Bengals are talking about the D, Minkah and Pickens

The Steelers open the season against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium, a key AFC North game right out of the gates.

“I think every game in this division has that feel to it,” said Bengals coach Zac Taylor. “There’s not added importance, because they’re all important. Your easiest path to the playoffs is to be dominant in your division, so it starts Week 1 with a divisional team at home. We have to take advantage of those opportunities.”

The Bengals are coming off an impressive season, winning the AFC and advancing to Super Bowl LVI, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. They have made some changes in the offseason, but also know they will have to adapt to changes the Steelers made as well.

“Obviously there is the element of unknowns,” said Taylor. “They have new players, new coaches. They make tweaks to their scheme. You take that for granted early on that’s going to happen and there are some things you are going to have to be ready for, to adjust that maybe you haven’t seen on tape. Same with us. It goes both ways.”

While the two teams prepare for the game, the Bengals weighed in on the Steelers overall, and also talked Minkah Fitzpatrick, George Pickens and more.

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Coach Zac Taylor on if it helps opening the season against a division rival:
“There is a lot of familiarity back and forth, from them to us, us to them. It doesn’t change the unknown elements, what they might do differently, how they might use their personnel differently. Those are always going to be unknowns. We have a better feel for their personnel, and they have a better feel for our personnel because for the most part it’s largely unchanged on both teams. Shoot, their staff has been there for a long time. Guys on our staff have been here for a long time. So, there is a lot of known elements there.”

Quarterback Joe Burrow on the Steelers defense:
“They have one of the best front sevens in the league. They’re going to get pressure on the quarterback. We’re going to have a good…