CINCINNATI — Fresh off his 36th birthday, Russell Wilson looked as good as ever during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 44-38 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers’ veteran quarterback threw for a season-high 414 yards that included touchdown passes to George Pickens, Calvin Austin III and Pat Freiermuth as Pittsburgh’s offense managed to win a shootout against Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ high-scoring offense. Wilson shook off a pick-six on the Steelers’ first possession to throw for 257 yards in the first half, as Pittsburgh turned a 21-14 deficit into a 27-21 halftime lead.
Cincinnati briefly regained momentum after Joseph Ossai blocked Chris Boswell’s field goal try early in the second half. But the Steelers responded with consecutive touchdowns: Wilson’s touchdown pass to Freiermuth and rookie linebacker Payton Wilson’s score off of Nick Herbig’s strip-sack of Burrow that gave Pittsburgh a 41-24 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Burrow didn’t quit, though, leading Cincinnati on consecutive drives that ended in touchdown passes. But it was too little too late for the Bengals, who are now 4-8 and on the cusp of playoff elimination. Conversely, the Steelers improved to 9-3 and remain in front of second-place Baltimore in the AFC North division standings.
Here’s a closer look at how the Steelers won their third straight game in the Queen City.
Why the Steelers won
Pittsburgh’s offense proved it could go toe-to-toe with the Bengals’ sixth-ranked scoring offense. The Steelers’ offense also took full advantage of a subpar Bengals defense that was playing without starters Logan Wilson and Sheldon Rankins.
Wilson was vintage Wilson, but he received help from Najee Harris, who shook off an upset stomach to amass more than 125 all-purpose yards that included his game-tying touchdown run midway through the second quarter. Backup running back Cordarrelle Patterson also made several big plays in the first half.
Defensively, the Steelers harassed Burrow in the second half after Burrow had made them pay by extending plays in the first half. The Steelers’ defense was led by Watt and defensive tackle Cam Hayward, who had a sack and a deflection that led to Donte Jackson’s interception.
Why the Bengals lost
Thanksgiving might be over, but the Bengals were in a giving mood during Sunday’s blowout loss that moved them further to the brink of playoff elimination. After getting a pick-six to start the game, the Bengals turned the ball over three times, with two of those turnovers resulting in scores by the Steelers.
Burrow was incredible again (sans his turnovers), throwing for 309 yards and three touchdowns. But the Bengals’ offense was one-dimensional in the second half despite Chase Brown’s considerable success in the first half that included his touchdown run that gave Cincinnati a 14-7 lead after one quarter.
Once again, the Bengals’ defense was run over, around, and through by the opposition. Cincinnati’s defense has been an issue all year, and it will undoubtedly be a focus of the Bengals’ front office this offseason.
Turning point
The Steelers and Bengals traded touchdowns on five consecutive drives before Watt’s strip-sack of Burrow late in the first half. The turnover set up Boswell’s go-ahead field goal, and the Steelers never trailed again from that point forward.
Play of the game
While both teams combined to score 82 points, the play of the game was recorded by Pittsburgh’s defense when Herbig’s forced fumble set up Wilson’s game-winning score. Herbig has stepped up in the absence of injured starter Alex Highsmith.
Quotable
“Thanksgiving, Pat (Freiermuth’s) girlfriend, Jill made some fine-ass, little banana thing, and I had too much. I guess I didn’t know that it affected me until that first drive.” — Harris explaining what led to him missing a series during the first half
What’s next
Pittsburgh will play in its fourth of four consecutive games against divisional foes when it hosts Cleveland next Sunday. The Browns shocked the Steelers when the teams faced off amid heavy snow back in Week 12. Cincinnati will travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys next Monday night. The Bengals have lost five straight against the Cowboys, with their last win coming way back in 2004.
Read the full article here