The Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to take on the field for the week 7 fixture. The face of the Bengals, Joe Burrow’s absence, has impacted their playoff race. The Steelers, on the other hand, look forward to having their star linebacker, Malik Harrison, who is currently on IR in questionable status.

Although Joe Flacco replaces Burrow until he is well and running to enter the field, the questionable tags loom within the team’s locker room. The Bengals shared their latest injury report for both teams on their website ahead of the match.

Cincinnati ruled out tight ends Mike Gesicki due to a pectoral injury in their Week 6 loss to the Green Bay Packers, and Tanner Hudson because of his concussion. Leading pass rusher Trey Hendrickson is listed as questionable with a hip injury, having missed all week’s practices.

Charlie Jones overcame an Achilles injury before the 27-18 loss to the Packers. But picked up a rib injury with limited time during this week’s practice. And Lucas Patrick, with full participation during this week’s practice, still has not recovered from his second-quarter calf injury from the season opener against the Cleveland Browns.

Dylan Fairchild has full participation and is expected to play after overcoming challenges with his knee. Cam Grandy, Drew Sample, and Noah Fant will all play bigger roles in the passing game now that both of the top tight ends are sidelined. On the defensive end, rookie Shemar Stewart is good to go and should see more action. 

Pittsburgh ruled out Calvin Austin III for the second game, as he did not participate in any practice sessions through the week due to his shoulder injury. And standout Miles Killebrew is out after encountering a no-contact knee injury against the Cleveland Browns.

According to the Steelers PR, DeShon Elliott did not travel to Cincinnati and is tagged Questionable. Malik Harrison is still in recovery from his knee injury against the New York Jets in week 1. He is marked questionable after limited practice this week ahead of the game. 

The rest of the Pittsburgh starters, QB Aaron Rodgers, WR D.K. Metcalf, CB Jalen Ramsey, CB Darius Slay, DL Cam Heyward, and LB T.J. Watt, practiced fully and are expected to suit up. If Elliott cannot play, the Steelers will likely rely on Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers to handle safety duties.

Steelers surge while Bengals struggle ahead of week 7 clash

The Cincinnati Bengals have struggled in their first six games, falling to 2-4. With only 1,165 passing yards and 340 running yards thus far, their offense is ranked low. Joe Flacco and Jake Browning haven’t been reliable as quarterbacks, but Ja’Marr Chase is still performing effectively, leading the team in receptions and attracting defensive attention. B.J. Hill and Joseph Ossai are two defensive players who are handling the burden without consistent assistance.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have reached 4-1 and lead the AFC North. A-Rod drives the passing game, and DK Metcalf provides a reliable deep threat. Aaron Rodgers has delivered 95 of 138 passes for 1,021 yards and has 10 touchdowns. Rodgers maintains a strong 68.8% completion rate with 138 carries in 5 games. Despite being sacked nine times for a loss of 64 yards, Rodgers has demonstrated consistent production for a 105.4 passer rating and 49.2 QBR.

Jaylen Warren leads a steady run game out of the backfield, and T.J. Watt continues to be the game-changer up front on defense. On the defensive end, rookie Derrick Harmon is also making progress, strengthening Pittsburgh’s run defense. 

For both teams, this Week 7 showdown has significant playoff ramifications. A victory would help the Pittsburgh Steelers maintain their grip on the AFC North and advance their quest for early postseason status. This game is practically a must-win for the Cincinnati Bengals to guarantee a spot in the wild-card round. Their chances of making the playoffs have declined to 2-4. And another defeat would drop them further down the standings with little margin for error.