Cincinnati Bengals Preview: What They MUST DO to Beat Steelers on Thursday Night Football

Cincinnati Bengals Preview: What They MUST DO to Beat Steelers on Thursday Night Football

It’s Bengals, it’s Steelers, it’s Thursday Night Football. A mustwin for the Bengals and the Steelers, well, they could deliver a knockout blow in the AFC North. Let’s get into it on a special crossover ahead of Thursday Night Football. You are Locked on NFL Crossover, part of the Locked On Network. Your team every day. Hi again everyone and welcome in to the locked on Bengals and locked on Steelers crossover. A prime time crossover. Chris Carter, James with you. Plenty to dive into and this crossover is brought to you by Price Picks and download the Price Picks app today. Use code locked on NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Chris, this uh to me it doesn’t get much bigger on both ends of the spectrum here because the Bengals are clinging to some hopes that Joe Flacco is going to keep them afloat and the Steelers well their 41y olds got them more than a float has them in has them in first place. Uh what uh what’s the biggest story right now in your neck of the woods here with Pittsburgh at 4 and one? Well, the the recent update would be that particularly just for this game, Deshaawn Elliott, safety for the starting starting strong safety for the Steelers, uh did not travel with the team Wednesday and uh is questionable with a with a personal designation telling there some personal issue going on. Uh we know that he did not practice uh as well. So, like there’s a questionable tag there. That’s uh that’s a little bit of a concern because Deshawn Elliott’s a big part of the secondary. Uh he missed uh their second and third games due to injury. Uh and then uh when he returned with the Vik against the Vikings was a huge part of the defense. So you certainly hope everything’s okay there and it’s not nothing serious. Uh but right now, you know, you mentioned this being a big game for the Bengals. This is also a big game for the Steelers because even though if they if they lose this game, they’re 4-2 and they’re still at top the division. Really, the whole idea is that the Steelers last year, they were 10 and three. They were right in the cusp of like they were in the mix for winning the division and then they fell off a cliff. And right now, I think there’s just a sense that, hey, we want to put our our our foot on the necks of the Ravens and the rest of the division as much as possible while we have the chance to because the Steelers the Ravens had played a lot of their tough games. They played the Chiefs. They played the Lions. They played the Bills. The Steelers got both the Lions and the Bills coming up still. They still have to play the Packers. They still have to play the Ravens both times. Uh they have to play the Browns in Cleveland where they haven’t won since 2021. Um, so there’s a lot of games on their schedule still that aren’t like, oh yeah, chalk those up as wins types of games, even if the Steelers keep keep moving on an upward trajectory the way they have the last few weeks. So I think the thing is while the Bengals are trying to stay in it, the Steelers are trying to maintain their momentum because if they win on Thursday, tonight, they advance to 5- one. The Ravens will be one and five. The Ravens are their most foreseeable competition. Well, only team with really a quarterback right now. uh when you look at the rest of the AF AFC North and that would give them a fair cushion to put push basically push the Ravens to say like hey you either need to sweep us and you lose a couple of games or you need to you know or if we beat you one time you’re basically going to need to win out outside of your games to have a real shot at winning the division. Yeah, that that’s what’s so interesting to me is like from a Bengals perspective and I said this before the Green Bay game they acquired Joe Flacco. you kind of look at things especially with the the the short week. It’s like all right, two games, four days, five days really if you count travel all those things. It it’s which game’s more important. And even before the Packers game, I’m like you got to get Thursday night. Probably losing in Green Bay at Lambo five days after Joe Flacko gets traded for all those things. But you have to win this game. And so the Bengals, they better come out with urgency. They better come out kitchen sink style throwing everything they can at the Steelers. And yet on the other side of it, yeah, if you can go up four games on the Ravens, if you’re the Steelers and you can go to five and one and the Ravens are on their buy at one and five, beat up, battered, I mean, you couldn’t have drawn up from a standings perspective a better scenario through five or through six weeks for the Steelers and and they’re right there. So yeah, I I totally get their mindset and that being the mindset and and that being the theme this week. The Bengals have to counteract that from the jump and they have to like if if there’s any hope of them staying afloat without Joe Burrow. any hope of them picking up the pieces and making this work with Joe Flacco and being not just a a team that can now move the ball a little bit on offense, but a competitive team that’s going to win games, this is a game you have to win, division opponent, uh a Steelers team that’s playing well thus far, but if you do win and you get to three and four and you move to two uh two and 0 in the AFC North, you have another matchup with Pittsburgh a month from from Thursday. Like there’s all these reasons why you could convince yourself you’re still very much in it. Yep. If you lose, you fought a two and five. And there’s just it’s really unrealistic to feel that way. So it’s wild how opposite sides of the spectrum are still leading to the same thing which should be desperation and uh and desire to get a win because it would be huge for both teams. It would be still I mean AFC North football is still a big uh even win. there’s as many injuries in this division as there are Lamar Jackson, you know, still still isn’t back. Joe Burrow basically done for for the year. Um, you know, there’s and all the other injuries that have gotten that have hit hit up on these teams. Uh, but still, like you said, like these are these are big games because the AFC I think it’s not it’s not just the AFC North that’s open. It looks really looks like the entire AFC is open right now. The Bills are not the unstoppable Bills that they were that they looked like they could be this year. They’re 4-2 coming off of two straight losses. The Patriots actually are technically in first place in the AFC East right right now. Uh the Colts are the team at top the top the AFC with a five- one record. The Chiefs are three and three. Like there is a door that is open right now where if you can be the team that gets hot and this is just your year, maybe you can make something. Maybe it’s finally like Joe Burrow and Tom Brady are the only AFC quarterbacks that can say that they’ve beaten Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs, which is insane to say because he’s been in the playoffs for like nine or however many years he’s been in the league. It’s ridiculous. So, um I’m right with you. Like there is there is a sense of urgency on both sides of these teams. Whereas the Bengals are trying to win to stay in it. The Steelers are trying to get ahead because they know, hey, this is our chance to to get up and try to get into the mix with all these top teams when there’s no clear superstar juggernaut team in the AFC in the AFC total right now. Yeah, I I totally agree. Like if I if the Steelers if they continue to win games at some point, you just have to put them there, right? And so that’s what they’re trying to do regardless of how it is or how it looks or oh well Aaron Rogers or this that your record is your record. Yep. And and and so it to me from my my view from here in Cincinnati it’s been pretty dramaree. It’s been about football and it’s it’s working out. They’re playing at a really high level and we could get into the matchups coming up in a bit. But for this Bengals team, I know their mindset. There’s a lot of people uh locked on Bengals watchers and and listeners right now that are like just tank. Just tank. They didn’t like the flack odeal even though clearly Mike Tomlin didn’t like it either. Why? Because it makes the Bengals better. He was right. Like Mike Tomlin was right. I don’t blame him for feeling that way. It it clearly makes the Bengals better and gives them a chance. Now the Bengals have to take advantage of that chance and this offense needs to find a way. They’ve been outscored, Chris, 79-9 in the first half of their last four games. Gez, it it’s unbel Think about that. So, you’re basically 20 to3 less than that. 20 to two and a half. That’s nuts on average at at halftime. I mean, that is it’s a recipe for disaster. So, can Joe Flacco in this offense get going early against the Steelers? That’s a a huge huge factor uh when it comes to who’s going to win the game on Thursday night. I think so too. And that’s something we’ll talk about the next segment is far as getting go early. Even though it’s Joe Flacco, Joe Flacco is not a bum like like he Yeah, he he’s you could say he’s chopped. You can say he’s washed. You can use all the the terminologies for older players in the NFL, but he still knows how to read a defense, sling a football, and get it to playmakers. And the Bengals got the best onetwo punch at wide receiver in football. So that’s a heck of a that’s a heck of a a person to have in a pinch is a guy who can just get the ball out, read a defense, and especially throw a deep ball to give one of those two superstars a chance to make a play. And to me, that’s going to be a big story in this game. No doubt about it. It’s one of the many, many matchups we’ll get to coming up next. Today’s show is brought to you by Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile is well going to fix your wireless problems. If you’re still overpaying for wireless, it’s time to say yes to saying no. Because at Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, no BS. I said yes to making the switch. And getting premium wireless now for just $15 a month with Mint. Mint makes it simple. All plans comes with high-speed data, unlimited talk and text. Delivered on the nation’s largest 5G network. You can even bring your own phone, keep your same number, keep your same contacts. 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Turn rent into rewards and start earning points around your neighborhood by going to join.com/lockdon NFL. Whether you’re grabbing food at a local restaurant, heading to the gym, you can be earning rewards all the time. Again, that’s joinbuilt.com/lockton NFL. j I nb i lt.com/lockedonfl. Make sure you use the link so they know we sent you. All right, Chris, let’s dive into what is uh a game of many matchups. Every single one of these AFC North games is exactly that. Uh, first things first, let’s talk about the Bengals offense versus this Steelers defense because I mentioned it. They’ve had their struggles. Now they have Joe Flacco in the mix. He’s thrown it around a little bit. You asked Mike Tomlin earlier this week about the Flaco trade and he’s like, I can’t believe the Browns were that stupid. And I I agree. And he didn’t say it exactly like that, but he probably wanted to. Might as well. Made no sense. It made no sense. Made no sense. But it has given I will tell you this. No one would think in town that the Bengals would beat the Steelers with Jake Browning at quarterback. Like, no one. He stunk against them in the past. He was awful this year. Even when he was good a couple of years ago, and I say good in quotes, was really bad against Pittsburgh twice. Like, no one would expect him to be competitive in this game. And so now Joe Flacco went up against them last year, came in on rel in relief was the Colts 27 24. Like he’s familiar with Mike Tomlin. He’s familiar with this defense going up against them. I think there’s some hope and to me this is the matchup of the game. Can this Steelers defensive front get after Joe Flacco and make him uncomfortable or is he going to be able to get the ball to the Bengals playmakers? I think that’s definitely part of part part of them the the the thing here and I I actually did a film study on this for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette as far as the Steelers defense despite having the same defensive coordinator in Terrell Austin as they have had the past three years. They are very different. They are blitzing at the second highest rate in the NFL. They’re back to being one of the top sack producers in the NFL. hadn’t really been the last three years with Terrell Austin who specialized more in saying, “Hey, we’re going to send these fourman blitzes or fourman, you know, front rushes and they were going to disguise a lot of things in the back end and try to fool you and let Ma Fitzpatrick be the playmaker.” But as as you’ll know in the offseason, they traded away Ma Fitzpatrick. They brought her in, they brought in Jaylen Ramsay and they’ve been playing a lot more press, a lot more bump and run. Uh, and they’ve been been a lot more aggressive with the blitz. Lots more Patrick Queen blitzes. uh you know you know in in this in this defense a lot more Peyton Wilson blitzes a lot more stunts and twists where guys are coming off and Jaylen Ramsey getting involved in the blitz game he had two sacks last week on Dylan Gabriel um this is an aggressive Steelers defense that is going to attempt to test Joe Flacco’s ability to keep to recognize where they’re coming from as well as test the Bengals offensive line to see if they can pick it up because you know right now when when I look at uh you know at at protect at protecting the quarterback the Steelers right now they have a second highest sack percentage second highest sacks per game the Bengals ranked 21st in both in both of those in the NFL right now. So that’s that’s one way to make it so it’s not about Joe Joe uh uh Joe Flacco hitting Jamar Chase and T. Higgins even though the Steelers will feel confident that you’re going to see a lot of Joey Porter probably match up with T. Higgins. You’re probably going to see Darius Slay team up with the safet with the with the deep safeties uh to to try to take away and limit Jamar Chase. Um but I I think a big part of that is they want to make it so it’s not even about those guys. They want to get after the quarterback, cause some problems there, and make that the place where the game is more about because that plays more to the Steelers advantage. No doubt about it. It does. It does. And they if they lose there, well, then that’s a huge It would be like the Bengals wide receivers losing. They can’t lose. Jamar Chase can’t lose against Slay and and T. Higgins can’t lose against Joey Porter Jr. That’s just something the Bengals need, right? And so, yeah, I I what one thing that’s interesting and on the short week it’s really it’s been more difficult on the fly to get this info, but last week Daltton Risner for the Bengals at left guard was pretty solid in pass protection. And now it feels like Dylan Fairchild is going to be active and be healthy. Uh the the rookie and he started every game, got hurt, didn’t play last week. So, does he start at left guard and has have to deal with those guys? I assume they’re going to go back to the rookie. Certainly something worth paying attention to. Also, Lucas Patrick, as we record this, he’s still on injured reserve. I do think they activate him and so he’s another veteran interior lineman that was playing right guard and then it went to Riser and then it went to rookie Jaylen Rivers. So, they’ve been starting Rise or Rivers and Fairchild, two rookies, third and fifth round rookies. Do you do that with your season on the line on Thursday Night Football? Like I I think that’s such a huge huge matchup regardless of who’s out there, right? Because the Bengals need to hold up. They need to be competent running the football and then more importantly they need to give Joe Flacco just enough time to get the ball to his playmakers. Agree. It’s a big part of it. I wanted to ask you this, James, because you know, I took a I took my precursory watch of the game to try to get a sense of, you know, how Joe Flacco played in his first game with the Bengals, but I noticed that off that first half, they were figuring some things out. But that second half, they had four possessions, two touchdowns, a field goal, and a missed field goal. So, they got in scoring range each time. Joe Flacco’s passing numbers in those in the in the first half, eight of 15 for 40 yards. Meh. Um, but in the second half, 21 of 30 for 179, two touchdowns, uh, and still didn’t throw an interception. Should I be reading into that that he really started to click or the things started to happen or was that more circumstantial? Oh, hey, the Packers were backing off in this situation or something? No, I I think the the first one because coming out of the half, the Packers are only up 10 nothing and Flaco leads them on a 17play 78 yard drive that ends in a a a fourth down touchdown pass to Tanner Hudson who’s in concussion protocol. I don’t think he’s going to play. So, that’s something to pay attention to. But they did find something and I I think that’s what’s interesting is the Bengals offensive line found a way to pass protect in that second half and gave Flacco just enough time to get the ball out and and he was seeing it very well and throwing with anticipation and it was a lot of intermediate throws, not a lot of deep balls. We know he’s got the arm to do that as long as completion was 19 yards. One to Jamar Chase for 19, one to T. Higgins for 19. But yeah, there there was something there. And I think that’s that’s what gives me some confidence that this offense can operate against the Steelers because if they had had that second half and played the second half like they did the first half against Green Bay, I wouldn’t have confidence. And and it to me it is similar similar matchups where the Green Bay wins with their front and the Steelers certainly want to win with their front and and so can can that translate? I’m not sure. But I do think that Joe Flacco found something there. And that’s where a lot of the belief comes in. At the same time, when Flaco got it going, this Bengals defense let them down. They could not get a stop. They could not get a stop in the second half, Chris. And that that’s where I I look at this Steelers offense and I look at this Bengals defense and it’s like, all right, well, let’s just say the Bengals do get the better of the Steelers defense enough on Thursday night. Will the defense be able to get the better of Aaron Rogers and DK Metaf and Jaylen Warren in these guys that have really to me been pretty steady? Not not I’m not saying world beaters, but they’ve been steady throughout the season. They have been steady and I think that’s been the thing the Steelers have really been missing on offense for the past several years has just been steady presence on offense. Aaron Rogers isn’t doing anything spectacular, but what he is doing is he’s taking what’s there. He’s reading he’s reading pre- snap. He’s saying, “Hey, they’re going to be there. We’re going to go here.” and and more often times more often times than not he is getting it right. He’s understanding where to attack and it’s really helping the Steelers right now. I mean again like you look at the ste at the Steelers offense they ranked 14th in in points scored you know if you had told me at the beginning of the season I’d be like hey something’s going right because they have normally ranked in the low 20s or the high 20s you know if if you look at that but um you know and then you look at the way that they’ve been able to convert I also say the offensive line is taking steps forward we’ve covered that on locked on Steelers each week I’d say for the last three weeks there has been a considerable steps taken forward uh and now you have an offense that largely the the efficiency numbers don’t look great like you know they’re totally yards per game, they rank 29th. Uh passing yards per game, 24th. Rushing yards per game, 29th. Rush rushing yards per carry, 30th. So, like all in the bottom of the league. But then when you look at the other numbers, when you look at how they’re they have the third best third and short uh percentage as far as conversion rate there. If they can get you to third and three or shorter, they they’re they’re moving the sticks pretty at a pretty high rate. Red zone possessions, they’re sixth in the NFL right now. They’re able to when they get get it in there, they’re doing what? They also protect the football. They average just six turnovers per games. that’s fifth best in in the NFL right now. They have done a good job overall as far as limiting the area while whe while they’re figuring all these other things out, while they’re trying to figure out how the run game will consistently work, they’re doing these other things to make things happen. And I think what you’re starting to see though, you saw even more with the Browns against their defense, which was the number one rushing defense. You saw them start to really find their whit rhythm. And I think a big part of it are these jumbo packages that they’re using, James. And that’s going to be something that the Bengals have to be ready for. The Steelers are going to use a lot of personnel packages where they bring in the extra tackle Spencer Anderson. They’ll come out on the field, they’ll say number 79 is is an eligible receiver and then they’ll say they’ll throw out Darnell Washington. Darnell Washington has been getting more snaps in games that Patmouth, which is nuts when you think about it going into the year, but it makes sense when you watch him play because against the Vikings, he crushed Dallas Turner. He was just taking guys off the ball. He was running the the Steelers loved running with him. And what did they do the first play against the Browns? play action. Darnell Washington leaks up the field and he gets 32 yards easily because the Browns were so committed to, oh, Darnell Washington’s there. It’s a run. We got to stuff him and they completely forgot about him. The Bengals, if the if the defense of the Bengals is going to hold things in check, they have to not let the size and the strength of the the of the Steelers bully them off the ball and force them into tough spots because that is what the Steelers want to get you to do. And then all of a sudden, you’re either heavy committing to the run and leaving the pass wide open or you don’t know what you want to commit to and the Steelers do what they want to do. Darnell Washington, a uh previous draft crush, I would say. He was available in the third round and he ends up with the Pittsburgh Steelers. We will uh get to what each team needs to do to get a victory. It’s a huge game and we will dive into that coming up next. This Crossover Wednesday is also brought to you by Mazda. Mazda crafts cars for those who do more than simply move. 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I would imagine it would be Aaron Rodgers if the uh if the Steelers are able to get their fifth win of the season. What do they need to do to make that happen? They need to come out and play their style of football when it comes to the trenches. They and I know that’s that’s very much what the Steelers normally try to do against a team like the Bengals that has the talent they have at wide receiver, but they that’s what they have to do here. They have to be able to stuff the run. Don’t let Chase Brown get things going. And I think one thing that’s going to be different this year, and the Steelers have made it clear since they made these moves in the off season. They are much more confident in letting their their corners hang in man coverage, at least for the first four seconds of a play. Uh and you’re seeing that work. And again, I did a film study if you want to see uh my my breakdown of how it’s helping in their all 22. But they are trusting their corners to say, “Hey, you’re going to you’re going to stick this guy at the line of scrimmage. You’re going to ride him for a few seconds, but trust that the pass rush is going to get home. Uh because because that’s what that’s what this team is built upon, and it’s really helping things right now. You’re seeing like TJ Watt isn’t even the leading sack man for the Steelers right now. It’s Nick Hervik, uh their third year guy out of Wisconsin. He’s been playing very well. Uh Derek Harmon has has has two sacks. the rookie out of Oregon. Don’t tell me that. Don’t tell me that. It’s just I’m telling you, man. They’re they’re they’re putting it together up front early. In the first few games, Dererick Harmon was missing. Alice Highmith was hurt, but now they’re getting they’re healthier. They’re figuring things out. And even Patrick Queen, who was struggling, I think a little bit at the start of the year to be in the right place at the right time. He’s flying all over the place. The confidence is there. If they can make it about that, that’s where the Steelers can find a way to get a win in in in this game. And I I think that’s the that’s where the Steelers have to look at the chances here with the with with the Bengals is they have to look at and say, “Hey, if we control make them play in our style of football, we can win this game.” But if this game becomes about Joe Flacco being able to either hit Chase or Ch or Chase or Higgins on the deep ball several times or get them going in the game or, you know, or even just get the lots of defensive pass interference penalties, which we know, I think was last year Joey Porter had five uh defensive penalties called on them in a single in a single game. That’s what can kill you if you’re the Steelers if you keep giving them chances to make plays. Yeah, I I think a couple of interesting things there. one, the Steelers defensive front is so layered and they have so many guys like I know Keanu Benton is someone that Bengals personnel they’re like man that dude is just so good like when when they like and then it’s her big and then it’s Harmon who we talked a lot about on locked on Bengals pre-draft and it was someone that we thought if he was there at 17 would have been considered and you know there’s there’s so many guys like that that they have just in the trenches I mean I I just named all these guys and you did TJ Watt is still TJ Watt right So that that that’s the key is this Bengals team. You cannot at the end of the game if you’re the Bengals say, “Oh man, the Steelers were so much more physical than us.” Like if that happens, the game is over, right? Because that’s that’s playing right into the Steelers hand. If it’s close, let’s say it’s 5545 Pittsburgh, well then you can get by with that from a physicality standpoint. So you need to to match. Coaches always say we need to match their physicality. Well, sure, but one team is going to have the edge a little bit over the other. If it’s close there, I think it gives the Bengals a chance. I mentioned it earlier. They have to start fast. And it Yes, that that’s super cliche, but like they’ve been so bad in the first half. Like it’s almost not a cliche now. It’s like a a mustdo thing because they’re they’re just constantly trailing and playing behind the eightball. had one lead I think in the first half of the Jake Browning/now Joe Flacco era and it was 3 nothing in Denver when they probably should have went for it for the touchdown on Monday Night Football on their first possession. They settled for a 22- yard field goal and it felt like a win for Denver. So it that’s a huge key. I I think we’ve talked a lot about Jamar Chase and T. Higgins. Mike Cassiki’s out. He was put on injured reserve. He’s dealing with a pectoral injury he suffered the other day. the the other weapons. Andre Yosvage had some drops the other day. That can’t happen. Noah Fant has to be a big part of what they do on offense. Chase Brown, same thing. Whether it’s catching passes, whether it’s running between the tackles, whether it’s uh a pitch to the outside, whatever it is, they need to get some of these other guys involved because the Steelers are going to do everything they can to try to stop Jamar Chase. Everything they can to try to contain T. Higgins and make someone else beat them. And and so that’s a huge factor. And then quickly on defense, one, you can’t let the Steelers run the ball, and they let the Packers run the ball last week. If you do that, it’s going to be really tough. So, make sure the run doesn’t beat you. And then when you’re in third and long, cause some chaos. Get get some tackles for loss. get some some plays like that so they’re not in the the third and short scenarios where Aaron Rogers just can kind of be a 41-year-old quarterback where he’s seen everything there is to see and diagnose it and make the right read. It’s uh it’s a tall task. I I think the Steelers I they haven’t w I’m not sure they’ve wowed anyone and no one’s picking them to win the AFC right now or anything, but I I just think they’re pretty complete and and and they’re well coached and uh it’s going to be a tough game and they’re finding their rhythm like like the the Steelers came into this game want or enter into the season wanting to be a more physical team. They wanted to see the offensive line take steps forward. They wanted to see the defense take step forward. They wanted the defense to be more aggressive. And in the first couple weeks there’s a lot lot of questions because they barely squeaked by the Jets. Uh which still it’s insane when you look back at and see like how many touchdowns they actually threw in that game. Um and then you lose to the Seahawks in you know some improbable fashion of the things that you do there. But then you start to clean things up week by week and you see the O line slowly getting better and you see the Dline getting better and the run defense is picking up and then the pass rush is starting to get active. Like that’s where I think that the the Steelers are building to to to to get back to being pretty consistent in doing that in all phases. And if the Steelers, like you said, starting fast is huge because the Steelers, that’s what that’s when they started racking up their sacks on Dylan Gabriel was when they were when they got the Browns down big and they had to commit to passing, commit to passing downfield and force them to to to look, that’s where bad things started to happen. And if the Steelers defensive front is able to beat up on the on the on the Bengals offensive line, Joe Joe Flaggo is going to need to get the ball out quickly and and and know where to get the ball out quickly because the Steelers, even though they’re blitzing more, they still have a lot of aggressive coverage packages as well, trying to get you to make mistakes. I think that’s going to be a big thing to watch this week is can can the Bengals get going early to neutralize that factor and force the Steelers to kind of have to play guessing games for most of the contest. Another thing here, injury-wise, uh we’re recording this right before the injury report, game status report comes out. Trey Hendrickson, his status, I would say he’s in doubt. Uh wouldn’t completely rule it out, but by the time you listen or hear listen to this or watch this, he may be ruled out for Thursday Night Football. Don’t count it out. He may also play. I I think I it’s it’s tough to predict with Trey because he’s he’s really tough and I think he’s going to do everything he can to play, but he just might not be able to in a short week. Shamar Stewart will play and they need him regardless of Trey status to create some chaos and and they don’t have many havoc creators, chaos creators on defense right now. That’s one guy that needs to be that whether it’s against the run or or in pass rush situations. So, it’s a tough ass Chris, but I I think this is going to be I do think it’s going to be a close game because both teams have a ton a ton on the line and uh I’m excited to watch it. I I’m excited, too. This is going to be really interesting. I’ve been saying all week and really all year since the uh since the schedule release that like oh divisional road AFC North game on Thursday night. That’s the curse that Mike Tomman has has never broken. But could the unstoppable force meet the immovable object? The Steelers typically are pretty good in prime time against the Bengals. Aaron Rogers also pretty good on on Thursday Night Football. Can those factors offset something the Steelers have not been able to do? Greater. They’ve also never played this crazy. I looked this up James. This is they the Steelers have never played the Bengals on Thursday Night Football in Cincinnati. This is the first time. They’ve only even played I think once in Pittsburgh on Thursday Night Football, which is kind of weird when you look back in all the long history that these teams have together since that became a thing in 2006. But to me, that’s a big thing here is they got to slay that dragon. Yeah, it’s will the Bengals keep their season alive or will the Steelers say, “Hey, we’re going to take the North.” Regardless, we’re going to have you covered on locked on Steelers, locked on Bengals. So, make sure you check us out and uh we’ll talk to you after the game. For Chris Carter, I’m James. Thank you so much for watching and listening to a special locked on crossover. Locked on Bengals, locked on Steelers.

The Cincinnati Bengals have to win on Thursday night to keep their AFC North dreams alive. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to deliver a knockout blow to the Bengals and the rest of the division.

James Rapien is joined by Chris Carter of Locked On Steelers to preview the game. They discuss Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers, the trenches, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, key injuries and so much more!

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