Category: Pittsburgh Steelers

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Mason Rudolph keeps the Steelers playoff hopes alive after beating the Bengals

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals entered the Week 16 game with a lot on the line, but both were headed in completely different directions. The Steelers had lost three straight games, and the Bengals had rebounded to win three in a row. On Saturday afternoon the Bengals were hoping to not only keep their playoff hopes alive, but to put the Steelers out of their misery. Could the Steelers stand tall and break their losing streak?

The Steelers won the coin toss prior to the game, and elected to defer their possession to the second half. This put Jake Browning and the Cincinnati offense on the field to start the game. While the Cincinnati drive made it near midfield, the drive stalled and the punt moved the Steelers back inside their 10 for the first drive of the game.

Mason Rudolph took over with a new lease on his professional football life, and on 2nd and 5 he hit George Pickens in stride and the young receiver did the rest. The rest would be an 86-yard touchdown catch and run.

Chris Boswell’s extra point was good, making the score 7-0.

Browning’s second drive was better than the first, and it looked as if the Bengals would be able to put points on the board for the first time in the game. Well within field goal range, facing a 3rd and 8, Browning was flushed out of the pocket and his pass in the end zone was intercepted by Patrick Peterson.

Starting the next drive from the 20-yard line, Mason Rudolph continued to move the team with ease down the field. Mixed with hard runs by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, Rudolph made enough timely throws to get the Steelers into the red-zone. From there, when facing a 2nd and goal, Calvin Austin III took a jet sweep into the end-zone for the touchdown.

Chris Boswell’s extra point was good, making the score 14-0 with 14:21 left in the half.

It was T.J. Watt’s turn to wreck the Bengals next drive, and he did so with a 3rd down sack of Jake Browning, and forced the Bengals to punt the ball back to the Steelers. Starting just shy of midfield, the Steelers drive went the wrong way and Pressley Harvin III was called on for the first time in the game.

Getting near midfield themselves, Browning threw his second interception of the game, this one to newly promoted Eric Rowe.

The offense faced a critical 3rd and 5, and it was Rudolph who made the play…with his legs. As he rumbled for the first down, it set up first and goal. The next play Najee Harris plunged into the end-zone for the team’s third touchdown of the half.

Chris Boswell’s extra point was good, making the score 21-0 with 7:06 left in the first half.

Desperately needing an answer, the Bengals provided the spark they needed and they put together their best drive of the game. Browning hit Tyler Boyd on consecutive third downs as the offense moved into the red-zone with ease. Facing a 4th and 1 situation, the Bengals elected to bypass the points and go for the touchdown. Browning’s pass intended for Tee Higgins fell incomplete with Joey Porter Jr. in coverage.

The turnover on downs gave the Steelers the ball at their own 5-yard line with 2 minutes remaining and two timeouts left. Rudolph and the Steelers offense wasn’t about to just hand the ball away and head into the half up 21-0. Instead, a huge throw on 3rd down to George Pickens down the sideline set up the Steelers in field goal range.

Boswell did the rest, kicking a 50-yard field goal as time expired on the second quarter, making the score 24-0 at halftime and the Steelers getting the ball to start the 3rd quarter.

The Steelers had to settle for a field-flipping drive to start the 3rd quarter, and the Bengals struck lightning on their first play, an 80-yard touchdown from Browning to Tee Higgins for the score. The Bengals went for two, and they got it on a shovel pass to Joe Mixon to make the score 24-8 with 11:11 left no the 3rd quarter.

The ensuing drive didn’t last long either, and when the Steelers faced a 3rd and 1 it was Rudolph going up top to Pickens, again, for another touchdown.

Boswell was good, answering the Bengals’ score and making the score 31-8.

Cincinnati’s next drive was very reminiscent of their previous drives. Moving the ball well, but struggling when it mattered most. This time, the Bengals went for it on 4th and 5, and the pass was incomplete equating in yet another turnover on downs. The Steelers’ first three-and-out gave the ball right back to Cincinnati, and they again moved the ball against the inexperienced defense. This time the Bengals took the points, and Evan McPherson was good from 35 to make the score 31-11 to start the 4th quarter.

The Steelers’ second straight 3-and-out gave the ball right back to Cincinnati, but Browning’s turnover troubles continued when he didn’t see Alex Highsmith drop into coverage and threw another interception.

Hard runs by Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren equated in the Steelers getting into Chris Boswell’s field goal range, and Boswell’s 30-yard field goal made the score 34-11 with 6:57 remaining in the game.

Both teams exchanged possessions as the seconds came off the clock. When all was said and done, the Steelers were able to secure the win.

The Steelers win moves their record to 8-7, and keeps their playoff hopes alive for another week. Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17.

Jeff Hartman

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