PITTSBURGH — The Steelers’ defense scored two touchdowns in the second half to help Pittsburgh pull away for a 34-12 win over the Bengals on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
The Bengals were driving while down 13-9 in the last minute of the third quarter, when quarterback Joe Flacco was hit as he tried to throw to wide receiver Tee Higgins over the middle. The affected pass went into the waiting arms of Pittsburgh strong safety Kyle Duggar, who returned the interception 73 yards for a pick-six.
In relief of starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who left the game with a left wrist injury, Mason Rudolph converted a pair of third-and-11s and a first-and-23 as the Steelers drained the fourth-quarter clock. The Steelers added a fumble return for a touchdown late in the fourth to bring the total to 34.
Flacco had his three-game string of 100-plus passer ratings snapped when he went 23 of 44 for 199 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
The Bengals defense pitched perhaps its best half of the season when it blanked the Steelers between Rodgers’ 11-yard touchdown pass to running back Kenneth Gainwell on the game-opening drive and Chris Boswell’s chip-shot field goal that ended the first half with the Steelers leading, 10-6.
Edge Myles Murphy had a career-high seven tackles in the game and five in the first half, including a sack. Linebacker Oren Burks added a team-leading nine more tackles, and the Bengals forced four punts in holding the Steelers to 188 yards in the first half.
The Bengals matched that opening touchdown on their own first drive, as Flacco kept the possession alive with two third-down conversions to wide receiver Andrei Iosivas. Flacco then bought time in the pocket to watch Higgins get behind linebacker Jack Sawyer and in front of safety Jalen Ramsey for a 28-yard touchdown pass, the fourth straight game Flacco and Higgins have connected for a score.
Ja’Marr Chase, who had a Bengals-record 16 receptions in the Week 7 win over Pittsburgh in Cincinnati, was limited to three catches for 30 yards.
The Bengals, who ran for 162 yards against Pittsburgh last month, finished Sunday’s contest with 105 on the ground, spearheaded by Chase Brown’s 99 on 18 carries.
When CIncinnati opted to go for the two-point conversion following Higgins’ touchdown — the ball was placed at the one-yard line following a roughing penalty on the extra point — Pittsburgh stopped Brown on a run up the middle as the Wild Cat quarterback.