Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Prediction: Can Joe Mixon Step Up For Bengals?

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Prediction: Can Joe Mixon Step Up For Bengals?

The 6-4 Pittsburgh Steelers hit the road this week to take on the 5-5 Cincinnati Bengals, who are surprisingly sitting in last place in the AFC North. The AFC North is a bloodbath this year and looks like the strongest division in football this season, as the Bengals are the "worst" team in the division at 5-5. They still have a shot at the playoffs, but they have to do it without Joe Burrow, who is out for the season with a wrist injury. If the Bengals are going to win, they need some players to step up. Who can step up today?

Steelers vs. Bengals Date, Time, and Where to Watch

• Date: November 26, 2023
• Game Time: 1:00 pm ET
• Where to Watch: CBS

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Prediction

Joe Burrow is out for the season, and in comes Jake Browning. The blow is tough to the Bengals, as they are still in the thick of the playoff race in a tight division. If the Bengals are going to win games down the stretch, they need their other elite offensive players to step up, and it starts in the run game with Joe Mixon.

Joe Mixon is the workhorse running back for the Bengals, who basically has all the carries this year. The backup Trayveon Williams has only 12 carries on the season to Mixon's 153. Mixon has to play well today, and he should because he has a good matchup against this Steeler's defense.

The Steelers are a great defense. They get to the quarterback, limit big plays, and are sound in the backfield. However, they have not stopped the run well this season. Opponents know this, too, as teams run 29 times per game on average against the Steelers, which is the 8th-highest rate in the league. The Steelers are allowing 4.4 yards per rush, which is 25th in the league. The Bengals are not a team that runs the ball a lot, either. They rank 31st in rush play percentage and 31st in total rush attempts per game. That will all change today.

I expect Mixon to get short targets for easy completions through the air today, but I also expect him to get 20+ carries on the ground. The Steelers are not a good offense, meaning the Bengals should not be worried about getting blown out by an explosive offense, so they can grind out possessions with the ground game. Mixon is a great running back, but he hasn't been able to show it much this season with such a pass-heavy offense under Joe Burrow. Today, he will get a good volume of carries and can pass his line against the Steeler's defense whose biggest hole on defense is their rushing defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Pick

Pick: Joe Mixon Over 64.5 Rushing Yards -113 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds

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