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Running back Le’Veon Bell likely will be walking into PBS as the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a franchise record 236 yards while scoring three touchdowns and recording 298 total yards in Sunday’s 27-20 win at Buffalo.
Bell has missed the last three games against Cincinnati. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Week 7 Bengals win in Pittsburgh last year, forcing him to miss the December rematch and January wildcard game. He was suspended for this year’s Week 2 game for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
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Despite missing the first two games of the season, Bell ranks fourth in the league in rushing with 1,053 yards and is third in yards from scrimmage with 1,616.
Bell had one of the biggest games of his career in Cincinnati in 2014 when he ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns while catching six pasees for 50 yards and another score in a 42-21 win.
In his three other games against the Bengals, the Cincinnati defense has held him to 122 yards on 42 carries (2.9).
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Wide receiver Antonio Brown also stands among the league leaders, ranking first in receptions (93), second in receiving touchdowns (11) and third in receiving yards (1,130).
He had seven catches for 119 yards in last year’s playoff game before getting concussed on the hit that led to the game-winning field goal and Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict’s three-game suspension. But the Cincinnati defense has done a solid job against Brown in the last three regular-season meetings, holding him to 17 catches for 173 yards and one touchdown.
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Then there’s quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is 20-7 all-time against the Bengals, including 6-1 in the last seven meetings. Roethlisberger is coming off a game in which he threw three interceptions and posted a career-low 37.8 passer rating.
The performance was part of a continuing trend that has seen the future Hall of Famer struggle away from Heinz Field this season. In seven road games he has averaged 231 passing yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions for a 76.3 rating. In five home games, Roethlisberger is averaging 327 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions for a 119.0 rating.
Defensively, the Steelers rank fourth against the run (90.1 yards per game) and 11th overall (342.7).
Pittsburgh is 6-1 when forcing multiple turnovers.
Bengals-Steelers connections
Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis grew up in McDonald, Pa., near Pittsburgh. Lewis’ first NFL coaching job was with the Steelers as LBs coach from 1992-95 under head coach Bill Cowher. He also coached at the University of Pittsburgh from 1990-91 … Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was defensive backs coach for the University of Cincinnati from 1999-2000 … Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger played at Miami University … Steelers LB James Harrison played for the Bengals in 2013 … Steelers QB Bruce Gradkowski (Reserved/Injured) played for the Bengals from 2011-12 … Four Steelers — S Will Allen, DE Cameron Heyward, CB Doran Grant, and LB Ryan Shazier — played at Ohio State; Allen is from Dayton (Wayne High School) … Steelers S Mike Mitchell is from Fort Thomas, Ky. (Highlands High School) … Steelers DE Ricardo Matthews played at the University of Cincinnati … Bengals DE Will Clarke is from Pittsburgh (Taylor Allderdice High School) … Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes grew up in South Fayette, Pa. and played TE for the Steelers from 1994- 96 … … Bengals WR Tyler Boyd is from Clairton, Pa., and played at the University of Pittsburgh … Steelers WR Cobi Hamilton was drafted by the Bengals in 2013 and played for the Bengals in ’14 … Steelers LB L.J. Fort spent time on the Bengals practice squad in 2014 … Steelers inside linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky was with the Bengals as a player in the 1998 preseason.
READ MORE: Bengals Report Card from win against Browns
AFC North outlook
Baltimore (7-6) vs. Philadelphia (5-8) on Sunday: Even though they trail Pittsburgh by one game, the Ravens control their own destiny heading into this game against an Eagles squad that has lost four straight, six of seven and hasn't won on the road since Week 2.
Cleveland (0-13) at Buffalo (6-7) on Sunday. The Browns could drop the hammer on Rex Ryan's tenure in Buffalo if they can get their first win in more than a year against a reeling Bills team that has lost two in a row and five of seven.
NEXT GAME
Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-7-1)
When: 1 p.m.
TV: Ch. 7, 12
Radio: 700-AM, 1530-AM, 102.7-FM, 104.7-FM
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