The third all-time meeting between 40-something quarterbacks kicks off NFL Week 7 on Thursday night.
Aaron Rodgers, 41, and the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) visit Joe Flacco, 40, and the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) on Thursday night. The previous two times happened in 2020, when 41-year-old Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints beat 43-year-old Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice.
CHANCES AND TRENDS
The Steelers begin on a three-game winning streak and are a consensus 5.5-point favorite over the Bengals, who have lost four straight since losing quarterback Joe Burrow to a toe injury.
The spread line attracted some pretty significant event action on BetRivers, where Pittsburgh drew 55% of the money and 56% of the total bets. However, there is a much stronger consensus on who will win the game, with the Steelers backed by 73 and 79 percent of the action, respectively, on their moneyline of -275.
Cincinnati’s last 11 games have all been won by the favorite, while eight of the Bengals’ last nine home games have gone over the total point line. This number stands at 44.5 points at BetRivers, with the Over supported by 80% of the money and 56% of the bets.
CHOICE OF ACCESSORIES
–Steelers WR DK Metcalf Anytime TD Scorer (+143 at BetRivers): The first-year Steeler is quickly building chemistry with Rodgers, having scored in each of the last four games. Metcalf also had his best two production games in the last two games, catching five passes for 126 yards in Week 4 and four passes for 95 yards last Sunday.
–Bengals WR Tee Higgins 25+ Receiving Yards (-367 at DraftKings): The passing game received an immediate jolt with Flacco under center, which included Higgins catching a season-high 62 passing yards last Sunday. He’s had at least 25 receiving yards in four of six games early this season, so the short odds aren’t too much of a concern here. The highest risk/reward factor comes with Higgins at 40+ yards (-160), 50+ yards (-102), and 60+ yards (+155).
INTEL INSIDE EDGE
Steelers receivers lead the NFL with an average of 8.7 yards after the catch this season. The Bengals have allowed 5.2 yards after catch per reception to WRs this season (third worst in the NFL). Last season, the Bengals allowed 10 touchdown passes to tight ends.
REWINDING THE SERIES
The Steelers have won 11 straight games in the series from 2015-2020 and hold the all-time advantage over the Bengals, 71-40, including a 2-0 record in the playoffs.
THE BREAKDOWN
Cincinnati acquired Flacco before last week’s trip to Green Bay and immediately installed him as the starter. The Bengals were 2-0 in games started by Burrow, who is on IR with a toe injury.
Jake Browning threw eight interceptions in three-plus games and Cincinnati was 0-3 in his last three starts, prompting the move to acquire Flacco from Cleveland to start for his third different AFC North team (Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns). He threw two touchdown passes in his debut last week and it’s fair to say Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t thrilled to learn he’d be seeing Flacco for the 26th time in his career (the first 22 as a member of the rival Ravens and last September when Flacco replaced an injured Anthony Richardson with the Indianapolis Colts).
Rodgers may not have been the MVP-level quarterback decades ago, but he mostly found success in a career reset with the Steelers. He enters Week 7 with 63,973 career regular season passing yards and is just 115 yards behind former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (64,088 passing yards), who is currently fifth all-time in regular season passing yards. Cincinnati was hit early and often with big plays, especially in the passing game. The 43 assists allowed by the Bengals since the start of the 2024 season are second-worst in the NFL.
Pittsburgh’s offseason investments on the other side of the ball are boosting the secondary. CB Jalen Ramsey gets a one-on-one matchup with Ja’Marr Chase, Flacco’s clear No. 1 target, as the Bengals try to find a spark in the running game. Chase caught his 50th career TD last week and his 2,176 receiving yards since the start of the 2024 season lead the NFL. Although his numbers are down from a superhuman 2024 effort, Chase is averaging seven catches per game, tied for third in the league.
RB Chase Brown’s average of 2.7 yards per carry and 1.5 yards after contact ranks in the bottom five of 43 NFL qualifying backs in the league.
THEY SAID IT
–“It’s reasonable to expect him to be significantly better in Week 2. He’s been in the ballpark with them. They’ve been in the ballpark with him. They understand his behavior, how he handles circumstances. I imagine they worked hard a week ago to develop timing and cohesion.” –Tomlin
–“That’s one thing (the media) can’t talk about this week in terms of my age, at least, but it’s pretty cool. Aaron’s been in the league a few years longer than me, but we both started playing in 2008, so it’s been a while. It’s pretty cool.” –Flacco
INJURY REPORT
Cincinnati leader Trey Hendrickson suffered a back contusion and did not return after going out in the final minute of the first half at Green Bay. He was listed as questionable on the final injury report, but is not expected to play.
The Bengals should get a key piece of their defense back as rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart, the 17th overall pick in April, is expected to play after missing the last four games with an ankle injury, according to defensive coordinator Al Golden. Stewart practiced both days this week.
Cincinnati, however, could be without tight ends Mike Gesicki (pectoral) and Tanner Hudson (concussion). Both missed practice Tuesday.
For the Steelers, safety and special teams captain Miles Killebrew suffered a “significant” knee injury against Cleveland, said Tomlin, who ruled him out for Thursday’s game.
PREDICTION
Flacco has breathed some life into the Bengals’ offense, but the Steelers can kick a lying dog while he’s down and further distance themselves atop the AFC North with a convincing road victory. Pittsburgh’s offense is finding its rhythm and can control field position while dominating the clock with Cincinnati’s ground game ranking 31st in the NFL, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. -Steelers 30, Bengals 20
–Field level media
