Joe Flacco was coming off a 470-yard passing performance against the Bears, his first game playing on a sprained AC joint in his throwing arm. However, it was the Steelers defense and backup quarterback Mason Rudolph who stole the show in the second half after Pittsburgh lost Aaron Rodgers and starting running back Jaylen Warren to injuries in the third quarter.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Offensive letdown
Flacco probably was due for a little dose of reality after putting the Bengals on his injured shoulder two weeks ago in a loss to the Chicago Bears. He did everything needed to put Cincinnati in position to win the previous two games, even after spraining his AC joint, and this time, the defense was doing its part and not getting the help it needed from the offense.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The interception, which Kyle Dugger returned 74 yards for a touchdown, came with the Bengals trailing 13-9 and approaching scoring position in the third quarter. Cincinnati bounced back the next drive but settled for a field goal, to make it 20-12, and Pittsburgh didn’t let up.
After the Steelers made it 27-12 with a touchdown the next drive, Noah Fant then fumbled at the end of a 5-yard catch, and James Pierre returned that one for a touchdown as well.
Flacco, still playing on an injured shoulder, completed 23 of 40 passes for 199 yards and one touchdown with one interception. The Steelers defense played its usual physical game and also contained the two-headed monster of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and even with Chase Brown rushing for 99 yards, the offense came up short.
The Steelers, despite missing corner Darius Slay, had allowed Chase to rack up a franchise-record 16 receptions in the first meeting, but held him to three catches for 30 yards Sunday. Higgins had 63 yards and a touchdown but only three receptions as well.
2. Defense improved?
The defense did make strides after two historically bad performances going into the bye last week. It was a defensive battle for both teams until the pick-6.
Then, the Bengals retreated to old habits and got beat by Pittsburgh’s backup quarterback, who completed 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown after Aaron Rodgers was knocked out with a hand injury that had him questionable to return at halftime. He never did, but Rudolph did the job.
Pittsburgh also was without top running back Jaylen Warren after he suffered a leg injury early in the third quarter. Kenneth Gainwell and rookie Kaleb Johnson, a Hamilton High School graduate, stepped up to finish the game.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Steelers finished with 343 yards, including 111 yards rushing, but it was a better showing by the Bengals defense, which had surrendered more than 500 yards in each of the previous two games. Cincinnati forced punts on three straight drives after giving up a touchdown on the opening possession and trailed just 10-6 at halftime.
The Bengals also managed to get some pressure on Aaron Rodgers with Myles Murphy and B.J. Hill combining on an 11-yard sack in the second quarter. That was the lone sack in the gamebook. They also were flagged with two roughing the passer penalties in the first half, which might have resulted in Rodgers’ left hand injury.
3. More cause for concern
Aside from the Bengals missing on a chance to draw within a game of the Steelers in the AFC North race, they also now need to be concerned about the possibility of losing Chase to suspension.
Chase and safety Jalen Ramsey got into a scuffle with 12:54 left and Ramsey ended up ejected after punching Chase. However, Ramsey told Pittsburgh media that Chase had spit on him, and although Chase denied that claim, video surfaced on social media that seemed to back up Ramsey’s version of the story.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL said it would be reviewing the situation. Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was suspended one game after spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 1.
Cincinnati hosts the New England Patriots (9-2) on Nov. 23, and the Patriots have won eight straight games.
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