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Steelers-Bengals: Live chat, updates and analysis
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Ray Fittipaldo
6:12
Welcome to Paycor Stadium. We are two hours from kickoff. Post your questions and Brian and I will take you up through until kickoff when Paul Zeise takes over.
6:13
One piece of news to relay: DeShon Elliott traveled to Cincinnati today and is expected to play. He had been questionable due to personal reasons.
Brian Batko
6:15
Hey everyone, we'll be hanging out from now until a little before kickoff. Any Steelers or Bengals questions (or comments) let us have it.
Brad
6:15
Did the Steelers announce who will fill the roster spot of Miles Killebrew and will that player be eligible tonight? Hoping Killebrew has a full recovery.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:16
They did not make a corresponding roster move yet with Killebrew. And yes, hopefully he makes a full recovery. He's   a good guy in the locker room.
Brian Batko
6:18
That means there will be only four inactives. My guesses are Calvin Austin, Andrus Peat, Logan Lee and Marv Leal
Gabriel
6:23
What’s the talk on AJ Brown becoming a Yinzer? Is it just hype
Ray Fittipaldo
6:25
Two WRs making $30 million-plus a year? That's not really viable in the long term. I'd have to look at Brown's contract to see how much the Eagles already paid out, but that's a big number when you're already paying Metcalf top dollar. Look at the Bengals. They paid Chase and Higgins and Burrow. Their roster suffers in other places. You have to spend wisely.
JB in Cary
6:38
Is getting another receiver realistic at this point?  They don’t want to mortgage to the future, but if their goal is the Super Bowl every year and they have a Hall of Fame quarterback that seems to be managing the team pretty well, it seems like that is the weakest need at this point and it would make sense until we can bring along someone through the draft that exceeds expectations.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:39
Omar Khan is always looking for ways to improve his roster. If he can make a trade that makes sense for the team he will do it. I think we've seen that since he took over as GM in 2022.
Brian Batko
6:40
One thing to watch for the Bengals tonight is who starts at left guard. Rookie Dylan Fairchild missed last week with an injury but they could stick with veteran Dalton Risner. Whoever gets the nod has to deal with Cam Heyward.
OneAndDone
6:41
how nervous should I be about tonights game?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:41
What's their record in Thursday night road games within the division?
That's why
Brad
6:45
Any chance the players will insist Thursday games can only be after a bye week in the next CBA? I know they all hate them and I understand why.
Ray Fittipaldo
6:45
I think there is a way to do that if they ever go to an 18-game schedule, but it's difficult to pull it off now.
OneAndDone
6:45
I hate thursday night games, too
Ray Fittipaldo
6:46
Bengals in all white unis tonight so the Steelers will be wearing their home black unis.
Brian Batko
6:46
Steelers inactives are Calvin Austin III, Andrus Peat, Logan Lee and DeMarvin Leal. Same as last week other than Chuck Clark coming up in place of Miles Killebrew.
OneAndDone
6:47
Hendrickson is out for tonight
Ray Fittipaldo
6:47
Yes Hendrickson will not play.
Brian Batko
6:49
Cam Taylor-Britt is inactive for the Bengals after I put him as a key player to watch in my scouting report. So yeah, they're going way down the list of cornerbacks just to try to find a solution tonight in the secondary.
rman
6:55
I live in California.  I don't subscribe to Prime. I will be able to watch a replay of the game at 10pm on the NFL Network.  Do you think I should listen to the game live on SNR and then watch it later or wait until 10pm not knowing the outcome?
Ray Fittipaldo
6:56
Well, you are in California so you probably could go about your business and not know what's going on. Me personally? I'd listen and then watch.
Bill in Charleston
7:01
Listen to the Steelers radio broadcast live. That’s what I always do, even if it on TV in Charleston.
7:02
Steelers giving 5.5 and O/U is 45. I’ll give the points and take over.
Ray Fittipaldo
7:02
Vegas definitely expecting a higher scoring game. I'm not sure I agree. Either way, I think this game will be close.
Brad
7:04
Will the Steelers do a lot of blitzing? Elderly QB, but a smart vet and great WRs. I think you try to not give Flacco time rather than hope you can cover the WRs for longer time.
Ray Fittipaldo
7:05
I'm sure they'll mix it up. I like what they did against the Browns and how they brought different guys. Ramsey had two sacks. Queen was really good on the rush again. It's tough to predict when or where the pressure will come from right now and that's an edge for the Steelers.
7:19
An hour before kick off, and early indications are the planned White Out might not go as planned. Lots of Steelers fans in black and gold jerseys in the lower bowl already.
Brian Batko
7:19
Remember what Mike Tomlin said about Joe Flacco last year after they lost to the Colts? "We didn't feel like thinning out our coverage was appropriate. Flacco is a much more proficient passer than Richardson and so blitzing doesn't necessarily help you. He's a veteran guy, makes quick and prudent decisions."
MikeM65 in Florida
7:23
Do you think there will be more Steelers' fans than Bengals' fans?
Ray Fittipaldo
7:24
No but definitely enough for people to notice on TV
OneAndDone
7:26
I can see this coming a mile away... Flacco has a monster game and Bungles win 24-20.
Ray Fittipaldo
7:26
My prediction: Steelers 20, Bengals 13
Brad
7:28
But if that didn't work, do you change things up this time?
Brian Batko
7:28
Possibly. That's the balance between long-held philosophies and game-specific planning. Blitzing has worked wonders for the Steelers recently.
7:31
Mike Tomlin talking with a couple of zebras on the field during warmups. Probably telling them "I don't care what Kevin Stefanski might say, T.J. is NOT offsides"
Bill in Charleston
7:32
Steelers 27 - 20, with one Steelers score coming on a short field due to turnover.  Otherwise, each team with two touchdowns and two field goals.
Brian Batko
7:42
Couldn't help notice Cole Holcomb, not Payton Wilson, lined up with the first defensive unit on the field for warmups. You'd think this of all games would be a big Payton Wilson game given how much the Bengals are in 11 personnel (74.2%, fourth most in NFL).
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