NFL Breakdown - Steelers Defense vs Bengals Offense

Ike Has Taken Some Heat This
Week...Time to Man Up

 The Steelers offense might have a tough test in front of them but so does the Steelers defense.  The fact that the unit is missing one of the NFL's greatest playmakers in Troy Polamalu, you never know what defense is going to show up on any given Sunday (and no I'm not talking about the movie with Al Pacino).  Lets analyze the Steelers D vs the Bengals O.

- Ike Taylor vs AJ Green - Ike Taylor has gotten a TON of criticism this season.  Rightfully so too.  He has played poorly in every game this season and is showing signs of the Ike Taylor that was benched in Bill Cowher's last season with the team.  Nonetheless, the Steelers don't have anyone better on the roster, so its Ike's job to handle the best WR the Bengals have.  This week it is AJ Green.  The second year wideout is showing why is he quickly becoming one of the best deep threats in the NFL today.  His speed, size, and strength are similar to the other top wideouts in the NFL today.  Ike Taylor usually steps up when going one on one with the opposition's best player, but whether he is able to back up his talk with his play is another conversation.  I look for Andy Dalton to look for AJ Green deep early and often.  Whether Ike Taylor and the Steelers' D is prepared for that has yet to be seen...

- Pass Rush Getting to Dalton - Dick Lebeau and Mike Tomlin mirrored their comments this week when talking about the failures of the defense.  Its simple...they aren't putting pressure on the QB.  When you get after the QB the ball has to come out faster, and that can lead to mistakes.  Those mistakes are not happening because until this week in Cincy the Steelers' best OLB tandem hasn't been dressed for more than 9 plays together.  James Harrison looks like he is finally over his knee injury, and Lamarr Woodley is set to return after his hamstring pull earlier this season.  Woodley's health is the utmost concern for the Steelers so look for Jason Worilds to fill in from time to time so Woodley doesn't over extend himself and have a setback like Troy is experiencing right now.  With Woodley and Harrison on the field together, look for the Steelers to put pressure on Dalton and try and get him out of his rhythm early.

- RUN DEFENSE - The Bengals are a team that has been dealing with injuries just like the Steelers have.  The one player who has been healthy for them this year is Ben Jarvis Green Ellis (the human lawfirm).  The Bengals have always been a sneaky good running team.  Back to the days of Corey Dillon, then Cedric Benson took the torch and led the Bengals in the running attack.  The Bengals running game isn't as good as it once was, but then again neither is the Steelers run defense.  The Steelers HAVE to make the Bengals one dimensional...something they haven't done AT ALL this year.  Think back to every game and you have RBs that have run well and efficiently against the Steelers D.  This should be a game of firsts for the Steelers, and one of those firsts is the defense stopping the running game of Cincinnati.

- Avoid the Big Play and Get Off the Field on 3rd Down - With AJ Green it is extremely tempting to take a shot down field.  Don't worry, the Bengals do that quite often, and more often than not they are successful in doing so.  With Troy Polamalu in the lineup you don't have that constant concern regarding giving up the big play, but with Will Allen and/or Ryan Mundy back there it is a concern.  If the Steelers force the Bengals to check down then I like their chances of forcing 3 and outs.  Don't get me wrong...the Steelers haven't been good on third down this season, but again...this game is a game of firsts and hopefully they start getting off the field and NOT giving up the big play.  Unlike the D. Thomas catch and run in Denver, the D. McFadden run in Oakland, the Matt Hasselbeck no huddle in Tennessee...I can keep going. 

- Turnovers at a Premium - Andy Dalton hasn't necessarilly protected the ball well this year.  He has 9 INTs already this year and several of those INTs have been returned for TDs.  The Steelers are going to need a few of those in this game if they want to perform a task that hasn't been done yet this season, and that is TOTAL DOMINATION. 

The days of Steelers vs Bengals being a laugher is over.  We all know that, but this Steelers team is capable of whooping up on this Bengals team and sending them to the cellar of the division where they belong.  The Defense needs to step up and play to their capabilities or SteelerNation will have to swallow a 2-4 record and that isn't something ANYONE wants to do.  Man up Defense!