Factoid
The Bengals might have the league's worst defense, currently a bottom-6 group against both the run and the pass. The tendency is to fill your lineup with players facing them each week. But in the case of the Steelers, who travel to Cincinnati on Sunday, history suggests that only certain Pittsburgh players are likely to have huge games in this matchup: Willie Parker, and maybe even Najeh Davenport.
Over the last five years, Steelers running backs (Parker, Jerome Bettis) have generally posted huge numbers in this series, while quarterbacks (Ben Roethlisberger, Tommy Maddox) have put up small ones. Those backs have rushed for multiple touchdowns five times in the 10 games, and put up 125-plus rushing yards on seven occasions. The quarterbacks, in contrast, have thrown multiple touchdowns only twice, and thrown for 250 yards just three times. This may be a case where the favorable matchup for the running game creates an unfavorable one for the passing game. Why throw when you can run at will?
The numbers for Pittsburgh running backs and quarterbacks in this series over the last five years are presented below. When appropriate (if there was a clear committee at the position), numbers for the team's top two running backs have been combined.
Steelers' RBs/QBs versus the Bengals
| Year | Loc. | RB | QB |
| 2006 | Cin. | 134, 2 TDs | 280, 1 TD |
| 2006 | Pitt. | 133, 2 TDs | 208, 0 TD |
| 2005 | Cin. | 187, 1 TD | 93, 2 TDs |
| 2005 | Pitt. | 84, 1 TD | 386, 3 TDs |
| 2004 | Cin. | 129, 0 TD | 138, 1 TD |
| 2004 | Pitt. | 132, 2 TDs | 174, 1 TD |
| 2003 | Cin. | 128, 1 TD | 240, 1 TD |
| 2003 | Pitt. | 81, 1 TD | 313, 1 TD |
| 2002 | Cin. | 160, 2 TDs | 216, 1 TD |
| 2002 | Pitt. | 79, 2 TDs | 236, 1 TD |
Source: FANTASY FOOTBALL INDEX research
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