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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Sunday night at Paycor Stadium should be a playoff-like atmosphere. Both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals enter at 6-2 and are by far the biggest threats in the AFC North. Both teams have won four straight, with Aaron Rodgers eyeing one last Super Bowl run before riding off into the sunset, and Joe Burrow still looking to bring a Lombardi Trophy to Cincinnati.
But the game has one of the highest over/unders of the week (around 49.5 points), and Rodgers now might not have one of his top weapons for the shootout. According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has been added to the injury report due to an illness and is currently listed as questionable for the game.
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Freiermuth has been Rodgers' go-to target in the red zone, leading the team with four receiving touchdowns along with 235 yards on 25 catches. His 36 targets sit third on the team, behind star wideout DK Metcalf (65) and second-round rookie receiver Germie Bernard.
Pittsburgh does still have the 6-foot-7 Darnell Washington, who's in the middle of a career year with 254 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 28 catches through eight games, but Freiermuth is the more proven pass catcher and a crucial piece in the offense. He's also on somewhat of an Ironman streak, having not missed a game in either of the last two seasons with the Steelers.
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If Freiermuth were to miss, Washington should see more targets, along with Bernard and Metcalf, who are already heavily involved. However, the Bengals have also been more susceptible against the run, allowing 126.6 rushing yards per game, the eighth most in the league. Pittsburgh may therefore lean more heavily on Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, who will both be available for the matchup.
Warren has quietly put together a breakout season, with 704 rushing yards (sixth in the NFL), 294 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns, while Dowdle is the more physical between-the-tackles runner. It's a dynamic one-two punch and one the Steelers may have to lean on more if Freiermuth can't play.
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