In a pivotal AFC North matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Steelers, who have hit a rough patch with three consecutive losses, are in danger of having their first losing season under coach Mike Tomlin. On the other hand, the Bengals have been on an upward trajectory despite losing their starting quarterback, Joe Burrow, to a thumb injury. With three consecutive wins, the Bengals now sit at 8-6, right behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North with three games left in the regular season.

The Bengals have found success under backup quarterback Jake Browning, who has led the team to victories over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings in the past three weeks. Two of those wins were decided by just three points each. Cincinnati's season has been a rollercoaster ride, starting with a 1-3 record, followed by a four-game winning streak, a three-game losing streak, and now a three-game winning streak with Browning at the helm.

Their last loss came against the Steelers in Week 12, with Pittsburgh prevailing in a low-scoring 16-10 affair. The Steelers' defense limited the Bengals to just 10 first downs and 25 rushing yards in Browning's first start after replacing Burrow. Now, the Bengals aim to avenge that loss and extend their winning streak, while the Steelers desperately need a victory to halt their own losing skid.

One of the major issues for the Steelers this season has been their inconsistent offense. With their starting quarterback injured and their backup quarterback proving ineffective, the team has struggled to put up points. In fact, the Steelers have failed to score 20 or more points in their last five games, including the game against the Bengals.

For this upcoming matchup, the Steelers will be starting their third-string quarterback, Mason Rudolph, instead of Mitchell Trubisky. The Bengals' defense, which has been one of the worst in the league in terms of allowing quarterbacks to have big passing games, will face Rudolph. Last week, the Bengals allowed Nick Mullins to throw for 303 yards, and every opposing quarterback since Week 5 has surpassed the 188.5 passing yards mark that Rudolph is set at. Despite Rudolph's shortcomings, some believe he could surprise everyone and have a decent performance against the Bengals' defense.

In terms of offensive weapons, the Bengals will be without star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who suffered a shoulder injury in their win over the Vikings. On the other hand, the Steelers will once again be without their starting quarterback, Kenny Pickett, and this week they will also miss safety Minkah Fitzpatrick due to a knee injury.

Although the Bengals are favored by 2.5 points, some bettors are leaning towards the Steelers as a home underdog. Under coach Tomlin, the Steelers have a strong track record of bouncing back after disappointing performances. After allowing 30 or more points, the Steelers have a 26-10-1 against the spread (ATS) record, which is the second-best mark among all coaches, trailing only Bill Belichick. Additionally, the Steelers are 43-28-1 ATS under Tomlin after failing to cover the spread by 7 points or more in their previous game. Moreover, when coming off a double-digit defeat, Pittsburgh is 22-12 ATS under Tomlin.

With all these factors in mind, many are predicting a close and hard-fought game between the Steelers and Bengals. Both teams have something to prove and will look to secure a crucial victory in the race for the AFC North division title. Fans can expect an exciting matchup between these division rivals on Saturday afternoon.