This should be a very interesting ball game.  The last time these two teams played the Bengals stormed back from a 20-7 deficit to beat the Steelers 23-20 in Cincinnati.  The Bengals won’t be intimidated by Heinz Field as they are 3-0 away from home this season with all of the game being close.  The Steelers are 4-0 at home this season so in the famous words of ring announcer Michael Buffer, “Someone’s O must go”!  The Bengals will try to mix it up on offense as Cedric Benson has been a big key for them this year.  The Steelers are only allowing 70.4 yards rushing and 3.7 yards per carry this season so Benson will have to earn every yard this Sunday.  With the exception of OLB James Harrison (8 sacks) the Steelers have not been getting a lot of pressure on opposing QBs.  That could be a huge problem this week as I like Chad Ocho Cinco, Andre Caldwell and Laveranues Coles a lot better than the corners of the Steelers.  If Carson Palmer has time to throw the ball he should have a lot of success against a Steelers’ D that is allowing 214.5 yards passing per game this season.

The Steelers would like to mix things up on offense but Rashard Mendenhall could have a tough time finding running room against a Bengals’ D that is allowing only 83.9 yards rushing and 3.8 yards per carry this season.  The Bengals will be without starting linebacker Keith Rivers due to injury so that should help out the Steelers a little bit.  Ben Roethlisberger has been very effective throwing the ball this season (105.4 QB Rating) but he’s going up against a couple of corners (Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall) who are having Pro-Bowl seasons so he will have to be careful with the football.  This is the kind of game that TE Heath Miller could dominate. 

PREDICTION:  STEELERS 23, BENGALS 20