- WHERE: Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati)
- WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET
- WAYS TO WATCH: Prime Video, NFL+
They're playfully calling it the “Icy Hot Bowl” this week.
Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco will meet in only the fourth NFL game since 1950 to pit two starting quarterbacks over the age of 40. The previous three times were Tom Brady vs. Drew Brees, all in the 2020 season.
Winners of three straight, the Steelers have taken control of the AFC North the past three weeks while the rest of the division has gone into the tank. The Bengals have lost four straight, although they showed some life late in the losses to the Lions in Week 5 and the Packers in Week 6. Flacco, who last week became the first QB to be traded within a division in-season since at least 1995, gave them more juice in the pass game this past Sunday than they've had since Joe Burrow got hurt.
Can Pittsburgh stay icy hot with a fourth straight win? Or can Flacco spur an upset over the Steelers?
Three must-know storylines
1) Rodgers taking a quicker, shorter approach
Aaron Rodgers is averaging only 204.2 pass yards per game, which would be a career low for a full season as the starter, but Rodgers has played more efficiently than he did last season for the Jets. In 2024, he took 40 sacks and had 13 turnovers in 17 starts, but Rodgers has taken only nine sacks and has three turnovers through five games. He's mostly throwing quickly and short -- 29.3% of the Steelers' passes are behind the line -- but it's working, with 71.8% of their pass yards coming after the catch. DK Metcalf is the clear go-to option, scoring a TD in four straight games, but it's a balanced attack, with Rodgers distributing the ball to his backs (Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell), tight ends (Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington) and receivers (Metcalf and Calvin Austin III). What they lack in true deep threats they make up for in YAC receivers. That should work well against a Bengals defense that has allowed the most yards after catch in the NFL (999) and the most yards after catch per reception (7.2) in 2025. They also could be without DE Trey Hendrickson (hip), who left Sunday's game and remains in doubt for this one.
2) Flacco adjusted quickly in his first start
Starting a game for the Bengals less than five days after being traded from the Browns, Joe Flacco predictably struggled in the Bengals' first four offensive series. But after halftime, he completed 21 of 30 passes for 179 yards and a fourth-and-goal TD pass to scare the daylights out of the Packers in Green Bay. Tee Higgins had his best game of the season. Ja’Marr Chase came alive, catching a fourth-quarter TD. The whole operation moved as smoothly as it has (even with three Andrei Iosivas drops) since before Burrow was injured. With Joey Porter Jr. back in the lineup, the Steelers should have their full cast of cornerbacks to defend the Bengals' talented wideouts. Porter, Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey should see plenty of Chase and Higgins, who figure to once again be the main targets with Mike Gesicki on IR, Tanner Hudson with injury concerns and Iosivas not inspiring trust.
3) Steelers defense making progress with pass rush
Pittsburgh's defense started the season slowly but has rounded into form the past three games. The Steelers have 20 sacks in 2025, including six in Week 6. The Bengals have allowed 16 sacks in 2025, but with Flacco in the lineup last week, they gave up a season-low one sack to the Packers. T.J. Watt is the Steelers' best-known sackmaster, but pay attention to their leading sacker, Nick Herbig, who has 4.5 sacks -- all in the past three weeks. Even with Flacco under center, Cincinnati's pass protection figures to be a big worry. The Bengals have given up most of their pressure from the edges, with OTs Orlando Brown and Amarius Mims the most guilty parties. Brown allowed the Bengals' only sack last week on a quick pressure in the red zone, but Mims has played better the past two games after a tough outing vs. Denver. The Bengals haven't run the ball for more than 85 yards in a game this season, so this would be an ideal spot for Chase Brown and the run game to help balance things out a bit.
Steelers' Week 7 injury report
| Player | Game status | Mon. practice | Tues. practice | Wed. practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvin Austin III, WR (shoulder) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| DeShon Elliott, S (NIR-rest) | QUESTIONABLE | --- | DNP | DNP |
| Malik Harrison*, LB (knee) | QUESTIONABLE | LP | LP | LP |
| Cameron Heyward, DT (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
| Miles Killebrew, S (knee) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| DK Metcalf, WR (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | FP | FP |
| Jalen Ramsey, CB (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
| Aaron Rodgers, QB (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | FP | FP |
| Darius Slay, LB (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | LP | FP |
| T.J. Watt, LB (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
* Player is in 21-day window designated to return from injured reserve
Bengals' Week 7 injury report
| Player | Game status | Mon. practice | Tues. practice | Wed. practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan Fairchild, G (knee) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Mike Gesicki, TE (pectoral) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP (IR) |
| Trey Hendrickson, DE (hip) | QUESTIONABLE | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| B.J. Hill, DT (NIR-rest) | --- | DNP | DNP | FP |
| Tanner Hudson, TE (concussion) | OUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Charlie Jones, WR (ribs) | QUESTIONABLE | DNP | DNP | LP |
| Amarius Mims, OT (ankle) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
| Lucas Patrick, G (calf)* | QUESTIONABLE | FP | FP | FP |
| Shemar Stewart, DE (ankle) | --- | FP | FP | FP |
* Player is in 21-day window designated to return from injured reserve
