Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Could Find Openings In A Bengals Secondary Still Searching For Jessie Bates' Replacement

The Pittsburgh Steelers will face a Cincinnati Bengals secondary on Sunday Night Football that is still trying to settle one of its most important spots, and it comes with a former Bengals star back in the news this weekend.

Safety Jessie Bates III left Cincinnati for the Atlanta Falcons after the 2022 season, and the Bengals face him on Sunday in Madrid. Since he left, Cincinnati has used four different players in his old role, on contracts worth a combined $77.9 million, according to ESPN's Ben Baby, citing OverTheCap.

"In a league with a salary cap, decisions must be made on which players are considered most essential. And after quarterback Joe Burrow and the passing attack proved to be one of the best in the NFL, that's what the Bengals spent their resources on."

Bates has been worth the money for Atlanta. He made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Falcons and is a two-time second-team All-Pro. Cincinnati, meanwhile, is still trying to find the right mix behind its defensive front.

The Bengals are thin at safety heading into this week. Veteran Kyle Dugger has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Falcons with a quad injury, per Pro Football Talk. He did not practice at all this week and has now missed three of Cincinnati's last four games.

That leaves offseason additions of Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle as the starters. Cook signed a three-year deal worth just over $40 million this spring after winning two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs. Battle has been solid in deep coverage but has been targeted often in intermediate zones and has struggled to tackle at times. This could

The Bengals also lost rookie defensive end Cashius Howell, their second-round pick, to Injured Reserve (IR) after wrist surgery. That takes away some pass-rush depth from a defense that already has issues on the back end.

Where Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Can Attack

The numbers point to a clear plan for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It is not the deep ball. The Bengals rank third in the NFL against deep passes, so trying to hit big plays over the top may not be the best approach. It's going to be logical to rely on what has been working in Pittsburgh.

The openings are underneath and in the middle of the field. Cincinnati ranks in the bottom 10 against play-action passes, which fits what the Steelers like to do. Running back Jaylen Warren and the run game force defenses to commit, and that can open up throws in exactly the areas where Battle has been tested.

The Bengals have also allowed nine runs of 20 or more yards and the most rushing yards over expected in the league, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That is good news for a Steelers offense that has run the ball well during its four-game winning streak.

Tight ends could be a big part of the game plan, too. In Cincinnati's 22-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in October, the Jaguars' tight ends caused problems for a secondary that missed tackles and had communication breakdowns. Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington give Rodgers two big targets who can work the middle of the field.

The Steelers already beat the Bengals 30-27 in Week 3. With a week off to prepare and Cincinnati coming home from Madrid, Pittsburgh has a chance to build a game plan around the weak spots in this secondary. SteelerNation has also covered the Bengals' trade buzz heading into this matchup.

None of this means the game will be easy. Joe Burrow and the Bengals are 5-2 and will be playing at home in primetime. But if the Bengals are still shuffling at safety, Rodgers will know where to look.

This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.

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