“I’ve lost a lot of football games,” Dexter Lawrence said. “It only helped me get better and prepared me for this moment." He's on a new team with big expectations and the chance to be "that guy." "It gives me more edge. It’s fun." charlieschalkboard.substack.…

I was on @espn1530 with @tony_pike15 and @autyelmore previewing Bengals vs. Steelers. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

A pretty identical swing there from Héctor Rodríguez to his splash hit homer last month. He has had some inconsistencies in his first stretch in the big leagues, but he also has that power.

Brady Singer closes out the season with a 5.85 ERA. He said recently, "“I’m just really unhappy with my year,” Singer said. “It’s kind of one of the bigger years I needed to do good. I didn’t. That’s how things go sometimes. I went out there and gave it everything I had every outing. It just didn’t work out.”

Cashius Howell's versatility really stands out when you look at how the Bengals are using him. Lines up on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Has a notable role in the base D and the nickel D. They ask him to drop in coverage, and they ask him to fire toward running backs across the line of scrimmage. He has a role on early downs in the base looks, and they put him on the field in third and very long situations to pin his ears back. Often, he has been Mafe's backup. Late in the game in Houston, the Bengals debuted Mafe rushing inside and Howell on the edge. A fast duo and a good wrinkle in the pass rush plan.

One of the interesting things we'll learn about the Bengals in Pittsburgh is how they match up against 12 personnel. The Bucs and Texans mostly used three receiver sets versus the Bengals. When they did go into 12 personnel, the Bengals typically matched with five down defensive linemen as their base defense. The team’s increased athleticism on the edge (Mafe, Howell, Johnson) makes that a different tool at their disposal this year (the Bengals aren't going 4-3 anymore with Burks), and Mafe, Howell and Johnson can all drop in coverage. That’ll be more of a challenge against a Steelers offense capable of running a lot of their passing game through their tight ends. The Bengals did something very interesting in Houston. There was a Tacario Davis package on a handful of base downs that had Dax Hill in the slot in a big nickel look. From what I could tell, that let the Bengals match up Hill in the slot against the speedy Noel in the slot. Often in Houston, when the Bengals went into that big nickel look, they had five DL and just one linebacker (something like Ced Johnson in the place of Knight and then Tacario Davis in the place of Jalen Davis). In that package in Houston, Tacario Davis did get a one on one rep out wide against the Texans’ tight end (Schultz). Tacario Davis also has a role on some third down/two minute dime looks as a true outside corner (DJ Ivey is the tight end stopper, T. Davis takes the place of Jalen Davis in some matchups). The Bengals had Tacario Davis match up against the 6-foot-3 receiver (Wayne) on those plays. When the Steelers roll out Freiermuth and Washington together this week, do the Bengals stick with five DL? Do they put Tacario in for Jalen and go with a bigger corner group (and do they use that big nickel group with 5 DL like they did last week)? Do they do what the Texans’ defense did against the Bengals’ offense last week when the Bengals were in two tight end sets and trot out a big nickel package that has three safeties — Kyle Dugger could factor in there for the Bengals. The Steelers is a big matchup for DJ Ivey, who factored heavily into the third down plan against the Steelers last year. Ivey has literally never allowed a first down catch to a tight end, but he hasn't had much of an early down role in his career.

A Mahomes-style throw.

Juan Brito leadoff homer off of Chris Sale. Sale literally has the lowest home runs per nine innings allowed in MLB this year.

Francona said Steer will have surgery on his wrist on Wednesday. Doesn’t expect to impact his readiness for spring training.

Andrei Iosivas was playing 57% of the snaps. With him heading to IR, I could see that being made up in the aggregate. Mike Gesicki offers a ton at receiver. I didn’t realize he has only played 33.9% of the snaps so far (most of his alignment has been in the slot, and the Bengals have moved him out wide in the past). Erick All has played 36.3% of the snaps. The Bengals worked a ton on their 12 personnel offense in camp. The Bengals could use the open roster spot to call up Tanner Hudson, who was active Week 1 and had a role but wasn’t active Week 2 because the Bengals didn’t have the space for another call-up with Josh Johnson’s elevation. Dohnte Meyers (equally split alignment so far between the slot and out wide) could get more snaps. Same with Colbie Young, who has only been on the field for eight passing plays so far and just two “real” shotgun drop back passing plays. Ke’Shawn Williams had been a healthy scratch. Noah Thomas is the next outside WR up on the practice squad. Would they bring back Mitch Tinsley?