Bill Cowher: Steelers-Bengals Wild Card Game Comes Down To Receivers

Second-year player AJ McCarron has taken over for Dalton and is preparing to start for him again in the third meeting.

If/when that happens, it will add another interesting chapter to the quarterbacks’ relationship-one that goes back more than a decade. In fact, the Bengals have not won a playoff game anywhere in 25 years, the longest postseason victory drought in the NFL and one of the longest in the league’s history.

On the season, the Cincinnati Bengals average 245.2 yards in passing and 112.8 yards in rushing.

So what harm could a change under center cause?

McCarron might have to ask for a new one after Saturday’s game. We’re going to win as a team, and we’re focusing on winning this game.

The Steelers’ 48 sacks trailed only Denver and New England and their 17 interceptions were tied for sixth, up from 33 and 11 last season and the club’s most in each category since 2010. If they fail to win this game despite entering the playoffs on a 10 game win streak, it’s going to sting bad. We have a good idea who they are, and they know who we are.

It has become clearer as the game draws nearer that Cincinnati will depend on McCarron to lead its offense for the fourth game in a row. Since taking over for the injured Dalton, McCarron has thrown 6 touchdowns versus 2 interceptions and has completed 66.4% of his pass attempts.

Bengals staff in demand: Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther are fielding requests for interviews with other teams in search of a head coach.

“On defense they’ve got really good pass rushers with (Tamba) Hali and Houston and they’ve got a good secondary playing at a high level, their linebackers fly around, their front seven is really, really good. “(The Ravens) were able to get a turnover on downs early and we allowed them to get a quick touchdown. That kind of led to our demise on offense and losing the game.

Things wrapped up this week on The #1 Cochran Ben Roethlisberger Show with Ben sharing with us the message he’ll deliver to his teammates right before kickoff Saturday night.

In the end this game could come down to whether or not the Bengals can hold the Steelers offence in check, and whether McCarron is ready to shoulder the load for the Bengals. 500 through the second half of the season. On the other hand, if they run the ball the clock will keep running even if they do not gain any yards on a certain play.

Going into this game the Steelers offense looks absolutely killer with the elite duo of Big Ben Roethlisberger and the top WR, and celebrator in the league, Antonio Brown. Bell’s replacement is day to day with a right leg injury suffered in Sunday’s 28-12 win in Cleveland. With Brown, along with Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton, the Steelers have three receivers who each have at least 700 receiving yards.

Carson Palmer tore ligaments in his left knee and dislocated his kneecap when he was hit by Kimo von Oelhoffen on his first throw of the game, the only time the Ohio River rivals have met in the playoffs. Like we do in all instances, we will let practice participation be our guide in terms of what to expect from him.