
seven yards, six touchdowns, eight interceptions, sacked nine times. They
did not feel that he was getting the job done,
(09:16):
and rightfully so because they had lost three straight up
to that point, so they trade for Joe Flacco. He
comes in last week, not too bad in his first
appearance twenty nine to forty five for two hundred and
nineteen yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, But they still lose
to Green Bay. And they are reeling right now, four
straight losses and starting the season two and zero when
Joe Burrow was their starting quarterback.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah, I mean the Bengals are nothing without Joe Joe
Burrow for that matter. I know they got Joe Flacco
at quarterback right now, and you know, Flacco looked pretty good.
I think he's a step up by Jake Browning. But
you have to remember the guy's forty one years old.
I mean, people are calling this the uncol or, the
NA what is it?
Speaker 3 (09:56):
The NA what is it?
Speaker 1 (09:57):
The uh oh?
Speaker 2 (09:58):
The icy ice hot c hoppole or the whatever that
AA sorry, the aar puable.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
I almost called it the NAACP.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Award for the for the listening Audience. I'm closer to that,
and I'm closer to that than you are to the ARP.
Not you, so you're too young.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Yeah, you wouldn't know that time.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
So some of us, even though we in our mid forties,
are starting to get literature for that already.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I got time.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
But yeah, the AARP Bowl, the icy Hoppole, the uncle bull.
I mean, this is the second oldest quarterback matchup between
two guys in NFL history. The oldest one was in
twenty back in twenty twenty one between a forty two
year old Drew Brees and a forty three year old
Tom Brady. It's hard to believe those guys were that
old are still playing that late into their careers. I mean,
(10:43):
I guess it's believable for Brady, but for Drew Brees,
I don't remember him sticking around for that long. But yeah,
it's just it's it's crazy that Joe Flaco has made
his way around the AFC North. He's obviously has made
a career for himself in Baltimore, has played for the
Browns already once this season, is now playing in his
(11:03):
second game for the Bengals. I still think though that
even though he's a step up from Jake Browning, he's
a significant step down from Joe Burrow. But he's got
the weapons, and I think that's gonna be the biggest
factor here is the Steelers secondary versus the Bengals receivers.
What damage can Joe Flacco do? That's gonna be tough
(11:25):
to make that differentiation every time. What difference can Joe
Flacco make with those receivers available to him? Because I
think if you look at his career, right, if you
look at his time spent in Baltimore, if you look
at his time when he was in Cleveland the first
go around, when he was an Indie for a short
time last year, and now in the Cincinnati Bengals, I
(11:46):
think you could argue this is the best receiving core
he's ever played with. I mean, it's one of the
better receiving goals any quarterback could ever have. Right, So
this is his real opportunity, and he's got an arm.
This is his real shot to say, hey, I finally
got the weapon. Let me tear it up out here. Uh.
And you saw that happen last week against Green Bay
for Joe Flacco. Would remember they brought it to within
(12:07):
six points late in the fourth quarter on the road.
So it's it shouldn't be a surprise if if he
goes balls to the wall with his receivers tomorrow or tonight.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Last week in that game against Green Bay, he only
managed sixty five total yards in the first half. So
it wasn't until the second half that Joe Flacco started
to get going. And by the way, Mike Tomlin backed
me up this week when that trade was made, What
did I came into this room and I told you,
I said, I can't believe you would trade and within
your division in season. And then you know there's a
lot of arguments. While in hockey they've done it this,
(12:38):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
It's there is no position like the quarterback in football.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
It's the main spot. Yeah, And and there's now their
speculation that Cleveland did it because they knew that the
Steelers were going to play the Bengals two more times
before they I.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Don't know, I don't know if you agree with that.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
I don't I don't know if the conspiracy theorists are
onto something there or not.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Either way, Flacco is here in Cincinnati and he will
play the Steelers tonight on Thursday night. And we know
Joe Flacco's history against the Steelers is more good than
bad throughout his career, when he's quarterbacked the Ravens, when
he's quarterback the Colts, and when he's quarterback the Browns.
And now you can add another team to that list
tonight against the Steelers. In the Bengals overall passing game,
(13:18):
just real quick before we move on, Ranked thirtieth in
the NFL, the Bengals averaged just one hundred and seventy
eight yards passing per game, a stark decline since Burrow's
been out. And again, they got some big time receivers
running game, they've struggled there too. Chase Brown sure seventy
four carries, two hundred and two yards and a touchdown
leads that room. Overall, the Bengals have rushed one hundred
(13:40):
and eight times for three hundred and forty yards, only
averaging three point one yards per carry and only two
rushing touchdowns so far this season. And then receiving wise,
we know Jamar Chase one of the best in the NFL.
Despite all the quarterback carousel that is happening in Cincinnati,
he has still been strong. Last week ten receptions for
ninety four yards in a touch down. For the season,
(14:00):
he leads the team with four hundred and sixty eight
yards receiving and four touchdowns. And don't forget about T Higgins,
who everybody wanted to come here in the offseason to
the Steelers, but Cincinnati retains him, they re sign him.
He's the dual threat with Chase very good so far
the season eighteen catches, two hundred and twenty yards and
two touchdowns. So not off to the best start for
T Higgins, but he's another guy that you have to
(14:22):
account with along with Jamar Chase.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Absolutely, I mean, like I said earlier, this could be
the number one wide receiver duo in the NFL right now.
There's definitely a lot of options, but we've seen them
play together for a couple of years now and ever
since Jamar Chason T Higgins teamed up and got Joe
Burrow as their quarterback.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
It's been a deadly trio.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
You remember too a couple of years ago and they
had Tyler Boyd thrown into the Knicks there. Everyone was saying,
that's the best one two three punch of wide receiver.
But even when Boyd left for Tennessee, the respect is
still there for Tea and for Jamaar T. Higgins has
been dealing with injuries and the majority of his career
but went healthy. I mean, you cannot discount them. And
(15:05):
like I said earlier, I think this is the matchup
to watch. It's see Higgins Jamar ches versus that Steeler
secondary and we'll talk about it with Ray Filpaldo, maybe
get some insight on it. But we know the news
now that Shawn Elliott is questionable for tonight's game. He
did not travel with the team yesterday when they made
the trip to Cincinnati due to personal reasons, so we
(15:26):
don't know if he'll be available right now. We're recording
this at ten thirty in the morning on Thursday. There
has been no update as of yet, but if he's
not out there, that could be a huge problem for
the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
And we'll get to our injury report a little bit
later on in our third segment today when we go
through our three rivers confluence and get you ready for
tonight's game. But yesterday, when I pulled that injury news
late yesterday, he was not honored that news came out
late last night about the Shawn Elliott now questionable due
to personal reasons tonight in Cincinnati. All right, let's continue
to go through our scouting report on the two and
(15:57):
four Cincinnati Bengals. By the way, one last note on
Chase Brown on averaging fifty six point himself. We talked
about the team and their average three point one yards
per carry. Brown fifty six point seven rushing yards per
game this season. That's last the average that's last in
the NFL. So again, the Steelers, you know, they have
a great opportunity tonight defensively to really get after the
(16:19):
Cincinnati offense that has struggled this season, and offensive line
is one of the key reasons they are a major problem.
They've been in the past. They've tried to upgrade their
offensive line to protect Burrow. Pro Football Focus ranks them
as the fourth worst pass blocking offense in the NFL.
So for a team like the Steelers that are blitzing
right now. Every week they've ramped up their blitz packages,
(16:39):
their sack numbers are increasing, their tackle for losses, hits
on quarterback, all that's been on the up. I would
hope that they'll continue tonight in Cincinnati. And one final
note on the offense turnovers a negative four turnover differential
for Cincinnati, which means they are giving the ball up
more than they are getting it back. And again, since
Burrow's been out, that offense has lacked a lot of
consistency and an identity so far with the four straight losses,
(17:01):
so on that side of the of the field, I
think the Steelers have a golden opportunity tonight to get
after the Cincinnati offense.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Yeah, I mean, I think it should be a very
similar game plan to what you did in Cleveland, beat
the hell out of Joe Flack all the way you
beat the hell out of Dalan Gabriel. And given Flacco's
ability to spread the ball around it and take more
shots and Dylan Gabriel, remember they Cleveland came out two
weeks ago in his first start in the rookies first
start against Minnesota with the very conservative play calling sheet.
(17:31):
They did something similar in last week against Cleveland, and
we know, all right, I'm sorry against Pittsburgh and we
know how conservative it was because the Steelers did a
great had done a very poor job rather of preventing
splash plays. Well, the Browns only had two plays of
twenty plus yards, which was the best the Steelers have
had all year. So you're gonna see more risk taken
(17:52):
by Joe Flacco. But that means more opportunities for turnovers, which,
as you said, the Steelers should take advantage of, considering
their their ability to force the ball out of the
quarterback's hands, whether it's a fumble or interception, and the
Bengals propensity to do so.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
And the secondary is struggle now that it's been in
a long long time to face Jamar Chase and t
Higgins and those talented.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Whitey getting Joey Porter junior back will be huge. Yep.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
And now you're Deshaun Elliott, maybe you're a little concerned
about We'll see how that plays out. But even without Elliott,
you know, Jan Thornhill's done a nice job, Chuck Clark's
done a nice job in that secondary did the step in.
I mean again, Shawn, ye go ahead. I was gonna
say de Shawn. The last couple of games, though it
has played at a very high level. I pointed him
out yesterday during our Terrible Takes segment that he may
be the best defender right now on that defense. The
(18:37):
last few.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Games, he's certainly made his presence known. I think tomorrow,
or I keep saying tomorrow, I think tonight's game is
going to.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Be a big Jalen Ramsey game.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I think, like you have to if you want to
stop the Bengals, you have to have to have Jalen
Ramsey be the guy.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
To step up. And you can see him chirping on.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
You know, I mean you.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I'm sure you've seen the photo from We didn't get
to this when we were going over the history of
the Steelers and Bengals Week.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
One in twenty twenty one or twenty twenty two.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
It was twenty twenty one because it was Kenny Pickett's
rookie year when Mitch Trubisky got the start in Week one.
You remember it was Steelers at Bengals, and it was
that weird game.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Miss Stewarts, yeah, Missfield goals. The blockfield goal.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
And if you remember, there was that photo of Jamar
Chase giving Micka Fitzpatrick the double bird. That's right, yeah,
and that's Mike if Fitzpatrick Jalen Ramsey. They're both equally
talented Mica and Jalen. You could argue Jalen's even better,
but Jalen Ramsey is a is a cut above when
it comes to the smack talk. So j I'm sorry
if Migga Fitzpatrick got the double verd from Jamar Chase,
(19:41):
I don't want to know what's going to happen tonight
between Jalen Ramsey and Jamar Chase.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Let's talk Bengals defense. Now. The defense has been a
big disappointment so far this season, ranking thirty first in
the NFL by allowing three hundred and ninety four point
two yards per game and giving up Jacob Listen to
this thirty point five points per game throughout this He's
and Trey Hendrickson is a big part of why why
they have success and why they don't have success. And
(20:06):
he's he's banged up going into this week, questionable for tonight.
I'd expect to still see him though, I think he
will get to our injury port in our third segment
today and check in on Hendrickson. I think as of
yesterday he did give it a go at least limited
for Cincinnati this week. He has four sacks on the season,
but he is dealing with that hip injury. As we
talked about, overall, pass rush has not been a strength,
(20:26):
ranking thirty first in the NFL so far this season.
The linebackers and the secondary another area with poor pass coverage,
ranking third worst in the league. The defense overall in
Cincinnati surrendering the second most passing yards in the NFL
with two hundred and seventy three. Aaron Rodgers. Hello, so again,
I think Rodgers has shot out there. I think he
(20:47):
has a big, big opportunity tonight to attack this secondary,
attack this front seven with a running game. Again all Jacob,
I hate to say it. I hope I don't come
in here tomorrow to do the standard with you. No,
you were disappointing, You're Jenson, But my goodness. So we're checking.
I think we're checking more boxes for Thursday Night football
than we did on Sunday against the Browns, And we
checked a lot of boxes on Sunday going into that
(21:08):
game against the Browns.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
Well, yeah, I think the difference here is that defense, right,
because you knew that the Steelers offense had shown signs
of struggling throughout the year. They've shown signs of improvement,
but overall, they haven't been super effective consistently, at least
through the first four games leading up to that fifth
game against Cleveland. Whereas now and whereas now against Cincinnati,
(21:30):
where your offense could struggle, Well, you predicted they were
going to struggle against Cleveland's defense because Cleveland's defense is
like a top two defense in the league and every
which way possible, every which way you look at it.
Whereas Cincinnati is like a bottom two, if not bottom
one defense, every which way you look at it. So, yeah,
I agree with you, and I think we're checking off
(21:51):
more boxes. But because that matchup is so much more
advantageous for the Steelers and they just have to take
advantage of it.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
The only thing I don't like is getting tangent of
what I opened up the show with today, these numbers
on Thursday Night Football under Mike Tomlin. Still, that's the
only thing that makes me want to go hide in
that corner over there and say, you know what, But
At the same time, I'll go back to what I
said at the beginning. They're due. The Steelers are due
on Thursday night. They've never won a road divisional game
(22:18):
in the history of this franchise, which six Super Bowls,
you know, winning percentage one of the best since what
two thousand across the NFL. This franchise is well overdue
to go on the road and win a divisional game
on Thursday night and tonight at least, I think everything
is lining up in their favor. But again, that intangible
(22:38):
is out there and we can't ignore it. Okay, let's
wrap up the scouting report on the Bengals before we
move on here At the end of the segment, again,
the run defense very ineffective so far this season in Cincinnati,
alowing the fifth most rushing yards per game one hundred
and nineteen. The Steelers rushing attack of Jalen Warren and
Kenneth Gamewell and then you throw Caleb Johnson as a
third part last week got a few carries. They could
(22:59):
have a lot of success tonight. Again, the run sets
up the pass, so pound these guys on the ground,
set up the pass with DK and company, and get
after it. From a special team standpoint. Evan McPherson is
a very good kicker. You know, he's been very strong
in Cincinnati over the season, twenty nine points so far
this season, and they have a good returner and Charlie
Jones as well, So look out for that tonight with
(23:20):
the Bengals. But again, Cincinnati is a team a lot
of struggles on both sides of the ball, a lot
of injuries, and we'll have to see tonight if Hendrickson
can go. If Hendrickson does not go tonight, that's basically
your Miles Garrett not going tonight.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
But you saw how ineffective Miles Garrett was last week.
So even if Trey is a go tonight, I don't
even know how effective he'll be considering the progress we've
we've seen out of the offensive line by the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
I don't want to jump to my keys to the
game on my five keys on offense five keys on
defense we'll do in the third segment today, but that
might be one of them, Broderick Jones versus Trey Hendrickson.
If Hendrickson plays, Broderick Jones continues to build confidence on
that offensive line, and what a right follow up that
would be Jacob to come into this game tonight on
Thursday Night Football and shut down another good edge rusher
(24:06):
in Trey Hendrickson. And then you look back at Miles Garrett.
You're building a successful season and again a lot of
the stuff is in between the years. Man. When it
comes to switching things on the offensive line, you got
to run with the positivity and keep pushing things forward.
We're not making any picks tonight, are we, or at
least not yet. You want to wait for the third
segment to do that towards the end for our Steelers Bengals. Yeah,
(24:27):
we got to say that for That's how we always
do it for the very end. Yeah, well, well, well wait,
we don't want to get ahead of ourselves. You probably
know where I'm leaning. We maybe we know where you're leading.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
I don't know, and I have.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
No I don't know where. I don't know where. Tricky,
what's your what's your favorite part about Thursday Night Football?
Do you dig the prime video? Al Michaels, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Do you know?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Do you We actually just talking about this on the
morning show today. Do you know who does the Thursday
like Thursday Night Football song? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Like there's you know, I mean, well, you know, you
know the Sunday night football of course is Oh my goodness,
I'm drawing a Plank's Carrie under Carrie Underwood. You know
we've been waiting, which, by the way, my wife and
I always joke, no one's been waiting all day and
all week for Sunday night. People jobs do not like
Sunday night.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
So similarly, Mike Persuna made the point saying, why would
you put that song on Sunday night because you not
only that, you know Monday's the looming Monday, looming Monday
and the Sunday scary suck. I understand that point, but
he was also making the point of you're not waiting
all day for Sunday night because you're watching football all day,
So why are you looking forward to the end of
(25:32):
a marathon of football?
Speaker 1 (25:33):
That's my point.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Should be only for Thursday night and Monday night football,
and then if you got to.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
Get up and go to work early on Monday morning
Sunday nights like do every week, that's gonna say that's you, right,
So who who does the song for Thursday Night's boozy?
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And it's not good either. We listened to another morning
show today was it was not good. But do I
like Thursday night football? I guess because you kind of
get the stress out of the way. But if your
team loses, then you're kind of bummed for an extra three.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Days, right, So absolutely, well, get you're shutting down for
a whole ten days. You have a ten day period.
That's why you gotta win tonight for the Steelers, We'll
go through a ten day funk here.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I actually think of the of all the night game
windows to have, the best one is Sunday night because,
like I said, if you lose on Thursday, then you're
you're bummed out for an extra three days. But the
Monday night stress, like, you just have to wait so
long to see your team play, and I don't like
having that extra anticipation. Love Al Michaels, So yeah, you
(26:27):
love Herbie, love Kirk Herbstreet as well.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Herbstreak is one of my favorites. Whether it's one of
the hardest working dudes and and in the media, he
is in my eyes. And you know I I do.
I do high school games. I mimic him a lot.
You know, as a commentator, you're always mimicking somebody ahead
of you. Now, granted he started even you know, before
I did. But Herbstreak's the best man NFL college. Whatever
(26:51):
he's describing on air, the O.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
The thing is, he's a buck guy, and you don't
like that.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
You're You're in Indiana guy. When we come back, we
will talk to Ray fit Apaldo from the Pittsburgh Post
Gazette in our next segment, Get raised thoughts tonight. He's
in Cincinnati. I believe he's in a hotel room hanging
out getting ready for tonight's game. So we'll get his
thoughts on Bengals Steelers tonight. It's Week seven across the
NFL and it kicks off tonight on Thursday Night Football
as the Pittsburgh Steelers. You're Pittsburgh Steelers on the season
(27:19):
at four and one. Visit the two and four Bengals
should be a good one, and we'll be right back here.
You are listening to the standard here on Steelers on
the Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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