AFC Wild Card Playoff: Pittsburgh Steelers – Cincinnati Bengals

In every single one of their wins, that have either won the turnover battle or broke even. In all four of their loses, they have lost the turnover battle.

If Dalton can’t play, the Bengals will have to rely on second-year pro A.J. That game featured a surging Bengals team playing at home after winning the division, whereas the Steelers barely squeaked into the postseason as the final Wild Card team. In that time, they have gone 2-2.

Pittsburgh was a bit wishy-washy this season, losing to opponents they should have beaten, such as the Ravens, and beating opponents they could have easily lost to, like the Broncos. Yes, but it won’t be easy. “Being able to get reps in the last game and being able to see them for three quarters is definitely helpful for myself”.

In twelve games with Andy Dalton (excluding his brief appearance against the Steelers), the Bengals averaged 27.8 points a game and scored more than 24 points in nine of those games. Although those sound like fighting words, players on the Bengals defense say they are bringing a different mindset into Saturday’s game.

Overall, the Steelers have beaten the Bengals nine of their past 12 meetings and 14 of their past 19.

First-year defensive coordinator Keith Butler was called on by coach Mike Tomlin to do something with the Steelers that didn’t come easily in Dick LeBeau’s last season. The same team that handed Cincinnati its most crushing playoff defeat in 2005, when quarterback Carson Palmer suffered a devastating knee injury on the first offensive play.

It was the most anticipated game in 15 years. Foster, though, and other Steelers do not believe the bad blood from those two games will carry over into the next one. “You’ve got to get tough and you’ve got to make tough plays and you’ve got to make tough catches and you have to find ways to do everything you can to help this team”.

The margin for error with the the Bengals’ offense is smaller than the Steelers because they lack explosive plays with McCarron and are not built to score 30+ points. This time, the Patriots won’t need a late-game hero.

Until the cast is removed, Dalton is relegated to working on the side in practice, which he began last week with simulated drop-backs and conditioning work. That sounds simple enough right? I throw two interceptions…We did still capitalize on some drives. Two time Super Bowl victor at QB is Ben Roethlisberger still runs the offense with many weapons. Aaron Rodgers dazzled with 422 yards in his first playoff game, but the Cardinals won, 51-45, in overtime. Bengals S Reggie Nelson finished tied with Kansas City rookie CB Marcus Peters for the league lead with eight interceptions.3.

Hoyer missed two of the last three games for the Texans due to a concussion, returning in the season finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Throw in a consistent running game and there is the play-off formula. In the 12 games he has played in this season for any length, he has thrown at least one interception in 10 of those outings. “It’s an important game for our football team because it keeps our goals in line”. Although the quarterbacks get a lot of the attention, there is much more to the game than just them.