Tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET the Steelers (10-6), the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs, will face their NFC North rivals the Bengals (11-5) for the third time this year. Fans can live stream the game online free by clicking this link. Steelers fans can listen to the action on 102.5 WDVE, while Cincinnati fans may do likewise on WLW 700.
This rivalry has become the most heated in football this year, following an injury to Pittsburgh’s star RB Le’Veon Bell. The Steelers took exception to Cincinnati LB Vontaze Burfict celebrating too heartily after hurting Bell, and the bad blood manifested in their next meeting, when the two teams almost brawled before the game.
Both teams enter tonight’s clash with major injuries as well. The Bengals will be without starting QB Andy Dalton, who had the best season of his career in 2015. The Steelers are without Bell, and his backup DeAngelo Williams, who was one of the NFL’s top rushers this year.
Dalton’s injury figures to be more significant, since quarterback is the game’s most important position. Dalton has expressed confidence in his backup A.J. McCarron, who has started the last four games.
"This team's built for this kind of stuff," Dalton said. "AJ's going to do a good job when things happen." McCarron’s surrounding weaponry will help him a great deal. He will have WR A.J. Green and TE Tyler Eifert to throw to, and Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard in the backfield.
The most pressing matter for Cincinnati won’t be their offense, it will be stopping Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. He has 13 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown vs. Cincinnati this year, with one of those games being played without Roethlisberger under center.
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