Steelers come out of the bye at 6-2 with three questions to answer before the Bengals rematch

The Pittsburgh Steelers come out of their bye at 6-2. They lead the AFC North and have won four straight. The rest of the season will show whether that start is a real contender or a fast first half that fades. USA TODAY Sports points to three issues for Mike McCarthy's first Pittsburgh team: whether Jaylen Warren can keep producing, whether Aaron Rodgers can threaten defenses downfield and whether Patrick Graham's bend-don't-break defense holds.

Warren drives the offense. USA TODAY reports that the fifth-year back ranks third in the league in scrimmage yards (998) and sixth in rushing (704). Pro Football Focus grades the line fifth in run blocking. Rookie right tackle Max Iheanachor has started since Week 3 and helped lift the group. Opponents have seen enough tape to load the box against Warren, though, and that shifts more of the burden to the quarterback.

Rodgers turns 43 on Dec. 2, and the passing game has stayed short during the winning streak. In the overtime win at Tampa Bay, his average depth of target was 4.2 yards. He still got the ball out quickly to Germie Bernard and DK Metcalf, who each caught 11 passes. USA TODAY notes that his average depth of target was at least 10 yards in the three games Michael Pittman Jr. played. Pittman and Roman Wilson are now both on injured reserve. NFL.com called it a run-first offense with an inefficient passing attack. In the 27-6 win over Cleveland, Pittsburgh went 4-of-11 on third down and kicked two field goals from the red zone. Rodgers was not worried. "We're right where we want to be," he told reporters, according to NFL.com.

The defense has taken away the run and invited opponents to throw underneath, and recent opponents have done that. Tyler Shough and Deshaun Watson averaged 301 passing yards over the last two games, but neither could finish drives. Shough threw an interception in the red zone in Paris, and the Steelers sacked Watson eight times. Pittsburgh has allowed 57 points during the four-game streak, an average of about 14 per game.

What it means in Cincinnati

The first test comes Sunday, Nov. 15, at Cincinnati on NBC. Pittsburgh won the first meeting 30-27 at home in Week 3, and NFL.com cited that game as one of Rodgers' best of the season. Away from home, the Steelers are 1-2. They lost 20-3 at New England and 27-24 at Cleveland, and they won 26-19 at Tampa Bay. Every other game has been at home or in Paris, and they are 5-0 in those. For the season, Pittsburgh has outscored opponents 180-144.

Cincinnati is favored across the board for this game, which lists 10 venues. Novig has the Bengals at -178 on the moneyline and the Steelers at +174. The spread is Bengals -3.5 almost everywhere. Hard Rock Bet has the best price on the Bengals side at -105, one cent better than Novig's -106. On the Steelers side, Novig prices +3.5 at -102. theScore Bet is the only listed venue offering +4, at -115. Sportsbook hold on the spread ranges from 2.9% to 5.0%.

The total is 47.5, with Novig at -104 on the over and -100 on the under. The first meeting produced 57 points. Three of Pittsburgh's last four games stayed below 47.5, and the 34-22 win over Indianapolis was the only one to go over.