Russell Wilson threw for 414 yards and the Steelers defense forced three turnovers to come away with a key divisional win over the Cincinnati Bengals in a 44-38 shootout at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. The win clinched another non-losing season for the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin, continuing his streak since he took over in 2017. It’s Pittsburgh’s 21st straight non-losing season.
The Steelers won the toss and deferred, so Cincinnati got the ball to open the game, and the Steelers defense started off strong by forcing a three-and-out. But Pittsburgh’s first offensive drive ended in disaster. After a positive start, Russell Wilson threw to WR George Pickens, who got pulled down on the play and it was intercepted by CB Cam Taylor-Britt, who took it back 51 yards for a touchdown and the Bengals took a 7-0 lead with 11:49 left following Evan McPherson’s extra point. There could’ve potentially been a flag on the play due to the contact to Pickens’ head, but there wasn’t anything called.
Pittsburgh’s offense got right to work following the pick-six, with RB Najee Harris going 27 yards on a catch-and-run on 3rd and 2 to move the Steelers into Cincinnati territory. Pittsburgh moved to the Cincinnati 17 on another reception by Harris, and the next play the Steelers punched it in on a 17-yard reception by Pickens. Boswell’s extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 7:41 left to play.
Pittsburgh’s defense fell victim to RB Chase Brown on Cincinnati’s second drive though, as Brown followed up a 13-yard run to move the Bengals to the Pittsburgh 41 with a 40-yard run to get the Bengals within a yard of the goal line. He punched it in on the next play, and McPherson’s extra point gave the Bengals a 14-7 lead with 5:01 left in the first quarter.
Again though, Pittsburgh’s offense looked to have an answer, picking up a first down to get across midfield on a completion to TE Darnell Washington, and then RB Cordarrelle Patterson broke off a 12-yard run to move the Steelers to the Cincinnati 25. Two plays later, Wilson hit WR Calvin Austin III in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown on the first play of the second half and the Steelers tied things up at 14-14 after Boswell’s extra point with 14:56 left in the first half.
The Bengals quickly moved into Pittsburgh territory on their ensuing drive, and an 18-yard completion to TE Mike Gesicki moved them to the Pittsburgh 18. A pass interference penalty against CB Joey Porter Jr. in the end zone moved Cincinnati inside the five, and QB Joe Burrow hit WR Ja’Marr Chase for a four-yard touchdown two plays later and Cincinnati took a 21-14 lead with 9:52 left in the first half.
Pittsburgh quickly put together a response, going 68 yards on five plays in 2:33. Pittsburgh was aided by two Cincinnati penalties, but RB Najee Harris capped the drive off with a 10-yard touchdown run to tie things up at 21-21 with 7:19 left in the second quarter.
The Steelers defense finally came through with a splash play, as OLB T.J. Watt got a strip-sack on Burrow with the Cincinnati offense threatening.
OLB Preston Smith recovered the fumble, and Pittsburgh quickly moved into Cincinnati territory on a screen pass to RB Jaylen Warren that went for 29 yards. Pittsburgh wound up settling for a 50-yard Boswell field goal, but they took the lead at 24-21 with 3:31 left in the first half.
After forcing a stop, the Steelers were able to drive down the field and get another Boswell field goal before the end of the half, as he hit from 34 yards as time expired at the end of the second half to give the Steelers a 27-21 lead.
Pittsburgh got the ball to start the second half, and looked to get inside the red zone on a 36-yard completion to WR George Pickens, but Pickens was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play and the Steelers moved back 15 yards to the Cincinnati 28. On 3rd and 8 later in the drive, Wilson flipped it to TE MyCole Pruitt but he was short of the sticks, and the Steelers turned to Boswell for his third straight field goal attempt. But his 42-yard attempt was blocked, and the Bengals took over at their own 32.
Cincinnati would manage a field goal to cut the Pittsburgh lead to 27-24. Pittsburgh had a chance to get them off the field on 3rd and 21 but Cincinnati converted on a 31-yard completion to WR Tee Higgins. The Steelers’ defense played well in the red zone though, getting a third down sack on Burrow to force the field goal.
The Steelers offense again had no issues moving the ball, with a 20-yard run by Harris on the second offensive play moving them to their own 48, and then they got into Cincinnati territory on a 22-yard pass to WR Ben Skowronek. Two plays after that, Wilson hit TE Pat Freiermuth for a 25-yard touchdown and the Steelers took a 34-24 lead after Boswell’s extra point with 22 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Pittsburgh defense forced another turnover with CB Donte Jackson picking off a tipped pass with 13:29 left to play, and the Steelers took over at their own 47.
The Steelers wouldn’t capitalize off the turnover though as they punted with 12:50 left, and P Corliss Waitman’s 38-yard punt pinned the Bengals at their own 11. The Steelers defense again came through, with OLB Nick Herbig stripping Burrow and getting the sack, while LB Payton Wilson took the fumble back for a touchdown and the Steelers lead grew to 41-24 with 11:06 left in the game.
Joey Porter Jr.’s fourth penalty of the game came in the end zone against WR Tee Higgins, and the Bengals had a first and goal at the one-yard line. Higgins would catch a touchdown two plays later, and Cincinnati cut the lead to 41-31 after McPherson’s extra point with 8:39 left.
On a key 3rd and 9 with 6:30 left in the game, Wilson found WR Van Jefferson open downfield for a gain of 43 yards that moved the Steelers to the Cincinnati 15. The Steelers would add another three points on Boswell’s third field goal of the game, this one from 30 yards out, and the Pittsburgh lead grew to 44-31 with 3:53 left.
The game wasn’t over though, as a 50-yard reception to WR Ja’Marr Chase had the Bengals inside the Pittsburgh five-yard line. Porter dropped an interception on the next play, and the Bengals converted with a touchdown pass to WR Andrei Iosivas, and the lead was cut to 44-38 with 2:39 left. Cincinnati attempted an onside kick, and TE Connor Heyward recovered, so the Steelers would take over at the Cincinnati 46 with 2:38 remaining.
The Steelers would win the game on a 3rd and 4 read option keeper by Justin Fields, and the Steelers moved to 9-3 with the win. Cincinnati dropped to 4-8. The Steelers will return to Acrisure Stadium next week for a rematch with the Cleveland Browns.
