Bengals: Still alive!

Bengals 19 Steelers 17

The Bengals are still alive! Barely. For the moment, at least. They’ve won five straight. They won a second straight one score game. They clinched a winning season (9-8). Now they’ll wait until late Sunday afternoon, needing a Dolphins loss/tied and Broncos loss to clinch the final playoff spot. 

The defense rose up for a final second 4th down stop at the Steelers 40 yard line, aided on the drive by another Trey Hendrickson sack (3.5). 

The ride: They led 10-0 after their first two drives. 13-7 at the half. 19-7 in the 4th. 

It was 19-14 when the defense forced a three and out with 5:24 left. But the punt inadvertently bounced off DJ Ivey who was in punt coverage and Pittsburgh recovered. A FG made it 19-17 with 2:39 remaining. The Bengals went three and out and punted at 2:00 mark. 

Offense:

Fast start. 10 points on first two drives. But red zone struggles: 1 for 4.  

Marched 9 plays/73 yards for opening drive TD (Burrow-Chase). 1st opening drive vs Steelers in last 25 meetings (ESPN)

Joe Burrow: 37-46-277. 12-12 start, TD, INT, 4 sacks. Quick/short passes. Constant heat. Driven, facemask first, into the ground, shaken. Checked for concussion. Jake Browning warmed. Burrow returned. 

OL: 3 sacks, 4 penalties. Cody Ford started at RT for Amarius Mims, Cordell Volson moved back in at LG. Mims entered late 3rd QT. Then left late for Ford. 

21 Steelers appeared on the defensive stat sheet. TJ Watt did not. No tackles. No sacks.

Ja’Marr Chase: 10-96. 17th TD ties Carl Pickens for franchise record. 

Tee Higgins: 4-53, left (ankle) early 4th QT. left (ankle) early 4th QT. 

Khalil Herbert: The trade deadline pickup had 83 total yards from scrimmage in an emergency start....20-69, 7 catches/14 yards.  

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Defense:

Defense last night: 17 points, 137 passing, 193 total yards.

Defense last meeting: 44 points, 414 passing, 520 total yards.

Trey Hendrickson 3.5. NFL best 17.5. No Bengal has led the NFL for a season since the stat became official in 1982.

Russell Wilson: 5 completions until a 4th QT TD drive with 6 completions.  

Down 10-0 2nd QT, Steelers found life and momentum/13 play TD drive: Josh Newton victimized on 25-yard 3rd & 11 completion, CTB 3rd down PI, CTB 3rd & goal at 6 PI. 

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Special Teams: 

Akeem Davis-Gaither recovered PR fumble forced by Heyward 2:46 left in half. 

Isaiah Williams, in place of Jermaine Burton, returned four kickoffs for an average of 33.3 yards....including 39 & 43 yard returns. He'd had one kick return this year, with the Lions.

Cade York 4 FG, including 48 yard FG 

Vonn Bell nice clean-up tackle on KR