:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47930619/GettyImages-495264704.0.jpg)
When it comes to the AFC North, they house some of the best rivalries in the entire NFL. Clearly the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens highlights the bunch, but the Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals rivalry is quickly gaining ground. The two teams have a rich history, mostly dominated by Pittsburgh, but the past decade has been much more competitive than the overall record would indicate.
The rivalry has been heated in the past, but it is difficult to think of a regular season game more anticipated than this one in Week 14. After the Week 8 game, which saw Marvin Jones get annihilated by Mike Mitchell, Vontaze Burfict injure Le'Veon Bell for the rest of the season and an overall physical matchup, this upcoming game could be one for history books.
Questions abound about this game. Will it be an offensive display of fire power between Andy Dalton, Jeremy Hill, Giovani Bernard, A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert vs. Ben Roethlisberger, DeAngelo Williams, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Heath Miller? Or will it be another defensive matchup, like the Week 8 matchup which ended 16-10?
If I were a betting man I would point more towards an offensive game, rather than a defensive showing, but I said the same thing before the last game. So, whether it is an offensive showing or a defensive grudge match, who will come out victorious? We want to know your prediction. Enter your score in the Crowd's Line tool below, where all predictions will be scored, calculated and compared to Cincy Jungle (SB Nations Bengals website) scores. Time to prove the Steelers fans at BTSC are the more realistic, and educated fans around.
As for my pick, I think this is a game the Steelers cant' lose. Certainly, there are ways around such a theory, but if they can stay healthy and not turn the ball over, a big 'if', this offense is as close to unstoppable as they come. The Steelers play well in Cincinnati, especially Ben Roethlisberger. As stated earlier, I think this will be a high-scoring game, but I like the Steelers to come back to Pittsburgh victorious, causing the Bengals to wait another week to celebrate their likely AFC North Championship.
Jeff Hartman's Prediction (BTSC Editor):
Steelers - 37
Bengals - 31