Cincinnati Bengals: 3 things to watch vs. Steelers in Week 3

Joe Burrow needs to continue taking steps forward after his disastrous game against the Bears.

Burrow has had a back and forth season through his first two games since coming back from injury. In his first game back, Burrow stepped in and picked up right where he left off, helping lead his team to a win.

Last week Burrow had the worst game of his young career and was responsible for the loss. This week, I am watching to see the offense click again and take the next step forward.

Pittsburgh is going to do everything they can to disrupt Burrow, so he is going to have to put a big emphasis on playing smart and limiting turnovers. His wide receivers have all looked good so far this season, so Burrow knows he has talented weapons around him, he just needs to find the open man.

The wide receivers are all going to need to run crisp routes to gain that little bit of extra separations knowing Burrow is likely under pressure the majority of snaps. They will also need a balanced attack to keep the Steelers guessing.

Joe Mixon should be able to continue pounding the rock to help take away the pressure of the pass rush, which will be much needed. He never took the game over against the Bears, and the Cincinnati Bengals will need him to jump back into top form. If Mixon can gain near 100 yards rushing, the passing lanes should open up enough for Burrow to make the right reads and find success.

This week can show if this offense can reach their ceiling as a truly special unit this year.