Steelers and Bengals Play for First Place on Sunday Night

Sunday night gets the game it was promised. The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) visit the Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) at Paycor Stadium with sole possession of first place in the AFC North as the prize. Kickoff is 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. Both teams have won four straight. It's the second meeting of the season between them, and the standings say it's the biggest.

Cincinnati's case is its quarterback. Joe Burrow is playing the best football of his career — he leads the league in completion percentage at 74 percent and in touchdown passes with 23, and last week he went 24 of 29 for 271 yards and three touchdowns. With Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both producing, the Bengals' offense scores in bunches and dares you to keep up.

Pittsburgh's case is everything Burrow has to solve. The Steelers allow 18 points a game, tied for fourth in the league, and their 26 sacks are tied for fourth too. Aaron Rodgers doesn't need to outduel Burrow; he needs to keep Pittsburgh close enough for the defense and the fourth quarter to do their work. They've also had the week off, while Cincinnati played last week in Spain — the rest edge is real, and in a game this even it might be the edge.

The winner is 7-2 and alone in first with the season's second half opening. The loser is 6-3 and chasing. Division races are usually decided in December; this one gets a head start in November, under the lights, in a stadium that will sound like it.

This story updates live once the game kicks off and closes as the game's full summary at the final whistle.