STADIUM: Acrisure Stadium
REFEREE: Craig Wrolstad
DATE: Saturday, December 23, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:30 PM ET
NBC: Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tappen
Westwood One: Mike Watts, Mike Mayock
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) CIN: 82 or 226 PIT: 85 or 225 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY REG. SEASON: PIT leads series, 67-39 (won 2 of past 5). THE LAST TIME: REG. SEASON: 11/26/23: PIT 16 at CIN 10.
HEAD COACHES NOTES: Zac Taylor vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 4-5 Reg. Season: 36-42-1 (.462) Postseason: 5-2 (.714). Mike Tomlin vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 25-9 Reg. Season: 170-100-2 (.629) Postseason: 8-9 (.471).
CINCINNATI BENGALS NOTES:
• QB JAKE BROWNING completed 29 of 42 atts. (69 pct.) for 324 yards & 2 TDs vs. INT with 97.7 rating last week. Is the 5th QB since 1950 with 95+ rating in each of 1st 4 career starts. Has 76 comp. pct. in 4 starts, 2nd-highest comp. pct. by QB in 1st 4 career starts since 1950. Aims for 3rd in row with 2+ TD passes & has 320+ pass yards in 2 of past 3. Has rush TD in 2 of past 3.
• RB JOE MIXON aims for 6th in row with 60+ scrimmage yards & 4th in row with rush TD. Aims for 4th in row on road with 100+ scrimmage yards & TD. Has 13 games with 60+ scrimmage yards this season, tied with Christian McCaffrey for most in NFL.
• RB CHASE BROWN (rookie) aims for 4th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards.
• WR JA’MARR CHASE is 1 of 3 in NFL (Stefon Diggs & Tyreek Hill) with 80+ catches, 1,000+ rec. yards & 7+ rec. TDs in each of past 3 seasons.
• WR TEE HIGGINS had 61 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs last week. Has 60+ rec. yards in 4 of past 5. Had 9 catches for 148 yards in last road meeting & has 100+ rec. yards in 3 of 5 career games vs. Pit.
• TE TANNER HUDSON led team with 5 catches last week.
• DE TREY HENDRICKSON aims for 7th in row with 0.5+ sacks, 6th in row with full sack & 3rd in row with 1.5+ sacks. Has 0.5+ sacks in each of 6 road games this season. Has sack in 4 of 5 career games vs. Pit., incl. in Week 12 meeting. Has career-high 15 sacks in 2023.
• DE MYLES MURPHY (rookie) had 3rd sack of season last week. Had sack in Week 12 meeting.
• DT B.J. HILL is 2nd DL since 2000 with INT in consecutive games within a season (Gaines Adams in 2008). Aims for 4th in row with PD.
• LB GERMAINE PRATT aims for 4th in row with 10+ tackles & 3rd in row with 0.5+ sacks.
• CB MIKE HILTON had 2 PD, TFL & 2nd INT of season last week. Aims for 6th in row with TFL. Had 2 TFL in Week 12 meeting.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS NOTES:
• QB MASON RUDOLPH is expected to make 1st start of season. Has 5-4-1 record in 10 career starts, with 13 TDs vs. 10 INTs. Is 2-0 with 98.1 rating in 2 career starts vs. Cin.
• RB JAYLEN WARREN had 68 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 28 rec.) last week. Has 55+ scrimmage yards in 6 of past 7. Had 62 scrimmage yards (49 rush, 13 rec.) in Week 12 meeting. Needs 48 scrimmage yards for 1st-career 1,000-yard season.
• RB NAJEE HARRIS has 75+ scrimmage yards in 3 of past 4 at home. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Cin. with TD & 3rd in row with 95+ scrimmage yards. Warren (952) & Harris (872) are only pair of AFC RB teammates each with 850+ scrimmage yards this season.
• WR DIONTAE JOHNSON aims for 4th in row with TD catch & 3rd in row with 55+ rec. yards. Had 50 rec. yards in Week 12 meeting & has 50+ rec. yards in 5 of his past 6 vs. Cin.
• WR GEORGE PICKENS aims for 3rd in row vs. Cin. with 55+ rec. yards. Has 490 rec. yards (98 per game) & 4 rec. TDs in 5 career home games vs. division, with 70+ rec. yards in each game.
• TE PAT FREIERMUTH set career highs in catches (9) & rec. yards (120) in Week 12 meeting. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Cin. with 75+ rec. yards.
• LB T.J. WATT had 2 sacks last week, 21st-career game with 2+ sacks, tied with his brother, J.J. Watt, for 5th-most by player in 1st 7 seasons since 1982. Has 0.5+ sacks in 7 of past 8. Had 2 sacks & FF in Week 12 meeting. Leads NFL with 16 sacks in 2023.
• DT CAMERON HEYWARD has TFL in 6 of past 7. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Cin. with sack.
• DT LARRY OGUNJOBI had 3rd sack of season last week.
• S MINKAH FITZPATRICK had PD last week. Has 5+ tackles in 2 of past 3. Has INT in 2 of his past 3 vs. Cin.
