Chase’s 8-yard diving catch early in the second quarter put the Bengals on the board, cutting down a 10-point deficit, and set the tone for a 33-31 win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night at Paycor Stadium. Evan McPherson made a 35-yard field goal with seven seconds left to win it.
The Bengals (3-4), who scored points on six consecutive drives and seven of the last eight, ended a four-game losing streak and now are just one win behind the Steelers (4-3) for the lead in the AFC North.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Joe Flacco finished with 342 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions and collected his first win in just his second start, four days after comeback efforts in the second half of his debut Sunday at Green Bay came up short. He targeted Chase 23 times for a franchise-record 16 catches and 161 yards and one touchdown, and Chase Brown recorded his first 100-yard rushing performance of the season.
That first touchdown by Chase didn’t just spark the offense. It also ignited a response from the defense, and Cincinnati finally showed for at least a stretch, it could play the complementary football that Taylor had been seeking all season. Jordan Battle and DJ Turner recorded interceptions on back-to-back series, and the Bengals used the momentum swing to score 20 straight points over a four-drive stretch before Pittsburgh could score again.
Battle’s pick, his third of the season, came on the first play from scrimmage after Chase’s touchdown, as Aaron Rodgers -- in the battle of quarterbacks older than 40 -- forced a deep pass intended for D.K. Metcalf into double coverage. His 34-yard return was nullified after review showed he had been down on contact after the catch, but the Bengals offense didn’t need the help.
Chase Brown finally found a burst and ran for 37 yards, and two plays later, Flacco hit Tee Higgins on a 29-yard touchdown pass to give the Bengals’ their first lead since the opening drive of a Week 4 loss at Denver.
Turner came up with the next big play, taking the ball away from D.K. Metcalf as he was making what would have been a 14-yard catch, and the Bengals got a 49-yard field goal from McPherson on the ensuing drive, as time expired to end the first half.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Bengals then converted a key fourth down on the first possession of the second half when Flacco ran up the middle for a two-yard gain after Andrei Iosivas came up just short of the goal line on a third-down reception. They made it to the 5-yard line but settled for a field goal again to extend their lead to 20-10.
From there, it was a back-and-forth shootout. Pittsburgh responded with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Pat Freiermuth on their first drive of the second half, but the Bengals didn’t let up, even as the defense seemed to hit a wall in the fourth quarter.
Tight end Noah Fant, playing a significant role with Mike Gesicki on injured reserve and Tanner Hudson in concussion protocol, caught his first touchdown pass since Week 1 to rebuild a 10-point cushion. The Steelers again had an answer to trim their deficit to 27-24 with about 11 minutes left, and McPherson added a 45-yard field goal before Cincinnati’s defense got a third-down stop with 5:25 remaining that could have sealed it right then.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Instead, Cincinnati punted for the first time since the first quarter and Pittsburgh took advantage to regain a brief lead when Rodgers hit Freiermuth wide open for a 68-yard touchdown to make it 31-30 with 2:21 left.
Chase’s 16th catch proved to be a big one, moving Cincinnati to the 37-yard line before Higgins’ 28-yard reception put them inside the 10. Taylor used up as much of the clock as he could before McPherson came on for his game-winning field goal, ending a perfect four-field goal day for the fifth-year kicker.
The Bengals notably were playing without defensive end Trey Hendrickson, due to a hip injury, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, who was a healthy scratch as a coach’s decision.
About the Author