Oct 30, 2015 3 min read

As expected, Ben Roethlisberger is good to go in Sunday’s key AFC North game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

That’s a big thing for the Steelers, obviously, in a game they must win if they hope to successfully defend their AFC North championship from a year ago.

The Steelers won the AFC North last season by sweeping the Bengals. That helped offset losses to both Baltimore and Cleveland, helping the Steelers to a 4-2 division record.

Given how Baltimore is currently playing, you can’t expect them to win in Cincinnati later this year. And Cleveland, well, they give the Bengals trouble at times, but the best way for the Steelers can catch the Bengals is to beat the Bengals twice as they did last season.

Roethlisberger gives them a chance to do that.

That’s the good news. The bad news for the Steelers is that defensive end Stephon Tuitt will be out again this week.

The Steelers tried to mix and match at defensive end last week with Tuitt out at Kansas City. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Daniel McCullers see more time at the nose with nose tackle Steve McLendon playing at defensive end when the Steelers are in their base, though Cincinnati traditionally tries to get the Steelers into their nickel as much as possible.

Will Allen (ankle) also is probably one week away from returning, meaning Robert Golden will again get the start at strong safety. Golden has been fine there, but this might be a game where it wouldn’t hurt to have the veteran’s presence out there.

The line has moved on this game in a big way. Initially, it opened with the Bengals being favored by 1 1/2 points. Now, the Steelers are favored by 1 1/2.

That’s largely based on Roethlisberger’s availability, though it should never have really been in question.

And, including New England Thursday night, the last 11 teams that have opened the season 6-0 have failed to cover 7 times in their next game.

There’s also this: The Steelers are 7-4 in the past 10 seasons against teams coming off a bye week as Cincinnati is this week.

I look for the Steelers to give the Bengals a heavy does of Le’Veon Bell early while Roethlisberger reaquaints himself with the speed of the game.

He’s 2-4 in games in which he returns from an injury, but he didn’t have the weapons around him in those other games that he now does.

I’ll take the Steelers to win a shootout, 33-30.