Notching their ninth win of the season with a 44-38 victory over the Bengals in Cincinnati, the Pittsburgh Steelers once again showcased their uncanny ability to rise to the occasion when the chips are down. But the main difference in Week 13 was that the Steelers offense finally stepped up in a big way, shouldering its end of the bargain and more.

Russell Wilson played undoubtedly his strongest game of the season, showing excellent accuracy and command of the offense, while passing for 414 yards and three TDs. Wilson finished the game with a Quarterback Rating of 80.5, compared to Joe Burrow’s 49.2 QBR. Perhaps most impressively, Wilson utilized 10 different receivers, including four players (George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris) who each notched for more than 50 yards receiving.

Led by the tough, elusive running of Najee Harris — who had 75 yards on 16 carries for a 4.7-yard average per carry — the Steelers compiled a total of 110 yards rushing for a 4.2-yard average. Overall, the Black-and-gold racked up the gaudy total of 520 yards in total offense.

While the offense was 4-9 on third-down conversions and 2-4 in the Red Zone, their ability to make splash plays when necessary proved to be the difference in the game. The only negative on the offensive side was the annoying tendency of Pickens to negate some key plays by letting his emotions get the best of him — drawing costly penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Despite surrendering chunks of yardage to Joe Burrow and company throughout the game, the Steelers defense also forced some key turnovers —  recovering fumbles on two strip sacks and tipping a pass at the line of scrimmage which enabled Donte Jackson to grab an interception. Led by Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt, the defense applied increasing pressure on Burrow as the game wore on — sacking him four times and notching 11 QB hits. DeShon Elliott and Patrick Queen were leading defenders, combining for 20 tackles including 11 solo stops. The defense also notched six tackles-for-loss.

The importance of this victory goes beyond the fact that it’s a divisional win enabling the Steelers to gain more ground on the Baltimore Ravens (defeated on Sunday by the Philadelphia Eagles). For the first time this season, Steelers Nation got a taste of what the offense can do when their engine is firing on all cylinders. Few fans or pundits expected Wilson and his offense would be able to keep pace with Cincinnati’s offense in a high-scoring affair.

Despite their 4-8 record, the Bengals’ offense is one of the more productive units in the NFL. Likewise, the Ravens offense — largely stifled by the Steelers in Week 11 — also is a very productive group. But in each case, the Steelers found a path to victory by playing a consistent brand of tough, resilient football. In the wake of this key win, nobody can claim that Mike Tomlin and OC Arthur Smith didn’t have their team ready to bounce back following the snowy defeat in Cleveland on Thursday Night Football.

One caveat, of course, is the fact that the Bengals defense is one of the weaker units in the NFL. The Bengals’ dismal record this year isn’t because Burrow and company aren’t scoring points — it’s largely due to the inability of their defense to stop their opponent’s offense. So despite Wilson having himself a monster day on Sunday, it’s probably premature to assume the Steelers offense finally is over the hump in terms of scoring points.

One factor which particularly stood out in this victory was the Steelers’ continuing ability to utilize a large cast of players making important contributions to the team’s success. For example, receivers Van Jefferson, Cordarrelle Patterson, Ben Skowronek, MyCole Pruitt and Darnell Washington contributed a total of eight catches — most of which were crucial plays that moved the chains — to the Steelers’ overall total of 29 catches for the game. Likewise, Jaylen Warren, who gained only nine yards on three carries as a runner, finished the game among the Steelers’ leading receivers with 55 yards on some nifty catch-and-run plays.

Defensively as well, the Steelers have shown the ability to platoon players effectively this season. Overall, Coach Tomlin’s success in implementing a “next man up” philosophy on his team has been extremely impressive and it represents a major factor in their division-leading, 9-3 record.

While there’s still uncertainty about the Steelers’ ability to match up with AFC powers like the Chiefs and Bills, their huge win in Cincinnati — over a hungry Bengals team facing a must-win scenario — confirms that the Black-and-gold are a resilient group with the capability to turn the tide against any opponent. Unexpectedly and largely under the radar as the 2024 season has played out, the Pittsburgh Steelers have earned their reputation as the team nobody wants to play in a showdown matchup.