The Cincinnati Bengals travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Week 3 game at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. Joe Burrow and Co. are coming off wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Houston Texans to start the season.
Here are three bold predictions for Cincinnati’s Week 3 game as the Bengals aim for a 3-0 start and early control of the AFC North.
1. Ja’Marr Chase Breaks Out for 100+ Yards
Ja’Marr Chase will surpass 100 receiving yards for the first time this season despite facing a Pittsburgh defense that has allowed just 154.5 passing yards per game.
The Steelers have done a good job limiting outside receivers, but Chase has a great history against this defense. In eight career games against Pittsburgh, he has 687 yards and six touchdowns, including a franchise-record 16 catches for 161 yards last season.
Zac Taylor has been known for using 12 personnel. With two tight ends and two receivers on the field, Cincinnati can force the Steelers to respond with base personnel or single-high coverage. Chase is likely to get more isolated battles against Joey Porter Jr. and other outside defenders.
2. Dexter Lawrence and the Interior Front Suffocate Pittsburgh
Cincinnati’s defensive front will hold Jaylen Warren and the Steelers to under 65 rushing yards. The Bengals revamped their defensive interior during the offseason, and that work has already paid off. The unit has allowed just 74.5 yards per game, third-lowest in the league.
Pittsburgh’s interior offensive line, meanwhile, has struggled to create running room. They have recorded just 0.23 rushing yards before first contact, second-worst in the league. If the Steelers cannot run between the tackles on early downs, they could be forced into obvious passing situations against a Bengals front that leads the league with 8 sacks.
3. Joe Burrow Struggles Against T.J. Watt
T.J. Watt will sack Joe Burrow at least twice and disrupt Cincinnati’s passing game. Bengals right tackle Amarius Mims has given up no pressures on 72 snaps through two weeks, but Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has used Watt on both sides of the defensive front.
Watt currently leads the NFL in sack rate, recording a sack on 10.5% of his pass-rush snaps. He has also registered 14.5 career sacks against Cincinnati. Burrow was sacked five times against Houston last week by an aggressive pass rush.
Watt can also impact the passing game by getting into throwing lanes. He showed that in Week 1 with a pick-six against Atlanta and has two career interceptions against Burrow.
