SportsQuest
All games

Week 10, Sun, Nov 15, 8:20 PM local

Pittsburgh Steelersat Cincinnati Bengals

Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati. Fly into CVG.

Build the quest

The matchup

Form, ESPN's model and the stat leaders
Form

The Steelers are 2-2 after 4 games, 4th in the AFC North.

They are 0-2 on the road.

The Bengals are 2-1 after 3 games, 3rd in the AFC North.

They are 1-0 at home.

What we know about Paycor Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • The Banks. 8 min by walk. The Banks is not a parking lot area. It is the part of town that ties Cincinnati together. Builders put it on the old Riverfront Stadium site. It sits between Paycor Stadium and downtown, so you can walk to both. The AC Hotel at The Banks is 0.4 miles from the stadium. The Bengals run their own pregame party here, Pregame at The Banks, on Freedom Way between Race Street and Joe Nuxhall Way. Yard House, Moerlein Lager House, Ruth's Chris and Taste of Belgium are all here.
  • Downtown Cincinnati. 12 min. walk, or free Connector streetcar to the Second and Main stop. More hotel choices than The Banks. Hyatt Regency is 0.3 miles away. Hilton Netherland Plaza is 0.4 miles away. The Connector streetcar links both to The Banks and Over-the-Rhine, free every day. It is a five-block walk to the stadium.
  • Over-the-Rhine. free Connector streetcar to Second and Main, then a four-block walk. This is the best bar and restaurant district in the city. It is why Cincinnati is worth a Saturday night, not just a quick game trip. The free Connector streetcar loop runs down to The Banks. It costs nothing to ride in and out.
  • Covington, Kentucky. TANK Southbank Shuttle ($1) or walk the Roebling Suspension Bridge. Most visiting fans miss this money-saver. Covington sits right across the Ohio River from the stadium. Hotel rates run lower here than on the Ohio side. The TANK Southbank Shuttle connects it to Cincinnati for $1 a ride. You can also walk the Roebling Suspension Bridge. The sidewalk is narrow and can get crowded with fans.

Around the stadium

From a specialist guide
The Banks is a built-for-walking bar, restaurant and hotel district. It sits right between Paycor Stadium and Great American Ball Park, with hotels inside it. In Cincinnati, staying near the stadium means staying in the city too.

Getting in from the airport

From a specialist guide
CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is a 26-minute ride on the TANK 2X Airporter bus to Government Square / 5th at Elm in downtown Cincinnati.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
Walk from downtown or The Banks, about 12 min. The stadium sits on the riverfront at the west end of The Banks. Downtown hotels are a five-block walk away. Cincinnati Connector (Cincinnati Bell Connector). The nearest stop is Second and Main. It is about a four-block walk to the stadium. Cincinnati Metro. The Bengals mark the Metro drop-off as under Second Street in the Transit Center, right by the stadium. TANK 2X Airporter, about 26 min. It drops you at 5th at Elm and Government Square, in the middle of downtown. Walk from there or take the free streetcar.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Cincinnati works well without a car on gameday. The club runs Pregame at The Banks on Freedom Way, between Race Street and Joe Nuxhall Way. It includes the Bengals Jungle Zone and the Bud Light Tailgate Zone, with music, food, drinks, and giveaways. It sits on a public street, so you can walk right in. It opens at 10 a.m. for most 1 p.m. kickoffs. For the Nov 15 Steelers and Dec 31 Ravens games, it opens at 4 p.m. For the Dec 13 Chiefs game, it opens at noon. Regular tailgating is allowed in all Bengals parking lots around Paycor Stadium, but that part needs a car. Pregame at The Banks, Bengals Jungle Zone and Bud Light Tailgate Zone sit on Freedom Way between Race Street and Joe Nuxhall Way. Entry price is not listed on the official page, so confirm before you go. It opens at 10 a.m. for most games. For the Nov 15 Steelers and Dec 31 Ravens games, it opens at 4 p.m. For the Dec 13 Chiefs game, it opens at noon. The Bengals fan guide says the zone starts 3 hours before kickoff.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Each person may bring one clear bag, plastic, vinyl or PVC, no bigger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches. A one-gallon clear freezer bag also works. You can add a small clutch purse up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. This applies to children too. Diapers and wipes can go in a clear bag, but diaper bags are not allowed. Medical bags are allowed for the patient after inspection.
  • Re-entry: Leaving the stadium before or during the game means no return entry. The only exception is a medical emergency.
  • Prohibited items: No outside food or drink, except for proven medical or dietary needs. No bottles or cans except sealed water. No umbrellas, strollers, chairs or coolers. No camera lenses over 6 inches, video cameras or tripods. No noisemakers, e-cigarettes, lighters, aerosol cans or drones.

Touring the stadium

Checked at the source
Paycor Stadium tours are suspended during construction. When running, tours cost $20 for adults and $18 for kids and seniors. Tours last about an hour. Groups cap at 20 guests per slot. Book online when tours resume.

After the final whistle

From a specialist guide
Bengals parking closes two hours after the game. Evening tailgating must end by midnight. If you have no car, leaving is easy. Just walk back into The Banks, where the post-game bars are anyway. No official clearance time is published.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Skip hotels near CVG airport. It sits in Kentucky, 26 minutes out, a bad spot after a night game. Lots right by the stadium are permit-only. A hotel that advertises stadium parking is solving a problem you don't have.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • Kitty's Sports Grill

    218 W 3rd St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

    Kitty's sits closest to Paycor's gates. It's closed Mondays but opens at 9 a.m.

    Away fans: mostly home fans.

  • Holy Grail Tavern & Grille

    161 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202

    Holy Grail opened around 2011 under owner Jim Moehring and has anchored The Banks ever since. It's an official Bengals Bar and once received a playoff game ball.

    Away fans: mixed crowd, open to all fans.

  • O'Malley's In The Alley

    25 W Ogden Place, Cincinnati, OH 45202

    O'Malley's opened in 1892, Cincinnati's second-oldest bar, once known as Ogden's Place and The Hideaway. It sits down an alley, easy to miss, under an original pressed-tin ceiling.

    Away fans: mixed crowd, a downtown local spot.

  • Rhinehaus

    119 E 12th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (Over-the-Rhine)

    Rhinehaus is Over-the-Rhine's original sports bar, a narrow shotgun-style room run by co-owner Aaron Kohlhepp. It has 14 TVs and a projector.

    Away fans: mostly home fans, the real home for Bengals fan culture.

Sidequests in Cincinnati

In the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Eat65 points

    Camp Washington Chili

    Chili parlor since 1940, named a James Beard American Regional Classic. Open almost around the clock, Monday 8am to Saturday 4pm, closed Sunday. Menu runs 3-, 4- and 5-ways, coneys, goetta, breakfast.

    $. The day before

  2. Landmark65 points

    Findlay Market

    Ohio's oldest continuously running public market, in Over-the-Rhine, with more than 50 full-time merchants. Saturday 8am to 6pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm, farmers market both mornings. Closed Monday.

    Free. The day before

  3. Landmark65 points

    National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

    Museum on the riverfront at The Banks, between both stadiums. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, last entry 4:30pm. Adults $21.50, kids 3 to 12 $18.50.

    $$. The day before

  4. Eat65 points

    Skyline Chili 3-way

    Cincinnati chili chain since 1949: spaghetti under secret-recipe chili and shredded cheddar, or a cheese coney on a steamed bun. The 4th Street spot sits a short walk uphill from the stadium.

    $. The day before

  5. Tailgate65 points

    Pregame at The Banks

    Free street party on Freedom Way between Race Street and Joe Nuxhall Way before every Bengals home game, starting 10am for most 1pm kickoffs. Jungle Zone, Bud Light Tailgate Zone, live music, food, drink.

    Free. 3 hours before kickoff

  6. Drink25 points

    The Holy Grail Tavern and Grille

    Sports tavern at The Banks, between Paycor Stadium and Great American Ball Park, loaded with TVs. Open Sunday 11am to 11pm, closed Mondays except on Reds or Bengals game days.

    $$. 2 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  7. Drink25 points

    Tin Roof at The Banks

    Bar next to Great American Ball Park, steps from Paycor Stadium. On Bengals Sundays game audio plays through the bar, with NFL Sunday Ticket, smash burgers, live music after the final whistle.

    $$. 2 hours before kickoff

  8. Ritual25 points

    Walk in over the Roebling Suspension Bridge

    John A. Roebling's 1867 bridge, main span 1,057 feet, links Covington, Kentucky to the Cincinnati riverfront. It has carried walkers since it opened; stay in Covington and walk across to the stadium.

    Free. 2 hours before kickoff

  9. Outing40 points

    Carol Ann's Carousel

    Glass-enclosed carousel in Smale Riverfront Park, 44 Cincinnati-themed creatures by artist Jonathan Queen. Rides start at $2; September to March it runs Friday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm, open before a 1pm kickoff.

    $. 2 hours before kickoff

  10. Photo25 points

    Porch swings at Smale Riverfront Park

    The 40-acre park along the Ohio River, between Paycor Stadium and Great American Ball Park, has oversized porch swings on the promenade. Fountains too, and a clear view of the Roebling Bridge for photos.

    Free. 1 hour 40 minutes before kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of Paycor Stadium sits, and what you see from it.

100 level, end zone100 level, corner, home side100 level, home sideline100 level, corner, home side100 level, end zone100 level, corner, visitor side100 level, visitor sideline100 level, corner, visitor side200 level, end zone200 level, corner, home side200 level, home sideline200 level, corner, home side200 level, end zone200 level, corner, visitor side200 level, visitor sideline200 level, corner, visitor side300 level, end zone300 level, corner, home side300 level, home sideline300 level, corner, home side300 level, end zone300 level, corner, visitor side300 level, visitor sideline300 level, corner, visitor sideHomeVisitors
100 level200 level300 levelTap any part of the stadium to see its view.