Cris Collinsworth Reveals What Will Decide Bengals-Steelers Showdown

Ahead of the Bengals matchup against the Steelers, Cris Collinsworth spoke about the key matchups within the upcoming AFC North clash on First Word. He emphasized that both Amarius Mims and Orlando Brown Jr. face the most pressure on Sunday because of the presence of T.J. Watt. He also clarified that Mims has developed into a capable one-on-one blocker who held up well against Watt earlier in the season.

"Amarius Mims has become that guy that can block one-on-one, the problem is that one-on-one this week is Amarius Mims against T.J. Watt," Collinsworth said. "They will take T.J. Watt and move him over to the other side a little bit, but it is really difficult to say 'I got T.J. Watt all day and nothing's going to happen', now he did well against him the last time out, but for all the stuff we want to talk about Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow and these receivers, I think that matchup may well decide the game."

In Week 3, Mims held up perfectly against Watt and the Steelers' defense and allowed no pressure at all with a 0.0% pressure rate, according to Sumer Sports.

Collinsworth added that if Mims handles Watt one-on-one, it is a good answer to Pittsburgh's effective blitz packages on defense.

"If they can truly leave Mims over there on T.J. Watt and help the rest of it [the offensive line]. They're (Pittsburgh) a blitz happy team and they are so good at it," Collinsworth said. "I think they had seven sacks or something against the Browns, and what you see is that the first three or four sacks, the guy who actually got the pressure didn't get the sack, it was the next wave that came in and got him."

Samaje Perine Vs. Lighter Boxes

While Collinsworth acknowledged Chase Brown as a solid running back, he added that Samaje Perine should show up as the primary option when the Steelers' defense doubles both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He pointed out Perine's ability to close out the game against the Falcons last week as the main reason, with his 240-pound build as a power runner against lighter boxes as the other reason.

"Chase Brown is a good player, but Samaje Perine at the end of that Atlanta game came in and had that four minute close the game kind of stuff," Collinsworth said. "When defenses have to go lighter in the box because you got to double team everybody on the Bengals, especially Ja'Marr and Tee, so if you could put a 240lb truck and hand him the football back there, it really changes things because now you have to decide are you willing to let Samaje Perine run the ball through a lighter box in the middle there and do that to keep the double teams."

He added that the Steelers could end up with five players lined up in the box and that he does not see any scenario where the Steelers allow the Bengals' receivers to beat them deep.

"It may well be if they don't run it with a 6-man box, they could end up with five in there and really load up on the backend, I just don't see any scenario where Pittsburgh lets the Bengals get the ball consistently deep over their heads," he said.

Slowing Down Jaylen Warren is Crucial

Jaylen Warren has played as effectively as any other running back in the NFL and is the heart of the Steelers' offense. Collinsworth said that Warren and the Steelers have almost as many big plays running the ball as the Bengals do passing. He pointed out that Warren is averaging an absurd 5.9 yards per carry and that the Steelers' run-blocking scheme is a large reason why.

"Pittsburgh is going to be a real test to stop the run, this team has almost as many big plays running the ball, as the Bengals do throwing the ball," Collinsworth said. "Jaylen Warren's averaging 5.9 YPC and so they are really legit, they've got every run scheme up the middle."

He noted that Dexter Lawrence is the most critical piece in slowing down Warren, praising Lawrence as much of an integral piece to the Bengals franchise as any quarterback or receiver.

"A lot of it frankly is going to be Dexter Lawrence, Dexter Lawrence is that guy that in my mind changed the franchise almost as much as quarterbacks and the receivers have," Collinsworth praised. "Dexter Lawrence draws those double teams so now Allen and Mafe and some of those guys are getting opportunities to rush in a way that maybe they wouldn't have, but in this game Dexter Lawrence stopping the run, can they get that done?"

Warren gashed the Bengals earlier in the season for 176 yards on 20 touches with 7.5 yards per carry. If the Bengals hope to come out of Sunday Night Football with a win, they cannot allow him to have that kind of production again.

Catch the full sit-down interview with Collinsworth below!

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