It’s another great week to be a Steelers fan! Pittsburgh was able to improve their overall record and their divisional record this past weekend with a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was a shootout, coming down to the wire. Here are some thoughts following the win.

Russ Was Cookin’

Russell Wilson put up his best game as a Steeler statistically, boasting a 76% completion percentage and passing for 414 yards and 3 touchdowns. Aside from an early pick-six, Wilson’s performance was great overall. While Wilson has been playing well since taking over as the starter and the Bengals’ defense is not a strong unit this year, it was encouraging to see Wilson take over a game and be so productive. Such production has not occurred at the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. It is good to know that an aerial attack is possible when it’s needed to help win games going down the stretch.

Prior to Wilson suiting up for the black and gold, I had my doubts about him vs Father Time. After his high profile signing with the Denver Broncos, I thought he and that team would have been more successful. However, now seeing him play in Pittsburgh, I believe expectations were not met in Denver more so due to fit than Wilson’s ability to play. It is well known that he and former head coach Sean Payton did not see eye to eye, and this may have impacted the Broncos’ team performance more than what was realized as it was happening. I would expect Russell Wilson to start for the Steelers for at least two more seasons based on his performance thus far.

The Defense Gave Up 38 Points, but Don’t Panic

Looking at the score alone, giving up 38 points is concerning. It looks like the Steelers defense did not show up to play on Sunday. However, in my opinion, Cincinnati has one of the most underrated offenses of the year. Joe Burrow has been putting up impressive numbers all year and did so again this past week, throwing for 309 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase are extremely talented wide receivers that are a handful for any secondary. Running back Chase Brown averaged 5.8 yards per carry on Sunday. The Bengals are averaging 27.9 points per game to this point in the season.

In sum, the Bengals are talented on the offensive side of the ball and are capable of scoring points against anyone. Pittsburgh’s defense was able to create turnovers on Sunday, recovering multiple fumbles and producing an interception. Joe Burrow saw plenty of hits and was sacked 4 times on the afternoon. The defense was productive, and although it is never ideal to give up 38 points, I’m not panicking because of this performance against an offense that has had no issues finding the endzone all season.

Cincinnati’s Defense Fell Short as Expected

For as good as their numbers have been offensively, the Bengals struggled defensively again on Sunday. There were times where it felt like the Steelers offense was scoring at will. Some credit is due, as they created a turnover with a returned interception for a touchdown in the first quarter. However, had they been able to stop one scoring drive, the outcome of this game may have been quite different. That did not happen this past week. This has been all too common for the Bengals this season, as 7 of their 8 losses have been one-score games. It certainly needs to be addressed going forward in order for them to have future success.

The Steelers Will Win At Least 1 Playoff Game

This is my bold prediction. I feel confident in this team’s ability to compete against just about anyone at this point, and I am slowly gaining trust and even expecting them to win games. I haven’t felt that way about a Steelers team in a long time. Pittsburgh’s playoff drought is about to come to an end.