The Bengals’ last chance for redemption is the Browns on Monday Night Football

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The postseason comes early for the Cincinnati Bengals as the Browns go toe-to-toe with a defensive juggernaut. Here are the keys to Week 13’s games.

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7)

Sunday, December 1st at Paycor Stadium, 1 p.m

Last chance: The Bengals have yet to beat a team with a winning record. No matter how impressive QB Joe Burrow was with MVP-caliber numbers or NFL top receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the losses just keep mounting. While Cincinnati has been very close to a big win (Chiefs, Commanders, Ravens twice, Chargers), every game has slipped through the fingers of the defense, despite the team scoring 31.4 points per game in those losses.

And therein lies the problem. The Bengals defense ranks in the bottom ten of the league in total yards allowed per game, as well as first downs allowed, third down conversion rate, fourth down conversion rate and takeaways. Things have gotten worse in the last three weeks. The Bengals D have allowed 31 points per game, second worst in the league.

What can a Burrow do to get better? Believe it or not, it’s possible thanks in part to the return of Tee Higgins in Week 11. In the weeks Higgins plays, the Bengals are 3-3. He returned in impressive fashion in Week 10 with nine receptions, 148 yards and a touchdown. Looking at a full season, his numbers suggest he has the third-most receiving yards in the league behind Chase and Vikings WR Justin Jefferson. After two soft tissue injuries kept him off the field for five games, a healthy Higgins will go a long way in giving the Bengals a fighting chance.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could also support Cincinnati’s venture. One of the worst red zone teams in the league, ranked 30th^Th The Steelers are trending downward at 44.7 percent and have been at 40 percent in the last three games. The Bengals’ failure to score 20 points over the last two weeks against a porous Ravens secondary and the under-pressure Browns should give the Bengals confidence going into a win-win situation must.

Statistics to watch: Evan McPherson’s problems continue after he missed two field goals against the Chargers. He is 3-for-7 from beyond 50 yards and hasn’t made a shot from distance since Sept. 29, missing his last four attempts.

line: Bengals 2 ½. O/U: 47 ½.

forecast: With their backs against the wall, the team is mathematically as good as eliminated with another defeat. Bengals, 24-23.

Cleveland Browns (3-8) vs. Denver Broncos (7-5)

Monday, December 2nd at Empower Field at Mile High, 8:15 p.m

The snow: In a long list of traumatic, bitter and just plain sad moments in Cleveland sports – The Drive, Fumble, Decision, Shot, Shot II, Walk Off… etc. – the Browns prevailed in a season-saving moment for both teams and QB Jameis Winston, who won his first game in temperatures below 40 degrees, and in a snowstorm in the second half. While the Browns are far from a playoff team, defeating the Steelers three weeks after toppling the Ravens gives Cleveland hope that the team may not be as far away from the 2023 postseason roster as initially thought.

Winston and WR Jerry Jeudy have developed a solid connection over the past four weeks, averaging six completions for nearly 95 yards per game over that span. Jeudy’s yardage over the last four games is more than half of his total season output through 11 games. Likewise, TE David Njoku has made 75 percent of his total catches (40) and caught 30 balls for 256 yards in the last five games. The duo certainly made up for the loss of Amari Cooper, but they face two players who will help make the Broncos one of the best pass defenses in the league.

According to Pro Football Focus, cornerback Patrick Surtain II has allowed fewer than 25 yards in seven of 10 games this season, making it perhaps Jeudy’s biggest challenge this season. And LB Nik Bonitto is one of four players in the league with at least 10 sacks this season (tied with Myles Garrett). His knack for sacks could lock Njoku to help chip or double-team the edge rusher, limiting his targets against the Broncos, who are allowing the second-fewest points per game (16.8) in the NFL.

line: Broncos 5 ½. O/U: 41 ½.

forecast: No frills or thrills in this game, which will simply be titled “A Loss.” Broncos win ugly, 19-16.