The Cincinnati Bengals enter Sunday’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers with significant postseason implications on the line. A win would move Cincinnati to 4-6 and pull the team within striking distance of the AFC North lead. A loss, however, would drop the Bengals to 3-7 and further damage their chances in both the division and the AFC Wild Card race.
Cincinnati will be without one of its most promising young defenders. Rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart, the Bengals’ recent first-round pick out of Texas A&M, has been ruled out with a knee injury. Stewart was placed on injured reserve Friday, requiring him to miss at least four games. He suffered the injury during the Bengals’ Week 9 loss to the Chicago Bears.
The timing of Stewart’s absence is especially difficult for a Bengals defense already struggling to find its footing. Cincinnati ranks last in the NFL in points allowed, giving up 33.3 per game. The unit will also be missing All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, who is sidelined for the third time this season because of a hip and pelvis injury.
With both Stewart and Hendrickson unavailable, the Bengals will turn to Joseph Ossai, B.J. Hill and the rest of the defensive front to generate pressure on Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Offensively, Joe Flacco, Ja’Marr Chase and the Bengals’ playmakers will likely need a high-scoring performance to stay competitive. When the two teams met in Week 7, Flacco led Cincinnati to a 33-point outing in a winning effort — a benchmark the Bengals may need to reach again given their defensive injuries.
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