The Pittsburgh Steelers are spending this weekend off, and if history is any guide, that could pay off next Sunday night. Head Coach Mike McCarthy is 12-5 in the game right after his team's bye week, according to Steelers.com's Bob Labriola.
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Mike McCarthy during Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
That record covers his time with the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, and he will try to add to it when the 6-2 Steelers visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 15.
Labriola, answering fan questions in Thursday's Asked and Answered, also pointed out that the franchise has a strong history coming out of the bye. The Steelers are 25-12 in the game after their bye, including 13-3 at home and 12-9 on the road.
"Coach Mike McCarthy is 12-5 in the week after his team has a bye, and the Steelers are 3-3 vs. the Bengals in Cincinnati since Joe Burrow was drafted No. 1 overall in 2020," Labriola wrote. "The Bengals are No. 1 in the NFL in points per game, but the Steelers defense is No. 2 in the NFL in points per game allowed."
The road part is the one that matters next week. Pittsburgh's trip to Cincinnati will be its first game since beating the Cleveland Browns 27-6 on Nov. 1.
McCarthy handled this bye differently than the league requires. Labriola noted that the collective bargaining agreement only requires teams to give players four straight days off during the bye, but McCarthy gave them the entire week.
That is a notable decision from a first-year head coach on a team that has won four straight games. McCarthy is betting that fresh legs in mid-November are worth more than a few extra practices, especially for a roster that has played eight straight weeks, including a trip to Paris.
It also comes with a challenge. The Steelers will have to get back up to speed quickly once they return to the facility, with a primetime divisional game waiting at the end of the week.
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Jaylen Warren runs the ball for the Steelers during a home win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The opponent is a tough one. The Bengals are 5-2 and right behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North, and they play the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, Spain, on Sunday before flying home to host the Steelers. Pittsburgh already beat Cincinnati once this season, winning 30-27 at Acrisure Stadium in Week 3, with running back Jaylen Warren and the run game playing a big role.
Winning in Cincinnati has been harder. Labriola noted that the Steelers are 3-3 against the Bengals in Cincinnati since Joe Burrow was drafted No. 1 overall in 2020. That is about as even as it gets, and it is a reminder that the post-bye numbers only go so far.
SteelerNation has already looked at what could make this matchup tricky, and Burrow at home in primetime is never an easy assignment.
Timing Of Steelers' Bye Week Truly Matters
The stakes are clear. A win would give the Steelers a season sweep of the Bengals and a firm grip on first place in the AFC North. A loss could hand first place to Cincinnati, depending on how the Bengals do in Madrid.
The Steelers also have a busy stretch after that. They visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 22 and host the Denver Broncos on Friday, Nov. 27. Getting off to a good start after the bye would set the tone for the rest of the season.
McCarthy's history suggests his teams usually come out of the break ready to play. Aaron Rodgers was under center for many of those post-bye wins in Green Bay, and the bye has given the coaching staff time to look at the issues in the passing game that have come up during the first half of the season.
A 12-5 record does not win a game on its own. But if McCarthy's approach to the bye works the way it usually has, the Steelers should walk into Cincinnati rested and ready for one of the biggest games of their season.
This story was produced with the help of AI and reviewed by SteelerNation editors.
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