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What the heck is a “slobberknocker?” In football terms, it’s a hit that, well, knocks the slobber right out of the other player’s mouth. I’ll be posing six hard-hitting questions to BTSC fans every game-day morning during the 2018 regular season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers take to the road to play against their rivals the Cincinnati Bengals. The game between the two teams has been marred by heavy hitting that has led to many personal foul penalties being called. Both teams are coming off of much-needed wins. The Bengals win keeps them atop the AFC North while the Steelers win brought their record to the .500 mark. Can the Steelers keep the momentum going after the win against Atlanta or will the game be another reminder that the Steelers are not the 13-3 team from 2017? That’s on the hearts and minds of BTSC fans — fans who are a cut above the run-of-the-mill Steelers fans. The following questions are geared towards these insightful fans to gauge their thoughts.
Q1: What is more important, the Steelers pass defense to shine or the Steelers receivers?
Q2: From 1 to 10, what is your confidence level in the defense today?
Q3: Did last week’s win over the Falcons restore your faith in head coach Mike Tomlin? If the Steelers lose to the Bengals will that confidence be shaken?
Q4: Bengals left tackle Cordy Glenn has been a turnstile for most of the season, how much success will T. J. Watt have? Will Watt disrupt the Bengals offense enough to help the team’s struggling secondary?
Q5: What is more important, stopping Bengals running back Joe Mixon or Steelers running back James Conner succeeding?
Q6: Inside linebacker Vince Williams missed the Falcons game and has not been effective when he has played, does he struggle again on Sunday? If he does should the Steelers bench him?
Bonus: Out of Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown, Mixon, A. J. Green or Tyler Boyd, which player has the most total yards?
Steeler fans will be sitting on pins and needles glued to every twist and turn that unfolds in the game today. The Steelers lead the all-time series, 62-35 and have won nine of the last 10 meetings. To say the Steelers have owned the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in recent years is an understatement. Pittsburgh has won eight of the last nine meetings. Will Steelers fans be riding high all week on the BTSC boards or will the boards be inundated with frustration?