The Cincinnati Bengals have a bye in Week 12, which the team will hopefully use to reflect and regroup. The next time we'll see the Bengals out on the football field will be in Week 13 at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers in what will basically be a must-win game for Cincinnati.
The Bengals currently have about a 14 percent chance of qualifying for postseason play, but that number will drop down below five percent with a loss to the Steelers, according to the New York Times' updating playoff simulator.
Germaine Pratt says the Bengals will get a much-needed win over the Steelers
Fans in Cincinnati needn't worry, though, as the Bengals will win the game against the Steelers, at least according to linebacker Germaine Pratt, who took to social media to promise a win to Bengals nation.
"We will win next week,' he wrote. "Believe that."
We will win next week. Believe that 🩸 Work to win
— Germaine Pratt (@GermainePratt7) November 21, 2024
More Cincinnati Bengals news: NFL disrespects Bengals again, moves them out of primetime for second time in 2024
It's nice that Pratt has confidence in his team, but hopefully he didn't just provide the Steelers with some additional bulletin board material. The Steelers will be motivated enough as it is coming off of a 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football.
Pratt has a history of talking trash to the Steelers, as he called out Pittsburgh's playmaking after a Bengals victory in 2022. "We knew what they were going to do. They like to do the same plays over and over," Pratt said at the time.
The Steelers won both meetings with the Bengals during the 2023 season, so it's safe to say that Cincinnati will be looking for some revenge this time around against a team that they're very familiar with. The meeting between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will be the first of two between the two rivals this season, as they'll also meet again in Pittsburgh in Week 18.