Charles Barkley has predicted a convincing victory for the Cincinnati Bengals in their upcoming AFC North rivalry game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The former basketball star shared his outlook during a recent appearance on CBS Sports, as noted by SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Barkley expressed confidence in the current form of Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow.
During the segment, he told former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher that “Joe Burrow is on fire right now” according to the NFL on CBS.
Barkley further emphasized his expectation for the matchup by stating, “I think that’s gotta be a beat down.”
The Bengals enter the contest riding a four-game winning streak, having scored at least 30 points in each of those outings.
Despite the offensive success, Barkley noted that the team still has defensive questions to answer before they can be considered complete.
He mentioned that while the offense is performing well, “they got to get better defensively” as reported by SportsNet Pittsburgh.
The Steelers also enter the game with a four-game winning streak and a 6-2 record, matching the Bengals at the top of the division.
Pittsburgh previously defeated Cincinnati 30-27 in Week 3, a game decided by a late strip-sack of Burrow, per records from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers benefit from a Week 9 bye, providing extra preparation time, whereas the Bengals recently returned from an international win against the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid, according to the Cincinnati Bengals.
With both teams tied in the standings, the outcome of this divisional showdown will have significant implications for the AFC North race.
While Barkley expects the Bengals to overwhelm their opponent, the Steelers remain focused on leveraging their recent momentum and the defensive pressure that has resulted in 26 sacks this season.