Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown didn’t have much success against the Bengals last season as he caught seven passes for 97 yards in two matchups with Cincinnati.
The Bengals had cornerback Adam Jones in the lineup for each of those games, but it looks like they will be going without him when the Bengals take on the Steelers this Sunday. Jones has been listed as doubtful with a back injury that kept him from practicing each of the last two days.
That could turn out to be a good thing for Brown, who heads into the game as the league’s leader in both receptions and receiving yards. The Steelers also have running back Le’Veon Bell coming off a big game against a Bengals defense that had two strong outings before taking a bye last week.
Cincinnati listed rookie wide receiver John Ross as questionable with a knee injury, but he practiced every day this week and may be ready for his second appearance of the season as a result. If that can help the Bengals put some points on the board, any missing defensive pieces may not loom quite as large.