The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road against an AFC North opponent for the second week in a row. They will also be playing against a backup quarterback for the second week in a row as they look to right the ship from last week’s disappointing loss. There will be a lot of excitement surrounding this offense due to the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada. With RB Coach Eddie Faulkner the interim offensive coordinator and QB Coach Mike Sullivan the play caller, people are expecting improvements. The Cincinnati Bengals’ defense is similar to the Steelers’ in the sense that they allow a lot of yards, but force turnovers to avoid big point totals against them. QB Kenny Pickett will have every opportunity to have a breakout game.
With a loss, the Steelers’ playoff chances are down in the 30-percent range. With a win, it will be 70 percent plus. Yeah, this one is pretty important.
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Steelers Inactives:
QB Mason Rudolph (3rd)
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
DT Montravius Adams
OT Dylan Cook
RB Anthony McFarland Jr.
ILB Blake Martinez
Bengals Inactives:
WR Tee Higgins
RB Chris Evans
CB Cam Taylor-Britt
OL Trey Hill
OL D’Ante Smith
DT Jay Tufele
The Steelers will start the game with the ball after losing the coin toss.
START OF GAME
The opening kickoff resulted in a touchback. Godwin Igwebuike back to receive with Anthony McFarland Jr. a surprise inactive.
The opening offensive play was a middle of the field shot to TE Pat Freiermuth for 24 yards.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris off the right end for 3 yards. 2nd and 7, Pickett to Diontae Johnson for a loss of 5. 3rd and 12, Pickett to Heyward for a gain of 10, but short of the line to gain. They couldn’t overcome the big negative play. Pressley Harvin III punted and Miles Boykin touched the ball from the end zone so its a touchback. They wasted the field position there as it easily could have been pinned at the two yard line.
On 1st and 10, Jake Browning was under heavy pressure and threw the ball away. 2nd and 10, Joe Mixon rushed for 3. 3rd and 7, TJ Watt sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble, but it was recovered by the Bengals. The punt went 46 yars and was returned 12 yards by Calvin Austin III. The Steelers will take over at the Pittsburgh 49-yard line.
On 1st and 10, Pickett to George Pickens for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, a pitch to Jaylen Warren for 4 yards. 3rd and 1, a quick pass to Warren in the flat for 3 yards to convert.
1st and 10, Pickett was sacked by Trey Hendrickson for a loss of 8. 2nd and 18, Najee Harris draw for 5 yards. 3rd and 13, another middle of the field shot to Freiermuth for 29 yards.
1st and 10, Warren up the middle for 4, hit hard to end the play. 2nd and 6, Pickett bailed out of the pocket to buy time and targeted Harris. Defensive pass interference drawn and a smart play by Pickett.
On 1st and 10, Najee Harris went up the middle for 8 yards. 2nd and 2, Pickett to Johnson in the end zone. It seemed like a touchdown, but they called it incomplete. He didn’t survive the ground. 3rd and 2, Warren fumbled trying to fight for extra yardage and recovered by the Bengals. That play should stand after review. Huge bummer that the offense has looked so good on the first two drives and put up zero points. That should be another zero point first quarter for the Steelers. Not what they were looking for with the change, though the offense is doing good things.
On 1st and 10, Browning complete over the middle to Ja’Marr Chase for 11 yards. Pass interference on Joey Porter Jr. declined.
They circled back to the Johnson non-touchdown with Gene Steratore. He said it probably should have been challenged and a touchdown. A huge swing in this game so far.
1st and 10, Mixon up the middle for 1 yard. 2nd and 8, Mixon up the middle for 4. 3rd and 5, false start on the offense. 3rd and 10, Patrick Peterson and Damontae Kazee complete for 6 yards. 4th and 4, they are lining up for it. Delay of game taken. 4th and 9, and the punt went 38 yards fair caught at the 11.
So the score is tied at zero with a little over a minute left in the first quarter. Can the offense keep up the momentum?
1st and 10, Najee Harris carried the entire Bengals defense up the middle for 20 yards. Incredible leg drive there, wow!
1st and 10, Pickett scrambled to the right sideline for 5 yards.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 0-0 EVEN
The Steelers have 120 yards of offense in the first quarter. Still no points due to the bad no-TD call by the refs (and the Steelers failure to challenge,) but still they are gaining yards and Pickett played his best first quarter of the season, possibly his career.
2nd and 5, Warren for 2 yards. 3rd and 3, Pickett to Johnson for 39 yards up the right sideline. Beautiful placement and great job by Johnson to complete it with a strong punch by the defensive back.
1st and 10, Harris stopped at the line of scrimmage for no gain. 2nd and 10, a deep shot to Freiermuth and he got tangled up. No call for interference because it was inadvertent contact. 3rd and 10, Pickett incomplete to Johnson. Chris Boswell nailed the 41-yard field goal. 3-0 Steelers.
Boswell bounced the kickoff and it was returned 46 yards to the 47 yard line. Good starting position for the Bengals.
1st and 10, Browning complete to Tanner Hudson for 6 yards. 2nd and 4, the pass was tipped, but Chase still caught it and ran for 31 yards. The first explosive play of the game for the Bengals.
1st and 10, Browning complete to Mixon for 5 yards. 2nd down, Alex Highsmith nearly batted the pass down, but it made it through complete for a touchdown to Drew Sample. 7-3 Bengals.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback. Pickett and the offense take over from the 25.
1st and 10, Pickett complete to Darnell Washington who fought for 10 yards and a first down.
Jaylen Warren gained 6 yards on the first two downs. 3rd and 4, Pickett and off-target to Johnson. The punt resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Mixon up the middle for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, Browning complete to Wilcox for one yard with TJ Watt crashing down to limit the gain. 3rd and 5, Nick Herbig sacked Browning for 9 yards.
The punt was ran out of bounds as the Pittsburgh 45.
1st and 10, Pickett complete to Freiermuth for 8 yards. 2nd and 2, Harris up the middle for 5 yards.
1st and 10, Harris again for 5 yards off right tackle. 2nd and 5, out to Warren in the flat for a loss of 5, again tackled by Mike Hilton for a loss. 3rd and 10, Pickett under pressure and had to throw the ball away. The punt was fair caught at the 11.
On 1st and 10, Mixon up the middle for 1 yard. On 2nd, Chandon Sullivan should have had the sack, but he missed and it was completed for 25 yards. TJ Watt roughed the passer late to tack on extra yards.
TWO MINUTE WARNING
1st and 10 from the Steelers’ 48, a target to Chase and tipped up in the air. Trenton Thompson had a chance to intercept, but couldn’t quite get there in time. 2nd and 10, complete to Tyler Boyd for 5 yards. Timeout #1 called by Pittsburgh. 3rd and 5, Porter knocked the ball loose intended for Boyd. Great play by the rookie. The punt resulted in a touchback. Just a 23 net-yard punt and the Steelers have time to put together a go-ahead drive to end the half. The Bengals start with the ball in the second half.
1st and 10, a perimeter pass to Johnson who got out of bounds for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, complete to Freiermuth for 11 yards.
1st and 10, complete to Freiermuth again for 16 yards.
1st and 10, Pickett scrambled for 3 yards before sliding. 2nd and 7, complete to Harris for 3 yards, but holding wipes out the gain. 2nd and 17, Pickett skipped the ball off the ground under pressure. 3rd and 17, Warren off right tackle for 9 yards on the delayed handoff. Cincinnati called timeout #1.
The Bengals kneeled to end the half.
END OF HALF: 7-3 BENGALS
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