Russell Wilson vs. Joe Burrow: Who will dominate the Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals Match?

By the time the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, they'll know if they still have a chance to win the division. Plenty of people doubt Pittsburgh's chances in the playoffs since the team has lost three straight games against playoff contenders. The Steelers' defense made some key plays in the last game, forcing three turnovers, including LB Payton Wilson returning a fumble for a touchdown.
So Bengals QB Joe Burrow knows that even though his team’s offense may be in fighting shape, the Steelers’ defense will cause problems. The Steelers have a lot to determine with their quarterback situation over their final few games. Russell Wilson's contract is set to expire at the end of the season so this game could determine his potential as a free agent.
Wilson has 15 touchdown passes in 10 starts, and that’s more than the Steelers had in each of the last two seasons. While the division title seems out of reach for the Steelers they can still lock up the No. 5 seed with a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. But who will dominate the much-anticipated Steelers vs Bengals game, Burrow or Wilson?


Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said this week that Wilson needs to cut back on the turnovers after the miscommunication between Wilson and receiver George Pickens made headlines after their game against the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s important to note that Wilson was sort of a bargain ‘purchase’ for the Steelers this season.
Wilson was benched near the end of the 2023 season and was released in the offseason, following which he signed a one-year deal with the Steelers. Multiple Strs players like Cameron Heyward and DeShon Elliott have shared honest takes about the Steelers' recent performances. Even coach Mike Tomlin said the team, needed to get the "stench" off of them. However, if the Steelers want to win their upcoming matchup they need to let the bygones be bygones.

Offensively the team needs to stop turning the ball over, especially during critical scoring opportunities and their failed communication strategies and lack of takeaways also need special attention. Though Wilson jump-started the Steelers' passing offense when he took over the job in Week 7, he has struggled since throwing for more than 400 yards in the Week 13 win against the Bengals.
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Against Cincinnati, Wilson averaged a season-best 10.9 yards per attempt. In the loss to the Chiefs, however, he averaged a season-worst 5.5 yards per attempt.

Wilson himself admitted he's trying to have "amnesia" moving forward in order to perform better. "You got to have amnesia in this game," Wilson told ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "It is one of those games that they got good players, we got good players, there's going to be highs, there's going to be lows throughout the game, throughout the season, through all that and just having amnesia.
"Part of the amnesia is that if you focus on the work and obsess with the work, that allows you to free yourself of the negativity sometimes, too," Wilson said. "It's part of the journey of seeking perfection—is there's always highs. There's mountain peaks, there's great moments, tough ones. The ability to embrace the adversity, not running from it."

Cincinnati Bengals' star quarterback Joe Burrow is confirmed to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite recent worries regarding a wrist and knee injury. Burrow's participation in full practice sessions and the lack of a game status designation suggest that he will play the next game.
It’s no secret that the Bengals QB is having the best year of his career. The fifth-year pro is leading the NFL in completions, yards, and touchdowns and has thrown for 250 yards and three touchdowns in eight straight games which is a league record. Burrow’s name is also doing the rounds of the MVP cycle and unlike Wilson whose retirement rumours are already doing the rounds, Burrow is a rising star.

Burrow proved pivotal in the Bengals' 30-24 victory over the Denver Broncos with three touchdowns. Burrows has thrown for 4,641 yards and 42 touchdowns.
In fact, NFL analyst Colin Cowherd once compared Wilson and Burrow on his show, “The Herd with Colin Cowher.” “Russell Wilson through the first nine games – If you go back to last year’s numbers and then look at this year’s it’s unbelievable. Last year he was Desmond Ridder, this year he’s Joe Burrow.”
This upcoming game against the Steelers is crucial for the Bengals, not only for their playoff chances but also for maintaining their momentum as the season heads into its final stretch.
The Bengals' hopes of reaching the NFL playoffs are slim. Currently, at 8-8, they must win their last game against the Steelers to keep their dreams alive. However, their playoff fate also relies on other game results: they need the Kansas City Chiefs to defeat the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets to win against the Miami Dolphins. Burrow’s performance could be the game-changer.

Sports journalist Trey Wingo recently pointed out how terrific Burrow has been at facing this season’s unpredictable challenges. “How good has Joe Burrow been? He’s 1 game away from being the 4th QB in NFL history to have 10 + games of 250 passing yards & 3 pass TDs in a season. The other 3 all won MVP in those seasons: 2007 Tom Brady, 2013 Peyton Manning & 2018 Patrick Mahomes,” Wingo recently wrote on X.
Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons hyped up Burrow during his podcast, “The Edge with Micah Parsons.” During the show Parson pointed out that Burrow had accomplished a lot despite injuries to the team’s defense and both of its starting offensive tackles, whose jobs involve protecting quarterbacks from defenders rushing around the offensive line’s edge.
“He looks unstoppable right now,” Parsons said. “His timing, precision. Everything. If you ask anybody in the league right now, it ain’t just me. We’ve talked about it in the locker room. We said Joe Burrow is the best quarterback we faced. And we played Lamar this year.”