Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2013 ) Cincinnati 20, Pittsburgh 30

With wins in three straight games and five of six, the Cincinnati Bengals have positioned themselves well for the stretch run in the tight AFC North. That run begins Sunday when the desperate Pittsburgh Steelers come calling in the first of two games between the rivals over the final month of the season. The Bengals rallied from an early 10-point deficit at Tampa Bay last week for a 14-13 win while the Steelers dropped a devastating 35-32 decision at home to New Orleans, joining Baltimore and Cleveland with 7-5 records and 1 1/2-games behind Cincinnati in the AFC North.

The Bengals had won 13 consecutive home games until getting embarrassed 24-3 by Cleveland on Nov. 6, but rebounded by winning three consecutive contests on the road for the first time in franchise history. After Sunday's contest, the Bengals travel to Cleveland, host Denver and then go to Pittsburgh to close out the regular season. "All the work put in by the players since April, it now comes down to these four weeks," coach Marvin Lewis told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "December is very, very important that you play well. Obviously you want to play and continue through January, but we've got to take care of December first."

TV: 1 p.m. ET CBS. LINE: Bengals –3.5. O/U: 47

ABOUT THE BENGALS (8-3-1): The run defense will be tested by Le'Veon Bell, but Cincinnati has held three straight opponents to 75 yards or less after yielding over 100 for seven straight games. The Bengals ground game has picked up steam as well, ranking fourth in yards per game (142.8) since Week 9 when rookie Jeremy Hill (4.7 yards per carry) took over the bulk of the carries. However, the key for the Bengals, as usual, will be the play of inconsistent Andy Dalton, the only quarterback in the league who has three games with a passer rating over 115 and four games under 70.

ABOUT THE STEELERS (7-5): Bell, the only back in the NFL with 1,000 yards rushing and 600 yards receiving, had career-high 33 carries against the Saints and gained a personal-best 254 scrimmage yards - most by a Steeler since John Fuqua had 256 in Week 14 of the 1970 season. Pittsburgh will be getting some reinforcements Sunday, as linebackers Jarvis Jones (wrist) and Ryan Shazier (ankle) return to a defense that ranks 21st in points allowed (24.8), 27th in yards per pass attempt (7.51) and 26th in sacks (21) with a penchant of giving up the long gain. “Part of being a tough defense is not beating yourself and making offenses operate over the course of drives to beat you and there’s been some instances where that’s not occurred,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We have to fix that and we have to fix it yesterday.”

EXTRA POINTS

1. Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is averaging 374 yards passing at home with 20 TDs and three interceptions versus 244 yards with six TDs and five interceptions on the road this season.

2. Bell is on pace to compile 3,491 yards from scrimmage in his first two seasons, which would be the most in the first two years of a career since Chris Johnson gained 3,997 in 2008-09 for the Titans.

3. The teams split last season, but the Steelers have won three of the last four games in Cincinnati.

PREDICTION: Bengals 27, Steelers 21