A very happy stats of the weird. The best kind of weird.
– The Pittsburgh Steelers allowed only three points Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. That’s the fewest points they’ve given up since a 27-0 shutout win over the St. Louis Rams in 2011.
The last time they gave up that few points on a Monday night? Their 3-0 slopfest victory over the Miami Dolphins in 2007.
– That dominance was in large part thanks to the Steelers’ defense. They sacked Andy Dalton eight times. That happened for only the fifth time since Kevin Colbert arrived on scene in 2000. It has happened pretty recently, a 2016 win over the Cleveland Browns. Like Monday night, six Steelers notched at least one sack too. Funny enough, only one Steeler had sacks in both of those games. That was Javon Hargrave.
– The Steelers are on pace for 56 sacks this season, which would match last year’s total. Achieving 60 isn’t out of the question.
– Heading into tonight, James Conner had 167 yards from scrimmage over the first three weeks. Tonight? 125.
– Because of all the shovel passes out of the Wildcat, Jaylen Samuels went 3/3 for 31 yards tonight.
He’s the first non Steelers QB to attempt and complete at least three passes in a game since Tony Dungy in 1977. Dungy, of course, played QB in college.
Samuels eight receptions tonight was an NFL high. His most receptions since September 23rd, 2017, when he caught 12 balls in a 27-21 upset win over #12 Florida State.
– Diontae Johnson has a pair of 40+ yard receiving touchdowns in his first four weeks in the NFL. No other Steelers’ rookie has ever done that. But he’s the third rookie wideout to do it in 2019, joining the Ravens’ Hollywood Brown and Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman.
Only four other Steelers’ receivers in history have accomplished such a feat: Buddy Dial (1963), Gary Ballman (1966), Lynn Swann (1975), and Santonio Holmes (2007). Pretty good company to keep.
– Mason Rudolph went 24/28 tonight, an 85.6% completion percentage. That’s the best completion percentage in Steelers’ history by a rookie or sophomore quarterback, besting Ben Roethlisberger (21/25) in a 2004 win over Dallas.
– Nick Vannett has beaten the Bengals twice this year. Once with Seattle and again last night. Two receptions in both games against them.
– Pittsburgh’s red zone defense has been excellent this year, Patriots’ game included. Opposing offenses are just 5/14, or 35%. Bengals were 0/3 last night.
