The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ Week 11 divisional matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals has finally arrived — but if the Steel City brand of football hopes to improve to 6-4 on the season, several players need to step up in a major way.
From a sixth-year corner playing a bigger role to a struggling veteran quarterback looking for a bounce-back performance, here’s a look at three Steelers who need a great outing in Week 11.
CB James Pierre
Pierre looked phenomenal while filling in for an injured Darius Slay in last week’s loss to the Chargers. With Slay ruled out in Week 11 due to a concussion, Pierre needs another productive day — this time against the Bengals’ terrifying WR duo, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
OLB Nick Herbig
Alex Highsmith — the Steelers’ top pass rusher over the past two weeks — has been ruled out in Week 11, opening the door for Herbig to prove why he deserves more playing time moving forward. Herbig has looked like one of the best edge rushers in the league when given a starting opportunity and will need to make the most of his shot against Cincinnati.
QB Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers was quick to dismiss his Week 10 struggles — but Sunday’s matchup vs. the Bengals is where he really has the opportunity to back it up. A strong performance against Cincinnati would go a long way in re-instilling confidence in the offense, while another sub-par outing could have fans calling for his benching.
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