It’s only Week 3, so calling any game a “must-win” might sound a little extreme. But for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday’s matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals feels pretty darn close.
The Steelers are coming off an offensive start that has raised far more questions than answers. The offense has struggled to move the football consistently, create explosive plays and, most importantly, put points on the scoreboard. When you combine that with the expectations surrounding this team, there is legitimate reason for concern.
Now comes Cincinnati.
The Bengals enter this game 2-0, while the Steelers are trying to find some consistency and establish an identity. A loss would put Pittsburgh two games behind Cincinnati in the standings after only three weeks. More importantly, because Cincinnati would own the head-to-head victory, the Bengals would effectively have a significant early-season advantage over Pittsburgh in the division race.
That's why this game matters.
The Steelers don't necessarily have to win the AFC North in September. There are still plenty of games left to play. But they cannot afford to keep digging themselves a hole while the offense continues to struggle.
This is also about confidence. Pittsburgh needs to show that this offense can execute against a division opponent and give the defense enough support to win football games.
If the Steelers win, they can get back to .500 and potentially change the conversation surrounding this team.
If they lose, the questions about the offense—and whether this team can compete for the division—are only going to get louder.
So, is it technically a must-win?
Maybe not.
But for the Steelers, it sure feels like one.