Steelers won't be able to bank on catching a huge break from the Bengals ahead of ultimate trap game on Thursday Night Football
Thursday Night Football is like a roller coaster for the first time. Totally unpredictable and a wild ride. That's especially true with division games and those within the AFC North. And just because the Pittsburgh Steelers have double the wins as the Cincinnati Bengals, it doesn't mean you should expect a runaway.
Armed with a new QB after what Mike Tomlin called a shocking trade from the Browns, Cincinnati will aim to spread the ball around to it's weapons. The key for the Steelers will be to attack the Bengals defense in a similar manner, especially if they are without Trey Hendrickson.
But in an effort to gain clarity on his situation as well as Flacco's, I spoke with John Sheeran of A to Z Sports Cincinnati, who said Don't rule out Hendrickson just yet. That and more in our preview of the Steelers at Bengals on TNF.
Q1. What did you see from Joe Flacco in his first start?
"I saw about what I expected to see. Flacco needed a half to get his feet wet and the game nearly got all the way out of hand by the time he found some rhythm. He didn’t make the egregious mistakes Jake Browning was getting accustomed to making, and he eventually started trusting his experienced arm to target Ja’Marr Chase in single coverage. They’re going to need a lot more of that in the coming weeks." - Sheeran
Q2. Should the Steelers expect more blitzing to make up for the possible absence of Trey Hendrickson?
"I’m not going to count out Hendrickson as he hasn’t missed a game since 2022, but if he doesn’t play, they absolutely have to adjust. Myles Murphy will play plenty in his place, and you could expect to see Stewart moved inside in obvious passing situations. Golden has not been hesitant to blitz linebackers and show pressure before dropping edges into coverage, though the success has been limited with that strategy. He hasn’t had to cook up pressure without his All-Pro, so this could be a big test. Rushing four without him doesn’t seem like the move." - Sheeran
Q.3 Final score prediction?
We’ve seen the Bengals win a more improbable game against the Steelers in the last five years, but it’s just silly to expect that. Aaron Rodgers is playing well and the Bengals can’t get a reliable game out of both their offense and defense in the same week. I’m not sure if the short rest benefits Cincinnati with Pittsburgh having have less time to scout for a new QB, but I’ll go with the Steelers in a 24-20 game. - Sheeran
Rashee Rice Drops Hype Video Ahead of His Return for Chiefs' Week 7 Showdown
The Kansas City Chiefs are getting back one of their top playmakers ahead of their Week 7 showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders. After suffering a six-game suspension for violating the NFL‘s personal conduct policy, Rashee Rice will officially return.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport indicated that Rice is on track to play on Sunday, as he has been progressing through an injury as well. With his return imminent, the star receiver posted an epic hype video ahead of his first game back for the regular season.
The just under 30-second video showcases the offseason work that Rice has been putting in. There is also a small caption that reads, “The Rashee Rice Return,” along with a date of 10/21, signaling his return against the Jaguars.
Without Rice in the lineup, the Chiefs have relied on Travis Kelce, Hollywood Brown, Tyquan Thornton, and a bit of Xavier Worthy. Worthy was expected to be the top receiver, but a shoulder dislocation knocked him out for multiple games.
The Chiefs have also had a very uncharacteristic start to the season, going 0-2 in their first two games. Following that, the team has now won three of their last four and are beginning to look more like their championship selves.
With Rice returning, the Chiefs might be even more dangerous. The young receiver had a strong rookie season in 2023, hauling in 928 yards and seven touchdowns.
Rice was expected to emerge again in 2024, but suffered an injury that led to surgery to repair his LCL and hamstring. He only appeared in four games, putting up 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Following the suspension, Rice can now rejoin the Chiefs for the remainder of the year. Though there is no telling how effective he will be at the start of his return, he adds another dimension for Patrick Mahomes and the offense.
