The NFL enters week 8 with some intriguing matchups none better than the Steelers heading to Paul Brown Stadium to take on the Bengals in a huge AFC showdown.

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati has turned into one of the better feuds in the NFL the last few years, but it will be lacking a few things when the teams play each other for the first time this season.

The Steelers won’t have big mouth linebacker Joey Porter or coach Bill Cowher to rile up the Bengals, and Cincinnati won’t bring a winning record into the game.

The two teams were suppose to compete, along with the Baltimore Ravens, for the AFC North title. But the Bengals enter the game 2-4. The Steelers cling to a half-game lead in the AFC North on Baltimore and one game on the Cleveland Browns.

Pittsburgh once looked to be the No. 3 team in the division; instead, it’s taken the early lead. The Steelers can take a big step toward solidifying their hold on first the next three weeks because they play at Cincinnati and then are home to Baltimore and Cleveland.

Last season, the teams again split by winning in each other’s stadium, with Pittsburgh providing the knockout blow to Cincinnati’s playoff chances with an overtime victory in the final game of the season.

It’s crunch time in for the Bengals. The Bengals, coming of a 38-31 win over the NY Jets, have a chance to salvage their season with a victory over the first place Steelers.

The Bengals, considered by many to be a legite playoff contender with a chance to make a run deep in the playoffs, are playing in their second must win game of the season. If the Bengals play like they did in their first desperation game against Kansas City this year, they might as well start reserving tee-times on the day after their season finale against the Dolphins in Miami on December 30th. The Chiefs embarrassed the Bengals, 27-20, in a game not as close as the score indicated.

The Bengals might not make the playoffs this season but the team golf outing scheduled on New Year’s Eve in South Florida won’t be from lack of effort Sunday against the Steelers.

Look for Carson Palmer to have a big day hooking up with Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh as the Bengals win a wild one in Cincinnati, 37-31.

5 Star Pick of the Week (1-2): Indianapolis (-6 1/2) @ Carolina.

4 Star Picks of the Week (5-4): San Diego (-9 1/2) vs Houston, Chicago (-5) vs Detroit, NY Giants (-9 1/2) @ Miami (London).

Rest of the Week (14-13-2): St. Louis (+3) vs Cleveland, Tennessee (-7) vs Oakland, Philadelphia (-1) @ Minnesota, Cincinnati (+3 1/2) vs Pittsburgh, New York Jets (-3) vs Buffalo, Tampa Bay (-3 1/2) vs Jacksonville, New Orleans (-1) @ San Francisco, Washington (+17) @ New England, and Green Bay (+3) @ Denver.

These predictions are based on NFL lines posted at 9pm Central Time on Friday, October 26th.