The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for yet another AFC North matchup. In Week 13, the team will take on the Cincinnati Bengals, which will be the third divisional contest in a row for the franchise. Not to mention, it is the second game in a five-week stretch that will see the organization play four on the road. There are plenty of negatives to playing away from home in the NFL, particularly when it comes to a foe that is familiar with your style of play. Another factor that can always become relevant is officiating, and Mike Tomlin and his unit were will have their hands full in Cincinnati.

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Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (middle) speak with an official prior to a 2021 regular season game at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA.

Each week, it’s important to look at the officiating crew that is assigned to the Steelers’ game. In Week 12 against the Cleveland Browns, it was evident that Pittsburgh could have been walking into a disadvantage with Brad Allen in charge. Unfortunately for those rooting for the black and gold, the same reality may hold true as the Steelers prepare to travel to play Cincinnati.

Home teams in the NFL are only winning at about a clip of 51.4%. Allen’s crew entering the Pittsburgh-Cleveland game had a trend going that was seeing home teams win seven out of 10 times. Shawn Hochuli will be in charge on Sunday in Cincinnati, and his group also has seen the home team win 70% of the time in 2024. The worst part is that one of the three teams hosting that lost with Hochuli on the call was the Steelers in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys.

In that contest, Pittsburgh was called for eight penalties that totaled 50 yards. Overall, however, Hochuli’s crew is watching the home team celebrate as the clock expires at a much higher rate than the league average. On top of that, there are roughly 13.6 penalties being called per game when Hochuli is running the show, which is something that also tends to be above the 2024 league average. An AFC North franchise also hasn’t won a game yet this season with Hochuli’s crew in charge.

Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter / X: @JSKO_PHOTO)

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin looks in the distance as his players practice during 2022 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.

Hochuli is averaging about 109 yards in penalties per game in 2024, which is the highest for him since the 2021 campaign. All signs point to a difficult divisional battle with plenty of yellow being thrown all over the field. Fans never want officials to decide games, but it appears as if the flags will be flying at Paycor Stadium when the Steelers take on the Bengals.

The two favorite calls for Hochuli and his crew are false starts (37) and offensive holding (28). As an away team, these penalties specifically are called more often on the offense due to noise, miscommunication and the overall confusion that comes with being in a hostile environment. The top four categories of flags thrown for Hochuli and co. are offensive-focused, which leads one to believe that both defenses may be able to get away with a little bit more handsy play compared to normal.

Officiating is never an excuse for a team at the end of game days. Sure, calls are missed and the referees are humans, which means mistakes are made, but leaving your fate in the hands of someone without pads on is a recipe for disaster. The Steelers seem to be at a disadvantage heading into the game, so overcoming that type of adversity for Tomlin and his group will be critical.

Matt Freed / Post-Gazette

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin holds off former offensive lineman Trai Turner as the two argue with officials during a home game at then-Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA.

Steelers Defense Must Be Careful When Closing In On Joe Burrow

Protecting the quarterback is very important to the league in today’s NFL. Hochuli’s crew has called six roughing the passer penalties, which normally comes from the lead referee himself who stands behind the quarterback. The six flags thrown are the most when it comes to defensive penalties for Hochuli. Joe Burrow will be looking to get the ball out of his hands quickly with Pittsburgh’s pass rush, so it will be imperative not to hit him too late.

Are you worried about the assigned officiating crew for the Steelers’ Week 13 game against the Bengals? Let us know in the comments below!