Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways in our Steelers Offseason Recall series, revisiting key moments from the 2025 season and how they shaped the year that followed.
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t just defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 of the 2025 season. They overwhelmed their AFC North rivals in every phase of the game.
In a convincing 34-12 victory at Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh scored on offense, defense, and special teams while overcoming the loss of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers at halftime. Mason Rudolph stepped in without missing a beat, and a defense looking to redeem itself after an earlier loss to Cincinnati delivered one of its best performances of the season.
The victory improved the Steelers to 6-4 and kept them atop the AFC North, while dealing what proved to be a devastating blow to the Bengals’ playoff hopes.
Rodgers’ Day Ends Early
The biggest surprise came at halftime.
After leading Pittsburgh to two scoring drives in the opening half, Rodgers exited with a wrist injury and never returned.
Fans inside Acrisure Stadium didn’t initially know anything was wrong until an in-game announcement early in the third quarter listed Rodgers as questionable and showed Mason Rudolph warming up on the sideline.
Rodgers finished the afternoon completing 9 of 15 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown to Kenneth Gainwell. Although he absorbed several hard hits, the injury wasn’t immediately obvious until he remained in the locker room after halftime.
Rudolph Kept the Steelers Rolling
Any concern about losing the starting quarterback quickly disappeared once Rudolph entered the game.
The veteran backup calmly guided the offense, protecting the football while extending Pittsburgh’s lead. His first possession lasted more than seven minutes, covering 71 yards in 15 plays before ending with a Chris Boswell field goal.
Rudolph followed that with another impressive drive, marching the Steelers 85 yards on 12 plays before finding Kenneth Gainwell for a touchdown that effectively put the game away.
By the end of the afternoon, Rudolph had actually outperformed Rodgers statistically, completing 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and finishing with a 118.5 quarterback rating.
Defense Takes Over
While the offense remained steady, Pittsburgh’s defense completely changed the game during the second half.
After struggling against Cincinnati earlier in the season, the Steelers responded with two defensive touchdowns.
The first came when Kyle Dugger intercepted Joe Flacco and returned the pass 73 yards for a touchdown, extending Pittsburgh’s lead and shifting all momentum toward the home sideline.
Later, immediately after Rudolph connected with Gainwell for another touchdown, Brandin Echols forced a Bengals fumble that James Pierre scooped up and returned 34 yards for another defensive score.
Those two touchdowns capped one of the defense’s strongest outings of the season.
Tempers Flared Late
The fourth quarter featured one of the game’s most controversial moments.
Following Dugger’s interception return, tensions boiled over between Jalen Ramsey and Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase. After an initial exchange resulted in offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, another confrontation broke out moments later.
Officials saw Ramsey throw a punch, resulting in his ejection after receiving a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Field-level view of the second altercation between Ja’Marr Chase and Jalen Ramsey. Chase said “I didn’t spit on nobody.”
The video clearly shows he did.#Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/ooGzInoPdS
— Austin Briski (@austin_briski) November 16, 2025
However, video that surfaced after the game appeared to show Chase spitting at Ramsey before Ramsey retaliated. Chase remained in the game but was later suspended one game by the NFL for his actions.
The incident only added to growing frustration with the officiating throughout the afternoon.
Officiating Drew Plenty of Attention
Several penalties left both the Steelers and their fans frustrated.
A roughing-the-passer penalty against T.J. Watt extended a Bengals drive that otherwise would have ended with a punt. Later, a 30-yard completion from Rudolph to D.K. Metcalf was erased by a questionable offensive pass interference penalty.
Mike Tomlin was visibly frustrated on the sideline throughout the game, while fans repeatedly voiced their displeasure toward the officiating crew.
The Ramsey-Chase altercation only intensified those emotions as many believed officials missed Chase’s actions that led to the confrontation.
The Defense Delivered Its Response
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the victory was how dramatically Pittsburgh’s defense bounced back after being exposed in the first meeting with Cincinnati.
The Steelers limited the Bengals to just 12 points while forcing multiple turnovers and consistently pressuring Joe Flacco. Ja’Marr Chase, who had been a major factor earlier in the season, was held to just three receptions for 30 yards, while Patrick Queen led the defense with 10 tackles.
Nick Herbig recorded a sack, and the Steelers allowed only 4.7 yards per play while shutting down Cincinnati’s passing attack.
Combined with efficient quarterback play from both Rodgers and Rudolph, two touchdowns from Kenneth Gainwell, and two defensive scores, Pittsburgh produced one of its most complete victories of the 2025 season and reminded the rest of the AFC North why it remained in first place.