Steelers 4 Downs: Mason Rudolph will benefit from the Bengals’ big-play pass defense.
Do you recall Mason Rudolph’s 67-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opening preseason game this year? It demonstrated Rudolph’s ability to throw a deep ball with accuracy. And the Steelers may be able to take advantage of it on Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals defense, who have a history of giving up big passing plays, in Rudolph’s 2023 regular-season debut.
No team in the NFL has allowed more “explosive” plays—defined as runs of 10 yards or more or passes of 20 yards or more—than the Bengals, whom the Steelers meet at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. This information was gathered by former analytics staff member Arjun Menon of the New York Jets. Cincinnati’s rivals have completed 56 passes of at least 20 yards, which is the third-highest number in the league.
9.7% of the passes made against the Bengals are completed with a gain of at least 20 yards. Four weeks ago, the Steelers had four receptions that lasted at least that long when they played in Cincinnati.
The Bengals’ defense is second-worst in the NFL in terms of opponent yards per pass attempt (7.0) and yards per completion (11.4), so this is no coincidence. The Bengals are the only team that has permitted opponents to have an average pass target depth of 9.6 yards downfield.
The Bengals have given up the most plays of at least 20 yards (70) of any team this season, taking into account both rushes and passing plays.
Diontae Johnson (39 yards), George Pickens (43 yards), and tight end Pat Freiermuth (29 yards) all recorded their second-longest receptions of the season during the Steelers’ victory at Cincinnati on November 26.
