• Can't lose this one. Just can't. Forget any impact on standings. Just can't get sent reeling into the playoffs and realistically expect any rebound.

• If Joe Burrow's allowed to become cozy in the pocket, all other factors are erased. So that means either that players who haven't been penetrating the backfield need to resume doing so -- T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig -- or Teryl Austin and Mike Tomlin need to come clean that they never even installed a significant blitz package this past summer.

• I've seen the Bengals' recent film, and their defense has, indeed, improved. But improvement above a sub-zero level isn't much, and there still won't be much of an obstacle out there. Except, of course, all of Arthur Smith's static calls on first and second downs.

• Not one touchdown on the opening possession. All season. Not even against this opponent. Easily the offense's defining statistic to date: First quarters are optional. They exist only to begin wearing down the other guys for real attempts at offense later.

• Moves I'd make: 

1. Jaylen Warren all-the-way affirmed as RB1 over Najee Harris

2. Beanie Bishop getting this game to regain the nickel groove at Cam Sutton's expense

3. Mike Williams over Van Jefferson in every conceivable setting

Number of those moves that'll even get considered, much less made: Zero

• It's more important to be right than to change, adjust or simply tinker. Never forget that.

• There are those across the Nation who'd give up anything for a god-like quarterback in the Burrow mold. And I'm not sure I'd be any different, if presented with the possibility. Expect to be discussing/debating this for months to come, actually, if all this keeps disintegrating as it has. You know, the trade-T.J.-Watt-for-the-highest-pick topic, the complete kaboom-level rebuild. Well, bear this in mind: Burrow's been brilliant, but the Bengals have had one serious run at a ring, and that's been it. What's more, if they lose Tee Higgins this spring, as expected, there might never be another. So the dream scenario isn't always that.

• The Steelers were never as awesome as 10-3, never as awful as the 0-3 that followed. They're somewhere in between, probably closer to the former. But that still isn't enough, and the principal reason's that the offensive line never really got any better. There was never going to be a workaround for that.

• Is it OK to hope that Justin Fields sees some action tonight? Not to be gimmicky, but to help win the game, first and foremost, in addition to ensure he's not insanely rusty if needed in the playoffs. And also, honestly, because I just flat-out wouldn't mind seeing more. Let's not pretend this won't be the most massive decision management makes over the offseason.

• I'm aware of the various scenarios at quarterback toward 2025 -- limited free agents, even more limited locks in the draft -- and I'm still leery of considering three years at $100 million for Russell Wilson's age 37, 38 and 39 seasons. Not when he's still approaching the game as if he's 26 and thinking he can escape pressure the way Fields can. That'll only worsen.

• The Browns aren't beating the Ravens. Go walk the dog this afternoon.

• This isn't unsalvageable. It really isn't, and I don't mean to give off that vibe today. But a lot of stuff would have to retake a trajectory that's been basically lost for a month and, from there, a friendly first-round matchup would need to align, like, oh, say, Houston. And all of this cumulatively, would have to involve one hell of a hard U-turn.