A statistical analysis of the Pittsburgh Steelers 42-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
– The Bengals were defeated at home for only the second time in the last two seasons. Coming into today’s matchup, they were 12-1-1.
– The big stat of the day. This was Le’Veon Bell’s third straight game with 200+ yards from scrimmage. He joins Walter Payton as the only player in NFL history to accomplish that. Incredible.
– Ben Roethlisberger threw for 350 yards. It’ the first time in Steelers’ history they’ve had a 300 yard QB and a 185 yard rusher in the game.
– Big Ben now has six games throwing for 350 yards and at least three TDs without throwing a pick. Since the start of his career, only Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees.
– Bell is averaging 6.1 YPC over the last three weeks. 80 carries for 484 yards and four touchdowns.
– From what I was able to tell, Bell’s 484 yards is the most gained by a Steelers’ back over a three week stretch. Jerome Bettis was the previous leader with 460.
– He’s the first runner back to average at least six yards a carry (minimum 10 attempts) three times in a single season since Willie Parker in 2005.
– He went over 2000 yards in his young career.
– Martavis Bryant’s 94 yard touchdown reception was the longest play in the NFL in 2014. It’s the longest play the Steelers have had since October 23rd, 2011 when Mike Wallace hauled in a 95 yard touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
– Bryant is averaging 21.57 yards per catch. If that mark were to hypothetically hold true, it’d the best tenth best number in franchise history and the best since John Stallworth in 1975.
– Matt Spaeth hauled in two passes today. He had two catches since the start of last year up until today.
– One positive defensive stat. In the prior three weeks, the Bengals were 25/44 on 3rd down (56.8%). Today, they were the only 3/11 (27.3%).
– The Steelers have run an astounding 225 plays over the last three games. At least 70 in each. First time the Steelers have run 70 in three straight since Weeks 13-15 of the 2001 season.
– The Steelers had scored 40+ points twice in a season six times. They’ve never done it three times…until 2014.
– In the last four weeks, the Steelers have been penalized just 15 times. They were flagged 44 times in the first four weeks of the year.
– Arthur Moats recorded two sacks while recovering a fumble today. He’s the first Steelers’ defender to do that since Lawrence Timmons in 2012.
– The Steelers allowed an 81 yard touchdown to AJ Green. It marks the fourth straight week the Steelers have been responsible for giving up the opponents’ longest completion of the season. 67 against the New York Jets, 80 versus the Tennessee Titans, 80 against the New Orleans Saints, and 81 versus the Bengals. Truly terrible.
– AJ Green accounted for 68.5% of the Bengals’ passing offense today. He and Kenny Stills made up exactly two-thirds of the passing yards allowed by the Steelers defense in the last two games.
– The Steelers are on pace to give up 392 points this season – fifth most all-time. On the flip side, they’re on track to score 445 points – by far the most points of all-time. Current record is 416 points held in 1979.
