MNF PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS

BY ADAM GREENE

You know that ESPN was probably happy to get this game back when the schedule was first released. Even if the Cincinnati Bengals had a losing record at this point, they’d get to focus on the No. 1 overall draft pick in Joe Burrow. It did not work out.

So now the Cincinnati Bengals will go with Ryan Finley at QB as they host the Pittsburg Steelers on Monday Night Football. It’s not been that bad a year for MNF. The NFL really did try to put some solid match ups on their old showcase series. Fate just wouldn’t let it happen.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (+14.5, O/U: 40)

Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Kickoff: Dec. 21, 8:15 p.m. EST

Broadcast: ESPN

THE HISTORY

For the first two years of their existence, the Bengals didn’t have to play the Steelers and can only look back at that period as an AFL franchise before the league merged in 1970 with the NFL with a sad, sweet regret. Because since 1970, it’s been rough. The two teams have played a total of 102 games with Pittsburgh holding a commanding 67-35 advantage. The Steelers have currently won 11 straight over Cincy and 14 of their last 15 match ups going back to 2013.

They’ve met in the postseason twice, and I hope you are sitting down, because Pittsburgh won them both, including a vicious 18-16 Wild Card victory in the 2015-16 season that was one of the ugliest ever played.

They last met up a little over a month ago on Nov. 15 with the Steelers winning 36-10. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. JuJu Smith-Schuster caught nine passes for 77 yards and a TD. Diontae Johnson had six grabs for 116 yards and a TD. Burrow finished with 213 yards passing and a touchdown. Fellow rookie Tee Higgins was his favorite target, catching seven for 115 yards and a TD.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-2)

As the Counting Crows once sang, it’s been a long December for the Pittsburgh Steelers. First, they watched their undefeated streak come to an end in a 23-17 loss to the Washington Football Team, then they were soundly defeated 26-15 by the Buffalo Bills a week ago. Roethlisberger was 21 of 37 for 187 yards, two touchdowns with two picks in the loss. Pittsburgh did absolutely nothing on the ground, rushing for 47 yards as a team.

CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-10-1)

The Bengals have lost five straight with no end in sight as they’re scrambling once again at quarterback. This week it’s Ryan Finley stepping in for an injured Brandon Allen. Last week Cincy fell 30-7 to the Dallas Cowboys. Allen threw for 217 yards and a touchdown. Finley, coming in late, completed one pass and was sacked twice.

THE PICK

The knock on Pittsburgh this season, even when they were reeling of victories, is that they hadn’t beaten any good teams. It’s only gotten louder after their last two losses and this game will do nothing to quiet it. Steelers 30, Bengals 3

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