Bengals vs. Steelers predictions: Joe Burrow, Jaylen Warren and a 34-31 final

Joe Burrow accounts for four touchdowns for the fifth straight game

Burrow is on a heater, scoring four or more touchdowns, whether throwing or running, in four straight games. In his last four games against the Steelers, Burrow has thrown 11 touchdowns and four interceptions, topping 275 yards in all four games.

Interestingly, Pittsburgh is a great matchup for Burrow. The Steelers play zone coverage on 84.3% of dropbacks, according to Next Gen Stats, and Burrow is the best quarterback in the NFL against zone by completion percentage, at 74.7%.

Jaylen Warren rushes for 120-plus yards

Warren has become one of the league's most productive running backs this season, ranking sixth in rushing yards and first in yards per carry, at 5.9. Earlier this season against the Bengals, Warren ran for the second-most yards of his season, with 127. Two weeks ago against Cleveland, Warren topped that number with 143 yards. It was the first time all season he rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games.

The Bengals' defense has been inconsistent this season, struggling with tackling some weeks and shutting down opposing offenses and forcing takeaways in others. I think that, coming off a bye, the Steelers catch the Bengals on their back foot and feed Warren, who will have a big game.

Steelers win 34-31

History is not on the Bengals' side in this matchup. After playing an overseas game, teams are 0-5 when their next game comes against a team coming off a bye.

The Steelers are rested, while the Bengals are recovering from nearly a full week in Madrid. A lot is at stake in this game, with the winner taking sole possession of first place in the AFC North.

Pittsburgh doesn't have much momentum, especially on offense, as its best wide receiver, DK Metcalf, has been struggling with drops lately. He has just 378 receiving yards this season and has topped 100 yards just once, with a 115-yard day against Cleveland earlier this season. Metcalf had just one catch for 4 yards on six targets against the Browns.

The Steelers hit a snag at the right time, giving themselves a week to figure things out. I think the Steelers pick up a big win, halting the Bengals' momentum and getting a massive tiebreaker.

Pittsburgh has done a relatively good job of keeping a cap on Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins over the last couple of seasons. Outside of Chase's massive 16-catch, 161-yard game with Joe Flacco at quarterback last season, neither has topped 100 yards in their last four meetings.