The Pittsburgh Steelers are hosting the Cincinnati Bengals today in a do-or-die game. If the Steelers lose, their playoff chances will drop to near-impossible lows and they will have a chance to be eliminated from playoff contention prior to kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks next week. Their fate will rest in the hands of sixth year QB Mason Rudolph as he was promoted to the primary backup after Mitch Trubisky’s struggles last week.
The Bengals also have a key player unavailable to them in WR Ja’Marr Chase, not to mention DT D.J. Reader who was placed on season-ending IR recently. Both teams are featuring backup quarterbacks, but Bengals QB Jake Browning has a handful of games under his belt at this point. He has performed very well since his first start against the Steelers. Rudolph on the other hand is coming in with just one drive of starting experience this season.
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Steelers Inactive:
QB Kenny Pickett
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
S Trenton Thompson
CB Darius Rush
OT Dylan Cook
ILB Blake Martinez
DL DeMarvin Leal
Bengals Inactive:
WR Ja’Marr Chase
TE Irv Smith Jr.
RB Chris Evans
DT Travis Bell
LB Devin Harper
OT D’Ante Smith
OL Trey Hill
The Steelers won the coin toss, but elected to defer. The defense will start the game on the field.
START OF GAME
The kickoff resulted in a touchback.
On 1st and 10, Joe Mixon off left tackle tackled for no gain. 2nd and 10, Jake Browning complete to Mixon for 9 yards on a screen. 3rd and 1, Browning complete to Adrei Iosivas for 7 yards.
1st and 10, Browning complete to Mixon for a loss of two with Mykal Walker making the tackle. 2nd and 12, incomplete pass to Tanner Hudson, nearly intercepted by Levi Wallace. 3rd and 12, complete to Drew Sample for 8 yards. The punt was fair caught by Calvin Austin III at the Pittsburgh 8-yard line.
1st and 10, Mason Rudolph pitched it to Najee Harris for 6 yards up the middle. 2nd and 4, Rudolph short pass to George Pickens who broke away for an 86-yard touchdown! You cannot make this stuff up. 7-0 Steelers.
On 1st and 10, Mixon up the middle for 1 yard. 2nd and 9, Browning complete to Trent Irwin for 6 yards. 3rd and 3, Browning complete to Tee Higgins for 23 yards.
1st and 10, Chase Brown up the middle for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, Browning tossed the ball up under pressure. The ball was in the air forever, but somehow completed to Iosivas for 12 yards.
1st and 10, Browning complete to Mitchell Wilcox for 6 yards. 2nd and 4, complete to Tyler Boyd for 6 yards.
1st and 10, in the red zone, Mixon off left tackle for 1 yard stopped by Mark Robinson. 2nd and 9, Browning incomplete over the middle to Iosivas. 3rd and 9, Browning tried to throw it away, but it was barely in play and Patrick Peterson intercepted the ball.
1st and 10 from the 20 after the interception touchback, Harris up the middle for about 7. 2nd and 3, Rudodlph complete to Allen Robinson II for 12 yards.
1st and 10, Jaylen Warren up the middle for 3. 2nd and 7, Harris off left tackle for 2 yards. 3rd and 5, Rudolph complete to Warren who ran it for 18 yards.
1st and 10, Warren off right tackle for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, Rudolph complete to Robinson for 14 yards along the left sideline. The Steelers called their first timeout to prevent a delay of game.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for 13 yards with a nice block by Pat Freiermuth to spring him free.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 7-0 STEELERS
1st and goal, Rudolph dumped the ball off to Robinson for a loss of one. 2nd and goal, Austin end around for 7 yards and a touchdown! Warren laid a key block as the lead blocker there. 14-0 Steelers.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Browning incomplete to Mixon with the Steelers sniffing out the screen early. 2nd and 10, another screen and Chandon Sullivan was immediately there to tackle the catch for a one yard loss. The Bengals call their first timeout. 3rd and 11, T.J. Watt nearly sacked Browning, fell to the ground, got back up and strip sacked the quarterback. Tremendous second effort. The Bengals recovered and their punt was downed at the Pittsburgh 48-yard line.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for 9 yards. 2nd and 1, Harris up the middle for 2 to convert.
1st and 10, Rudolph threw his first incompletion of the game tossing it out of bounds. 2nd and 10, Rudolph tossed it deep to Austin, but didn’t get enough under it. That would have been another touchdown to Austin. Probably should have been pass interference as well. 3rd and 10, a check down to Warren for a loss. Pressley Harvin III’s punt went 42 yards and downed at the 7.
1st and 10, Browning complete to Iosivas for 6 yards. Elandon Roberts down injured. The inside linebackers are already thin. If Roberts is unable to return it will be Myles Jack and Mark Robinson in the middle. Roberts also wears the green dot for sideline communication, so that might be an issue. 2nd and 4, Chase Brown for 3 yards. 3rd and 1, Mixon up the middle for 2 yards to convert.
1st and 10, Eric Rowe intercepted Browning. His first game active with the team after spending a month on the practice squad and already making huge plays.
1st and 10 in the red zone, Rudolph incomplete to Diontae Johnson on his first target of the game. 2nd and 10, Harris up the middle for 4 yards. Trey Hendrickson injured for the Bengals on the sideline. 3rd and 6, Rudolph scrambled, stiff armed a defender and lowered his shoulder to convert.
1st and goal from the 3, Harris up the middle for a touchdown. 21-0 Steelers.
1st and 10, Chase Brown up the middle for 4 yards. 2nd and 6, Browning complete to Boyd over the middle for a 29-yard catch-and-run.
1st and 10, Browning back to Boyd for 14 yards.
1st and 10, Browning complete to Irwin for 9 yards tackled by Jack and Walker. 2nd and 1 from the 5-yard line, Browning complete to Irwin for no gain. Joey Porter Jr. made the great tackle to force third down. 3rd and 1, Mixon up the middle for no gain. The spot is under review. The ruling on the field stands. 4th and inches, incomplete pass in the end zone with Porter in coverage. Turnover on downs!
1st and 10 from their own 5, Rudolph complete to Warren in the flat for 9 yards.
TWO MINUTE WARNING
Warren off right tackle for 2 yards to convert on 2nd and 1.
1st and 10, Rudolph threw the ball away under pressure. 2nd and 10, incomplete with a slightly off-target pass to Pickens. 3rd and 10, Rudolph complete to Johnson for 10 yards to convert.
1st and 10, Dan Moore Jr. called for holding. Tomlin is heated because that was definitely not a hold. It might be time to run this thing and kill the clock to go to the half. 1st and 20, incomplete to Warren over the middle. 2nd and 20, complete to Johnson over the middle for 5 yards. Third timeout called by the Bengals. 3rd and 15, deep pass to Pickens and called complete. The play is under review, but the slowed down angles look good. The catch stands. Pickens already has 130 yards.
1st and 10, Rudolph complete to Warren for 5 yards. 2nd and 5, incomplete to Pickens along the sideline. He probably should have caught that. 3rd and 5, complete to Pickens, but he fumbled and ended up behind the line of scrimmage. Boswell coming in to attempt a 50-yard field goal. The kick is good. 24-0 Steelers.
END OF HALF: 24-0 STEELERS
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