Bengals vs. Steelers Week 10: Video preview, how to watch, top storylines, prediction

The Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to cement themselves as a legitimate Super Bowl contender if they can pull off a prime-time win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night at Paycor Stadium. Should they fail to take care of business, though, the season gets a lot more complicated.

Having already lost at Pittsburgh in Week 3, the Bengals can nary afford to be swept by the Squealers for AFC North tiebreaker purposes at the very least. It's also clear that Cincinnati has the higher ceiling, so playing down to the competition in the division twice would be a special kind of letdown.

It felt like the Titans game was the Bengals' worst possible scenario and they still won. They gifted the Steelers 10 points with two special teams gaffes in the prior meeting. Week 10 is where Cincinnati can prove me right that this is a genuine top-three team.

How to watch Bengals vs. Steelers Week 10 matchup

• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• TV Network: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock / NFL+ (NFL app or via browser) / NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV
• International: DAZN Game Pass

Video preview of Bengals vs. Steelers showdown

I hopped on The Adam Denn Show for a "Game Of The Week" episode on the impending prime-time duel between these AFC North rivals. Well worth checking out if I may say so myself! My conversation with Adam starts at the 43-minute mark.

Long story short: In Week 3, if not for the roughing the punter penalty on Cedric Johnson that led to a Steelers TD, and the Ke'Shawn Williams muffed punt that led to a field goal, the Bengals could've easily won in Pittsburgh by double digits.

Storylines to watch for Bengals in Week 10

• Can the Bengals' porous run defense contain Jaylen Warren?
• Trade deadline inactivity looms large in Cincinnati
• Will Chase Brown or Samaje Perine give the Bengals a viable running game?
• Joe Burrow's MVP pursuit on yet another massive stage
• Will the rest disadvantage be a factor?

Cool tidbit here from ESPN's Adam Schefter. And by "cool" I mean I look forward to the Bengals bucking the trend.

I don't think the international thing will be a thing. The Bengals seemed revamped, refreshed, and fully invigorated by the Madrid game. They embraced it the whole way. They don't feel any type of way about the so-called rest disadvantage.

In fact, I love that Cincinnati is rolling and Joe Burrow is on such a heater. Well, more like a season-long heater.

As for the run defense of it all, yes, the Bengals allow five yards per carry. Not good. If not for a dubious DK Metcalf holding call in Week 3, Jaylen Warren would've run for something like 200 yards.

It's almost like a trade deadline move on defense would've helped. If only the Bengals could do basic comp pick math, or not care about trivial comp picks in the first place. If only their GM-but-not-GM didn't cower behind the head coach to own the mistake.

Bengals gonna still Bengal sometimes I guess.

Circling back to the good vibes of Madrid, I did like what I saw from Chase Brown. Looked like a more decisive runner and gained 57 yards on nine carries. That's what we need. If Brown can even muster a mere 4.5 yards per carry, that's more than good enough. Just not, like, 3.5 like he has been.

Anyway the running game doesn't really matter that much when Burrow is operating at an MVP level. I see no reason he'll falter in this one. Burrow has only gotten better as the season has gone on, and the last time he faced the Steelers, he threw for three TDs with a 123.9 passer rating. Decent.

Bengals vs. Steelers injury updates in Week 10

Kyle Dugger's quad injury just won't go away. That's really all of note happening on the Bengals front other than the fact that wideout Andrei Iosivas, nickelback Jalen Davis, and backup rookie offensive lineman Brian Parker II won't be activated from injured reserve.

The Steelers added tight end Pat Freiermuth to the injury report with an illness and he's questionable. That could be a huge factor as Cincinnati has struggled mightily to defend tight ends in the passing game. Pittsburgh is already without wide receivers Roman Wilson and Michael Pittman Jr., as both are on IR.

Oh, and Pittsburgh's Week 3 hero Derrick Harmon, who strip-sacked Joe Burrow to effectively end that game, is officially off IR and slated to play. That's a nice little boost to the Steelers' already-stout defensive line.

Final score prediction

• Bengals 31, Steelers 20

The White Bengal jerseys are going to work their magic. At this very venue last year with the same white jerseys on, Joe Flacco shredded the Steelers in a 33-31 victory. I don't think it'll be as close this time around.

Here's hoping Al Golden actually sends more simulated pressures and blitzes rather than just boring four-man rush plans. Aaron Rodgers had too much time to throw in Week 3. It'd be wise to speed up his clock a bit, especially with such a depleted group of Pittsburgh pass-catchers and how much it'd behoove Cincinnati to sell out to stop the run as is.

I think I predicted like a 31-3 score in Week 3 so I'm being a little more respectful this time. It'll be tight until a late TD helps the home team pull away by double digits. Seems fair, no?

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