Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers

Injuries noted

Cincinnati Bengals: Brian Parker II (IR-R) — ir; Ja'Sir Taylor (IR-R) — The Bengals placed Taylor (undisclosed) on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return, Geoff Hobson of the team's official site reports.; B.J. Hill (Doubtful) — doubtful; Andrei Iosivas (IR) — The Bengals placed Iosivas (thumb) on injured reserve Saturday.; Jonathan Allen (Questionable) — Allen (knee) did not participate at practice Wednesday.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Daequan Hardy (IR) — Undisclosed; Cole Burgess (IR) — Undisclosed; Donte Kent (PUP-R) — The Steelers placed Kent (undisclosed) on the reserve/PUP list Monday, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.; Logan Lee (IR) — ir; Jack Driscoll (IR-R) — The Steelers placed Driscoll (undisclosed) on injured reserve Monday with a designation to return, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.; DeShon Elliott (IR-R) — ir; Joey Porter Jr. (Questionable) — Porter (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.; Gennings Dunker (IR) — The Steelers placed Dunker (knee) on injured reserve Saturday, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.; Michael Pittman Jr. (Questionable) — Pittman (foot) is expected to play in Sunday's contest against the Bengals, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.; Rico Dowdle (Out) — Dowdle (toe) was not spotted during the open viewing window of Friday's practice, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.; Jaylen Warren (Questionable) — Warren (shoulder), who is listed as questionable for Week 3, is expected to play Sunday versus the Bengals, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.; Jamel Dean (Questionable) — Dean (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bengals, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.

QUARTERBACK

• Aaron Rodgers is the projected starting quarterback for PIT

  5.17 Y/A

  Through 2 games in 2026, Aaron Rodgers threw for 408 passing yards, completed 59.5% of his passes and averaged 5.17 yards per attempt. Last season over 16 games he threw for 3322 yards, completed 65.7% and averaged 6.67 yards per attempt, 24-7 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 1-1 touchdown-to-interception line is 2 games in.

• Joe Burrow is the projected starting quarterback for CIN

  6.99 Y/A

  Through 2 games in 2026, Joe Burrow threw for 461 passing yards, completed 68.2% of his passes and averaged 6.99 yards per attempt. Last season over 8 games he threw for 1809 yards, completed 66.8% and averaged 6.99 yards per attempt, 17-5 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 3-1 touchdown-to-interception line is 2 games in.

TRENCHES

• CIN: 74.5 rushing yards allowed per game to PIT's 128

  53.5 YPG

  Cincinnati has allowed 74.5 rushing yards per game, while Pittsburgh has allowed 128. Both figures come from 2 games, and the sheet gives no run-volume or game-script context. Cincinnati has the better early run-defense number, while rushing-yards angles should allow for a quick change as opponents' play calling shifts.

PASS RUSH

• CIN: 4 sacks recorded per game to PIT's 3.5

  0.5 SACKS

  CIN is at 4 sacks recorded per game over 2 games; PIT is at 3.5 over 2 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Sep 26.

PACE & SCRIPT

• CIN: 26.5 points per game to PIT's 11.5

  15 PPG

  Cincinnati has opened with a much stronger scoring pace, while Pittsburgh is well below its 23.4 points per game last season. Cincinnati's 26.5 is also above its 24.4 last-season number, but this is a 2-game sample. The useful matchup lens is whether Pittsburgh can slow the game enough to keep Cincinnati from turning its early scoring edge into a volume edge.

TURNOVERS

• CIN: 0 fumbles lost per game to PIT's 1

  1 FUM

  CIN is at 0 fumbles lost per game over 2 games; PIT is at 1 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 0.41 over 17 games and PIT at 0.35 over 17 games.

• CIN: 0.5 turnovers committed per game to PIT's 1.5

  1 TO

  CIN is at 0.5 turnovers committed per game over 2 games; PIT is at 1.5 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 1.41 over 17 games and PIT at 0.88 over 17 games.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• CIN: 5.05 yards per play to PIT's 3.8

  1.25 Y/P

  Cincinnati is moving the ball efficiently while Pittsburgh has had a hard time creating the same consistent offense through two games. The Bengals are close to last season's level, while Pittsburgh sits well below its 17-game mark, and Burrow found Chase and Higgins on multiple explosive throws last game. Pittsburgh's two-game output can move quickly, but Cincinnati has the cleaner early offensive profile.

RED ZONE

• PIT: 0% red-zone scoring allowed to CIN's 25%

  25 PP

  Pittsburgh has not allowed a red-zone score through 2 games, while Cincinnati has allowed scores on 25% of trips. The Steelers own the stronger early result, though two games are too few to expect the zero to last.

• CIN: 3 red-zone trips per game to PIT's 1.5

  1.5 TRIPS

  CIN is at 3 red-zone trips per game over 2 games; PIT is at 1.5 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 3.18 over 17 games and PIT at 3 over 17 games.

• CIN: 50% red-zone scoring rate to PIT's 33.3%

  16.7 PP

  CIN is at 50% red-zone scoring rate over 2 games; PIT is at 33.3% over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 66.7% over 17 games and PIT at 58.8% over 17 games.

MISMATCH

• CIN: 44.8% on third down to PIT's 20%

  44.8 VS 20

  Cincinnati has converted 44.8% of its third downs through 2 games, while Pittsburgh is at 20%. Cincinnati is close to its 43.4% rate last season, but Pittsburgh has fallen from 40%, which makes its early number the less stable one. Cincinnati can extend drives and limit Pittsburgh's chances; Pittsburgh needs to get back on schedule on third down to keep the possession gap from growing.

COVERAGE

• PIT: 154.5 passing yards allowed per game to CIN's 253.5

  99 YPG

  Pittsburgh has allowed less passing production than Cincinnati through 2 games, while Cincinnati has given up more through the air. That is a two-game sample without opponent or game-script context, so the gap can move quickly. In this matchup, use it to frame passing-volume expectations rather than label either secondary.

• PIT: 25% third downs allowed to CIN's 37%

  12 PP

  CIN is at 37% third downs allowed over 2 games; PIT is at 25% over 2 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Sep 26.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• CIN and PIT are even since 2025

  1-1 SERIES

  Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have split the last two meetings, so there is no series edge to chase. Cincinnati won 33-31 at home, then Pittsburgh answered with a 34-12 home win. The current game returns to Pittsburgh, matching the site of the more lopsided result, though the sample is only two games. Home-field context matters more here than an even series record.

REPLACEMENT

• Andrei Iosivas (WR) is on injured reserve for CIN

  IR

  Iosivas is on injured reserve with a thumb injury after Cincinnati placed him there Saturday. He is unavailable for the Bengals' game at Pittsburgh. No replacement or workload split is supplied, leaving the effect on Cincinnati's receiver usage unresolved.

• Gennings Dunker (G) is on injured reserve for PIT

  IR

  Dunker is on injured reserve with a knee injury after Pittsburgh placed him there Saturday. He is unavailable against Cincinnati, and no replacement guard is listed on the fact sheet.

PRACTICE REPORT

• Rico Dowdle

  Out

  Toe · Did not practice · Out

• B.J. Hill

  Doubtful

  Achilles · Did not practice · Doubtful

• Jaylen Warren

  Questionable

  Shoulder · Limited practice · Questionable

• Joey Porter Jr.

  Questionable

  Not injury related - other · Limited practice · Questionable

• Jamel Dean

  Questionable

  Ankle · Limited practice · Questionable

• Michael Pittman Jr.

  Questionable

  Foot · Limited practice · Questionable

• Dexter Lawrence II

  DNP

  Did not practice

• Samaje Perine

  DNP

  Did not practice

• Joe Burrow

  FP

  Full practice

• Cameron Heyward

  FP

  Full practice

• Troy Fautanu

  FP

  Full practice

• Dax Hill

  FP

  Full practice

• Shemar Stewart

  FP

  Full practice

• Darnell Washington

  FP

  Full practice

• Jonathan Allen

  FP

  Full practice

• Jalen Ramsey

  FP

  Full practice

• Cole Holcomb

  FP

  Full practice

SITUATIONAL

• CIN: 44.8% third-down conversion rate to PIT's 20%

  24.8 PP

  Cincinnati has kept drives alive at about last season's level, while Pittsburgh's 20% rate is far below its 40% mark last season. Both samples cover 2 games, so the Steelers' number can move quickly. This matchup pits a steady chain-moving offense against a defense that benefits if it can force early stops.

• CIN (2-0) at PIT (1-1), a division game

  -30 PT GAP

  Cincinnati has the cleaner start, with a 2-0 record and a +20 point margin, while Pittsburgh is 1-1 and -10. The Bengals also won their only road game, and the Steelers won their only home game, so each side has one result that fits this setting. In an AFC North game, the early margins favor Cincinnati, while the home sample gives Pittsburgh a reason to stay competitive.

• CIN: 5.95 yards per pass attempt to PIT's 4.05

  1.9 Y/A

  CIN is at 5.95 yards per pass attempt over 2 games; PIT is at 4.05 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 5.81 over 17 games and PIT at 5.99 over 17 games.

• CIN: 213.5 team passing yards per game to PIT's 175

  38.5 YPG

  CIN is at 213.5 team passing yards per game over 2 games; PIT is at 175 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 235.6 over 17 games and PIT at 202.4 over 17 games.

• CIN: 19 first downs per game to PIT's 15.5

  3.5 FD

  CIN is at 19 first downs per game over 2 games; PIT is at 15.5 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season CIN was at 20.7 over 17 games and PIT at 17.7 over 17 games.

AFTER GARY

• PIT +3.5 → +3

  GARY +0.5

  Gary's number was 3.5; the market closed at 3.