The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to 3-7 on the season following a 37-30 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.
Offensively, the Steelers put together their strongest output of the season. However, defensively, they couldn’t stop Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense. Despite forcing two interceptions, Pittsburgh gave up 355 yards and 4 touchdowns to Burrow, who led Cincinnati to the victory and improving to 6-4 on the season, just one game behind the AFC North division-leading Baltimore Ravens.
As for Pittsburgh, it was another example of a failure to put all phases of the game together for 60 minutes, resulting in their seventh loss already this season.
After the teams traded field goals to the open the game, Cincinnati scored its first touchdown on a 29 yard pass from Burrow to Samaje Perine. Pittsburgh answered right back on their next drive, capped off by a 19 yard touchdown run by Najee Harris. But Burrow and Perine connected again, this time from 11 yards out, making it 17-10.
Kenny Pickett through his one and only touchdown pass late in the second quarter – a 24 yard toss to George Pickens to tie the game. In the final minute, the Steelers added a 30 yard field to take the lead, 20-17, into the locker room.
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the Bengals took control in the second half and didn’t look back. They took the lead in the third, capping a 59 yard drive with Burrow’s third touchdown pass of the game, a one-yarder to Trenton Irwin to make it 24-20. Pittsburgh answered with a field goal, cutting it to 24-23, to which Cincinnati answered with a field goal of its own, making it 27-23.
The Bengals shut the door on the Steelers’ chances in the fourth quarter, as Burrow and Perine connected for the third time in the end zone, a 6 yard touchdown to make it 34-23. A field goal made it 37-23, and despite a long touchdown drive capped by Harris’s second score of the day, the Steelers came up short once again.
This was a tough loss for the Steelers. There have been a few games in which they had a chance to come away with the victory, and those hurt a lot more than the blowout losses they had this season against the likes of the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. The Steelers are now 3-7 on the year, and will not and should not be seen as a favorite in many, if any, games remaining on their schedule.
Next up for Pittsburgh is the Indianapolis Colts, who sit at 4-6-1 after almost pulling off an upset over the Eagles on Sunday.
Overall Record: 3-7
