Steelers vs. Bengals 2016, NFL playoff picks and predictions: Experts are split on rivalry matchup

AJ McCarron won plenty of big games during his career at the University of Alabama, which is something the Cincinnati Bengals have been unable to do for well over a decade.

Starting quarterback Andy Dalton won't be able to start Saturday for Cincinnati due to his broken right thumb, though that may be a blessing in disguise given how poorly he's performed in playoff games. Dalton's career passer rating in January is a putrid 57.8.

Despite their questions at quarterback, this remains a very talented Bengals team. Their defense allowed the second-fewest points in the league this season, which means the high-powered Pittsburgh Steelers offense will likely not be able to score at will. That puts the pressure on a mediocre Steelers defense, which allowed the 12th-most yards in the NFL this season.

The Steelers' secondary may have holes, but questions remain whether the Bengals can take advantage of them. Though he's consistently been one of the best receivers in football over the last several years, A.J. Green hasn't caught a touchdown pass in three career playoff contests.

The same doubts don't carry over to the Steelers' offense, which is engineered by the battle-tested Ben Roethlisberger. The 12-year veteran has won two Super Bowl rings and is 10-5 in the postseason.

Roethlisberger led the league in passing yards per game for the second straight year and threw 21 touchdown passes in just 12 contests. This may be the most dangerous receiving corps Roethlisberger has ever had, too, especially given how Antonio Brown has finished the season. He's recorded well over 100 yards receiving in two of his last three games, and broke triple-digits nine times overall this year.