The Pittsburgh Steelers don't have any time to catch their breath following their Week 9 bye.

Not only do the Steelers have to tend to business ahead of the November 10 trade deadline, but they also are preparing for a Sunday Night Football showdown on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals, much like Pittsburgh, have won four games in a row. The two teams are now tied atop the AFC North at 6-2 as a result, and this week's bout could very well end up dictating who takes the division crown by the end of the year.

While the Steelers came away with a 30-27 win over Cincinnati in Week 3, sweeping the season series will be much easier said than done considering they're heading into a hostile environment in primetime.

This Isn't The Same Steelers Team From Years Past

Just two years ago, Pittsburgh also made waves around the league with a 6-2 start before entering Week 15 with a 10-3 record after Russell Wilson won six of his first seven starts for the team upon returning midseason from a calf injury.

Then, the entire foundation crumbled. The Steelers finished the regular season on a four-game losing streak, squandering the AFC North in the process, and fell to the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Some parallels have been drawn between the 2024 team and this year's Pittsburgh squad, though that doesn't feel fair.

Not only do the Steelers have an entirely new coaching staff headed by Mike McCarthy, but their defense is playing at a truly elite level under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, as evidenced by the fact that they have allowed the seventh-fewest yards (305.6) and fourth-fewest points (18.0) points per game in addition to being tied for the third-most sacks in the league with 26.

The passing game is still a bit spotty at times and struggles to generate explosive plays, though Aaron Rodgers is playing about as well as he has in several years, while the offensive line is quickly becoming one of the NFL's more impressive units.

Jaylen Warren has been nothing short of spectacular too, with 998 yards and three touchdowns from scrimmage in what could potentially develop into an All-Pro type of season for the 28-year-old.

All of that is to say that this is the most complete team Pittsburgh has put on the field in quite some time, though this week's matchup with the Bengals is arguably its toughest test yet.

Steelers Could Take Firm Control of AFC North

The Bengals are one of the league's hottest teams alongside Pittsburgh, and it's just about impossible to shut down their passing attack led by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Though the Steelers defeated Cincinnati in Week 3, Burrow still threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bengals are averaging the second-most points per game (30.0) for a reason, and it all comes down to that aforementioned trio since they have what's essentially a nonexistent run game.

Cincinnati feels like a pretty solid matchup for the Steelers because of how well the latter's defense has performed, and Pittsburgh has only lost on the road to the Bengals three times since 2014, but coming away with a victory this week won't be easy.

If the Steelers do win, though, they'd be a game up on Cincinnati while owning a 3-1 record in the division and emerging as the favorites to win the AFC North for a second-straight season.

On the flip side, though, a Bengals victory could spell trouble for Pittsburgh since it would be a game back and move to 2-2 in the division.

These are the types of wins the Steelers need to pick up if they want to be considered legitimate contenders in the AFC. They've already proven they have what it takes to hand a loss to Cincinnati this year, and while repeating that outcome will take an all-around effort on the road, doing so would help prove that Pittsburgh is for real and here to stay this season.