Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers take on Bengals in division rivalry

No rivalry in the NFL has been more heated or filled with nasty hits, both legal and not -- than Steelers-Bengals. With both teams trending upward in Week 7, this AFC North showdown should be as vicious as ever.

After a 0-3 start, Cincinnati has won its last two games, albeit against the Browns and Bills. The Steelers bounced back from a resounding loss to the Jaguars by handing the Chiefs their first defeat of the season. With only the Browns out of the race for an underwhelming division title, Sunday’s game could be pivotal when it comes to setting January’s playoff field.

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That's bad news for the referees who’ll have to work in Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon. Big games bring out the worst when these two franchises meet. Look no further than the last time they met in the playoffs, where they combined had 18 penalties and Vontaze Burfict's head-hunting shot on Antonio Brown awarded the Steelers all the field position they needed to escape Ohio with a victory.

Burfict, a connoisseur of dirty hits and bad judgment, was quick to point out Pittsburgh's more questionable plays earlier this season. There was one just last week when Steelers safety Mike Mitchell was fined more than $50,000 for hits against the Chiefs.

Knowing this rivalry, there will likely be more fines coming for both teams, but this game will also serve as a good indicator of how the division could play out the remainder of the season.