The Bengals have now lost back to back games they really should’ve won. The defense can’t get any worse but if they hope to make the playoffs, they NEED a win this week in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are coming off their own ugly loss and hoping to get back in the win column. Let’s jump right into it.
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Game Information
Matchup Information
- Location: Acrisure Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: Sunday, November 16th, 2025
- Kickoff: 1:00 PM EST
Quarterback Matchup
- Cleveland Browns: Joe Flacco (3-5; 2024 – 220.1 YPG | 12 TD | 7 INT)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Rodgers (5-12; 2024 – 229.2 YPG | 28 TD | 11 INT)
Betting Odds
Odds via BetOnline, an industry leader in the sports betting world.
Analysis & Breakdown
Steel Curtain
The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has been crazy inconsistent this year. Two weeks ago they held one of the NFL’s most potent offenses to just 20 points and forced the Colts to commit six total turnovers. The Steelers held Jonathan Taylor to just 45 yards on the ground (3.2 YPC), 2 receptions, 12 yards receiving and no touchdowns. They let Daniel Jones throw for 342 yards, but came away with 3 interceptions and forced 3 fumbles; coming away with two.
Pittsburgh followed that up by allowing the Chargers to score 25 points, with Kimani Vidal leading the way on the ground. Vidal finished with 95 yards rushing, one touchdown and Herbert recorded 220 yards through the air with 1 touchdown pass.
The Steelers rank 20th in points allowed but 9th in defensive redzone efficiency. They’re allowing opponents to convert just 54.5% of their redzone drives into six and it’s helped mitigate some of the damage done to this defense.
This week’s matchup will be the second of the two games between the Bengals and Steelers. Pittsburgh lost the prior meeting 33-31, with Joe Flacco throwing for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Steelers have gone 1-3 since that game and are desperate to get back in the win column and put some space between them and the Ravens in the NFC North.
Bengal or Bungle
The Bengals have scored 33 or more points in three straight games but have won just one of those three games in the process. Their defense is tremendously bad and probably going to be the reason they miss the postseason. Cincinnati ranks dead last in points allowed, 30th in opponent redzone efficiency, 30th in opponent pass yards, and 32nd in opponent rush yards. The Bengals defense can’t stop a thing and it’s been the sole reason this team can’t win games.
Offensively, since the addition of Joe Flacco the Bengals offense has been unstoppable. Over their last three games, the Bengals rank 1st in points, 1st in yards and third in touchdowns per game. The run game’s even come alive over the last three, averaging 123.0 yards per game, 60 yards more than their season average.
The issue is they can’t stop their opponents. In those same three games, the Bengals have given up a combined 117 points and both losses have been by less than a touchdown. This week they head to Pittsburgh with a chance at completing the season sweep and keeping their postseason hopes alive.
The Joe Flacco Bengals era: pic.twitter.com/oUMxLpYfjk
— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) November 3, 2025
Sunday’s Best Bets
Tee Higgins o58.5 Receiving Yards (-111) | BetOnline
Easily the funnest receiving duo in the NFL, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The two have been absolutely unstoppable over the last two weeks and it’s the reason they’ve accounted for nearly 60% of the team’s target share. Chase accounts for nearly 40% of that target volume but with the way he torched this Steelers secondary a few weeks ago, you have to think Pittsburgh’s made a few adjustments.
Higgins has seen 8+ targets in three of his four games with Flacco under center and outside of the two target anomaly against the Jets; he’s been fantastic. He’s cleared this line in all three games where he saw 8+ targets, including when he finished with 96 yards and a touchdown against this same Steelers team.
Higgins has also been elite against man coverage this year. In four games with Flacco, Higgins’ is seeing a 30.3% target rate against man coverage; up form 12% against zone. Over the span of the entire season, Higgins leads the team in target rate against man coverage (29%) and this week he faces a Steelers’ team playing man at a top five rate.
Pittsburgh ranks dead last in opponent passing yards and receiving yards allowed to opposing wideouts. The Bengals offense works best when they’re moving the ball through the air and it’s why Flacco’s throwing the ball 43.3 times per game. Look for Higgins to exploit this Steele Curtain secondary in a big way this week.
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