The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally begun their late season gauntlet, and they are in the thick of things when it comes to AFC North play. They have beaten the Baltimore Ravens and lost to the Cleveland Browns over the last two weeks, and now the team is preparing to take on the Cincinnati Bengals for the first time in 2024. The Bengals have a measly record of 4-7, but they are desperate for wins as they look to make one final push to make the postseason, which makes them dangerous.
AP
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) pauses between plays during the first half of a game against the Steelers.
The Bengals have been one of the greatest mysteries in the NFL during the 2024 season. Joe Burrow has played like one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and Ja'Marr Chase currently leads the lead in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. For some reason, Cincinnati has just struggled to get some wins under their belt, but their offense is extremely potent. By no means are the Bengals an easy win for Pittsburgh, but the Steelers may have something going in their favor as Burrow is still recovering from the wrist injury he suffered in 2023. The star quarterback spoke about the setback on Thursday.
"I don't know. That's a question that remains to be answered," Burrow said when asked about playing in the cold weather. "I haven't experienced a cold weather game with that yet. In the past when I've had injuries, cold weather does affect it, so we'll find out. Maybe I'll have a heater on the sideline or something. I haven't really thought about that yet, but we'll see."
Burrow has a decent amount of experience with injuries since entering the NFL back in 2020. His rookie season was cut short after he tore both his ACL and MCL and suffered other damage to his knee. The quarterback had to get surgery to get his appendix removed ahead of the 2022 season, and he was dealing with a calf strain going into the 2023 season. His season was cut short in 2023 after he tore a ligament in his wrist, which is the injury that still plagues him in 2024.
Joshua A. Bickel / Associated Press
Steelers edge rusher Alex Highsmith sacks Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow during the 2022 season opener in Cincinnati, OH.
Due to his large amount of experience with injuries, Burrow knows there is a real possibility that the cold affects his wrist in a negative way on Sunday. The temperature can make the surgically repaired wrist stiffen up, which can make it more difficult for the quarterback to grip the football or put a lot of velocity behind his passes.
This wrist injury happened in the second half of the 2023 season, so he has been dealing with it throughout training camp and the first 12 weeks of the 2024 campaign. This will be the first time that the Steelers get to play Burrow since the 2022 season, where they made the quarterback commit a total of 7 turnovers while splitting the season series 1-1.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers DT Cam Heyward and LB TJ Watt celebrate a sack during the 2023 season against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Steelers' Defense Typically Owns Joe Burrow
Pittsburgh's defense has struggled a bit during the 2024 season when playing veteran quarterbacks, but the unit has seemed to have Burrow's number in recent matchups. Pittsburgh's defense will look to have similar levels of success on Sunday.
It will be extremely important that the Steelers are able to rush the passer efficiently. Burrow is one of the league's best quarterbacks, which means he gets the ball out quickly. The Steelers will need a big day from star outside linebacker TJ Watt and whoever is rushing off of the other edge (either Alex Highsmith if he returns from injury, or Nick Herbig). Joey Porter Jr. will also be important in this game as he will attempt to lock down Chase, which is no small task.
What do you expect to see from Burrow on Sunday? Can the Steelers' defense stop the Bengals' offense? Let us know in the comments below!
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