A.J. Green set for an encore performance
The Cincinnati Bengals have an extremely slim chance of earning a playoff bye today, because they would need the Oakland Raiders to earn an incredible upset of the Denver Broncos this evening. Even if the Broncos win and the Bengals aren’t in a position to earn a bye, tonight’s game against the Steelers is still a big one for this team. Not only is it a rivalry game on SNF that would give them positive momentum heading into the postseason, but a win would give them the AFC North title and lock up a home game in the Wild Card. The Bengals are already coming off of an amazing prime-time win over the Broncos last week behind terrific performances from Jeremy Hill and the defense.
Hill will likely have a big say in tonight’s result, but he wasn’t the biggest factor in that 42-21 Week 14 loss, receiving just eight carries. Even though the Bengals were blown out, elite wide receiver A.J. Green still had an incredible game, catching 11 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown. It was easily his best game of the season, and it was one of the best games by any wide receiver this season. That said, eight of his catches and 136 of his yards came against veteran corner Ike Taylor, who might not even play this week. He’s expected to play despite being listed questionable with an injury, but the Steelers are likely better off without him in the lineup, especially when he’s deployed as a starter.
Green’s domination of Taylor in Week 14 most likely won’t be replicated, but there’s no reason for him to miss out on passing the century mark for the sixth time this season. The Steelers pass defense is one of the worst in the NFL even without Taylor, and star safety Troy Polamalu is also listed questionable on the injury report. If he can’t play, that’s a slight boost for Green, who should have a soft matchup either way. William Gay is a good corner, but Antwon Blake and, especially, Brice McCain cannot be trusted in coverage against an elite receiver like Green.
Injuries have prevented the Bengals wideout from catching as many passes as he’s accustomed to, since he hauled in 97 and 98 receptions in his past two seasons. Even so, he’s nine receptions away from 70, and he could reach that total with a big game against the Steelers. Green has six touchdowns, averages 80 yards per game, and boasts a career-high 15.7 yards per reception, and that total should probably worry the Steelers the most.
The Steelers pass defense is as burn prone as it gets with 28 touchdowns allowed and 7.2 net yards per attempt surrendered, and Green has shown the ability to beat defenses over-the-top. With the powerful Jeremy Hill churning out yards behind a top-notch offensive line (Hill has back-to-back 140-yard performances on his hands), the Bengals can certainly use the run to set up the pass, especially with Hue Jackson creatively running the offense.
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Last week, Green wasn’t able to help out the Bengals in their impressive win over the Broncos, as he played just a few snaps and didn’t record any receptions due to a bruised biceps. He tried to re-enter the game, but it was clear that he wouldn’t be able to contribute to the team in Week 16. He’s only probable for tonight’s rivalry clash, so the injury seems to be well behind him. After catching just five passes for 49 yards against Joe Haden and the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, A.J. Green is probably itching to have a follow-up performance against the Steelers that will result in a victory for his team this time.
The Bengals M.O. on offense is to pound the ball, largely with the rising Hill, and to stifle opponents with their strong defense, and they are coming off of a win that showcased both. Holding down the Broncos offense is definitely impressive, but they can’t count on Ben Roethlisberger throwing four interceptions tonight. That makes this week’s battle even more challenging, and they’ll probably need strong displays from both the running game and passing attack in order to counter the Steelers offense, which, again, put up 42 on Cincy earlier this year.
Green will likely need to have a big day, because Antonio Brown will probably bring his best and rarely has an off game. When healthy, Green has only been held down by Haden, and there isn’t anybody like Haden who will line up on the other side of the ball for the Steelers defense. It’s a favorable matchup for Green, and he has the added benefit of being able to lean on Hill to prevent the defense from focusing too much on defending the pass. If Andy Dalton doesn’t blow it and Green is indeed as healthy as his probable tag indicates, then there’s no reason for him to disappoint. Even if Taylor doesn’t play for the Steelers, the players Green will face are guys he should own with relative ease.
Update: There’s a chance that Green’s arm isn’t as healthy as the probable tag indicates, so this could swing the matchup if his arm isn’t as healthy as the probable tag would seem to say. This is a situation worth monitoring as we head into tonight’s kick-off.
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