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PITTSBURGH -- Straight from the practice field to the locker room to game day, here are a few game-planning options for the Pittsburgh Steelers for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Martavis Bryant's role: Here's what we know: Bryant confirmed multiple big plays in this week's practices and feels good about his role in the offense after he proved productive this week. The Steelers are prepared to go to him with a variety of potential big plays in the open field or in the red zone if the situation is right. Bryant is fifth on the team in red zone targets this season with three, while Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Le'Veon Bell have a combined 16 targets. So there's acknowledgment internally that Bryant's skill set can help the team in this area. Last week, the Steelers took Bryant off the field for some red-zone sets, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said this week that the offense has Bryant-centered red zone plays it hasn't run yet. Overall, the emergence of Smith-Schuster as an all-around player and the Steelers' run-heavy packages probably won't leave Bryant on the field every snap. But expect Bryant and Smith-Schuster to remain the primary receiving options beyond Brown.  Two tight ends: The Steelers think the Jesse James-Vance McDonald tandem made progress last week in Kansas City and are prepared to use them together for run support and safety valve-type passes over the middle. McDonald struggled with drops early in the season, but the Steelers believe he's over that. Xavier Grimble was inactive last week but could be up this week. For all the talk about the Steelers' passing game taking flight, the offensive identity lies more with the run. The best way to try to slow Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins is by running on him and avoiding third-and-longs. Tight ends are crucial for the Steelers since right tackle Marcus Gilbert's injury forces Chris Hubbard into a starting role instead of as a third tackle for jumbo packages.
Rebound: Roethlisberger has 175 touchdown passes at Heinz Field for his career. He'll be motivated to perform better Sunday after his disastrous previous home game of zero touchdowns and five interceptions against Jacksonville. All about Green: Cornerbacks Joe Haden and Artie Burns expect to see plenty of A.J. Green on their sides of the field. "Slot, left, right, backfield -- A.J. will be everywhere," Burns said. Haden had success against Green while in Cleveland, which held the Bengals wideout to six games of less than 60 yards from 2011 to '14. Blitzburgh back: The Steelers were rarely blitzing by the midpoint of last season, but with more depth across the board, Pittsburgh is more willing to send help this season. The Steelers still want to get organic pressure with four rushers (typically two defensive ends and two outside linebackers), but inside linebacker Vince Williams leads the team with four sacks. Nine different Steelers have at least one sack, amounting to a second-ranked 20 sacks through six games. "I play for the Pittsburgh Steelers," Williams said. "We're all pass-rushers."
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