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Steelers Offense Comes Alive in Win Over Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers smothered the Bengals' rookie quarterback and pulled out a crucial division win.

Stephen Thompson

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PITTSBURGH -- With a new offensive coordinator and play-caller leading the offense, the Pittsburgh Steelers gained more than 400 total yards for the first time in almost three years and the defense suffocated the Cincinnati Bengals' first-time starting quarterback Jake Browning on the way to a 16-10 victory on the road at Paycor Stadium. 

The Bengals won the toss and deferred, giving Kenny Pickett and the Steelers offense the ball first. With the first play of the Eddie Faulkner era went for a 24-yard pass up the middle of the field to tight end Pat Freiermuth, playing in his first game since returning from injury. But the Steelers gained just five more yards on their next three plays and had to punt. 

The Steelers defense forced a punt when T.J. Watt rudely welcomed Bengals quarterback Jake Browning to his first career start with a crushing sack on third and long. 

After another punt, the Steelers continued to move the ball quickly and efficiently downfield. Pickett and Freiermuth connected for another big gain up the seam and Pickett almost had a touchdown connection with Diontae Johnson, but the officials ruled that he dropped the pass in the back of the endzone. 

Things went from bad to worse for the Steelers on the ensuing play as Jaylen Warren fumbled in the redzone and gave the Bengals the ball back at their own 39-yard line after a long return from D.J. Turner. But Cincinnati failed to cash in the turnover for any points. 

Pittsburgh's next possession set up the first score of the ball game. After a 20-yard "angry" run by Najee Harris, Pickett connected with Johnson for a 39-yard reception. Three plays later, Chris Boswell put the first points up on the board, kicking a 41-yard field goal. 

The Bengals responded and got on the board with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Browning to Drew Sample up the left sideline to take a 7-3 lead with 10:36 left to play in the first half. Jamar Chase's juggling 31-yard reception set up the redzone score. 

After consecutive scoring drives, both sides traded punts on the next three possessions, bringing the Bengals offense onto the field with 3:12 left and a chance to add to their lead before halftime. Backed up on his own 11-yard line, Browning pulled a Houdini act and escaped pressure from Chandon Sullivan before lofting a 25-yard pass to Trenton Irwin, a gain that was extended by a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on Watt. 

But the Steelers defense held firm around midfield, just outside of field goal range, thanks to a fine pass deflection from Joey Porter Jr. And after Brad Robbins booted his fourth kick into the endzone, the Steelers took the ball at the 20-yard line with 1:38 left until halftime. 

MORE: Steelers Hit Historic Mark Without Matt Canada 

Pickett found his safety blanket, Freiermuth for a pair of first down receptions and the Steelers moved up over midfield in just 32 seconds. But a holding penalty on Broderick Jones set them back 10 yards and the offense wasn't able to recover before punting and Cincinnati knelt out the remaining seconds. 

Browning brought the Bengals out of halftime and hit on two big passes - a 16-yard throw to Andre Isovias and a 25-yard gainer to Jamar Chase - to kick off their first drive after the break. But Trenton Thompson stopped Cincinnati right in their tracks with an interception inside the redzone. 

The Steelers took the turnover and cashed it in for seven points at the end of a methodical, 14-play, 79-yard drive that ate up 7:50 of the third quarter. They converted three first downs - all by way of Kenny Pickett's arm - and Najee Harris punched in the score with a five-yard run to give the Steelers a 10-7 lead with 1:34 to go in the third quarter. 

The Bengals, looking to mount a response, couldn't get out of their own way and committed two costly penalties - a holding and a pass interference - as the game turned to the fourth quarter and the Steelers got some help on the way to forcing another punt. 

Pittsburgh again moved methodically down the field, converting two more clutch third down situations - the second on a beautiful 43-yard connection down the sideline from Pickett to Pickens before ultimately stalling inside the redzone and bringing Boswell out for a 34-yard field goal. He made it and extended the Steelers' lead to 13-7 with 8:08 to play in regulation. 

Watt finished off another three-and-out for the Bengals when he ran unblocked for his second sack of the day and, after getting the ball back, the Steelers simply began to lean on their AFC North rivals, gaining three first downs on their first four plays of the drive and forcing the Bengals to burn two key timeouts before kicking a 33-yard field goal that made it a 16-7 game with under three minutes to play. 

The Bengals crawled back into field goal range thanks to a 39-yard catch and run from Joe Mixon and Evan McPhearson converted a 47-yard attempt to make it a one-score game at 16-10 with 2:08 to play. 

Cincinnati lined up for an onside kick, one last gasp at staying alive, but Pickens secured the bouncing ball and the Steelers held the ball in opponent territory at the two-minute warning with their opponent having burned all their timeouts. 

Since Pickens stayed on his feet and ran the final second off before the two-minute warning, he took away the Bengals' final chance to stop the clock and the Steelers were able to kneel out the remainder of the clock and improve to 7-4. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general. 

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