When the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a pivotal Week 10 matchup, all eyes will be on T.J. Watt and how much he can impact quarterback Joe Burrow.
Watt made it clear that they know Burrow and what he is capable of due to their experience against him.
“I mean, it’s pretty obvious what Joe’s capable of,” stated Watt after practice on Friday. “I mean, you have so much film on him now over the years. Joe’s playing elite football at a high level, and he’ll bring the best out of us.”
“It’s pretty obvious what Joe is capable of.”
“Joe is playing elite football at a high level and it will bring the best out of us.”
This will be the ninth time that Burrow faces off against the Steelers. He is currently 4-4 as a starter against them.
T.J. Watt Knows What Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow Brings to the Table
Burrow has only played seven teams, at least three times. He has played the three-division opponents, the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Burrow is 10-5 against the non-division opponents that he has played multiple times. However, he is 13-17 against his division opponents in his NFL career.
That includes a 4–4 mark against the Steelers, which is actually his best record in the division. He is 4 6 against the Cleveland Browns, and 5- 7 against the Baltimore Ravens.
However, he has one of his worst passer ratings against Pittsburgh, at 96, and he has 24 sacks taken, which is by far the most he has taken against any team. His ten interceptions are also the most he has against any team.
Bengals Need to Get Over Steelers Hump
This game presents a massive test for the Bengals. They look to be contenders for a Super Bowl, but they have not been able to dominate their division since Burrow was drafted.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the biggest thorns in their side and have won two of the last three AFC North titles. Now, the Steelers are sitting at 6-2, tied with the Bengals for the division lead in the AFC North.
The Steelers have also already beaten the Bengals in Pittsburgh. If the Bengals lose this, they will be a game behind the Steelers, and they will have lost two games to Pittsburgh.
If they win this, they will be a game up on the Steelers, and they will have washed out the tiebreakers. This will give them a commanding lead in the AFC North with a chance to win it.
A typical Bengals team would lose this game. Burrow is trying to reverse this trend and prove that he is not going to consistently struggle to get over the hump in the division.
If the Bengals cannot consistently win division games, they cannot be perennial Super Bowl contenders. They have to change that perception.
T.J. Watt Makes Feelings Clear on Bengals QB Joe Burrow