Steelers pull out improbable 18-16 win over Bengals

The penalty occurred moments after Bengals’ Vontaze Burfict was flagged for unnecessary roughness after he lowered his shoulder into Antonio Brown’s head.

It was another playoff meltdown for the Bengals. Brown wasn’t able to haul the pass in, but Burfict idiotic threw himself towards the head of Antonio Brown.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took a 6-0 halftime lead over the Bengals during a sloppy and soggy two quarters at Paul Brown Stadium thanks to a pair of Chris Boswell field goals.

A knockout hit by Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict wound up knocking the Bengals out of the playoffs – yet again.

After Burfict made an interception that appeared to clinch a Bengals victory, Cincinnati running back Jeremy Hill fumbled the ball back to the Steelers.

Inspired by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s return to the game after he was earlier withdrawn with a shoulder injury following a bone-jarring sack, Pittsburgh marched down the field. Roethlisberger had jogged back onto the field with 5:12 remaining in the game and the Steelers clinging to a 15-10 lead. A few plays later, Bengals QB, AJ McCarron found AJ Green for a score and the Bengals earned their first lead of the game, 16-15, coming all the way back after being down 15-0. After two series from Landry Jones, Roethlisberger returned for the final 70 seconds after Jeremy Hill was stripped of the ball by Shazier.

Beyond Burfict’s clear targeting attempt, Saturday’s game was marred by extracurricular skirmishes, players shoving officials and plenty of trash talk between bitter division rivals meeting for the third time this season.

Jordan Todman and Fitz Toussaint finished with 28 carries for 123 yards. And in many ways, this one was the worst of all. The most incredible play of this game had to be the touchdown catch Pittsburgh wide receiver Martavis Bryant made in the third quarter that game his team a 15-0 lead.

After keeping things cool in pre-game warmups, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals got testy once the game started. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be traveling to Denver for next Sunday’s matchup.

Nelson later left the game with a left ankle injury.

In all, the undisciplined Bengals gave Pittsburgh 30 yards and a chip-shot field goal to win. His long pass to Green on the third snap of the fourth quarter resulted in a 42-yard defensive pass interference penalty to the Pittsburgh 4 to set up Cincinnati’s first touchdown.

“We have to be smart in situations throughout the game and make smart decisions”, left tackle Andrew Whitworth said.

The Steelers (11-6) came out of this game the victors amid all those penalties and a so-so offensive performance.

There were a combined nine punts and two turnovers in the first half. The Bengals needed only to protect the ball before Hill’s fumble, and still then only lost after the inexcusable penalties.

Hoyer threw three interceptions and lost a fumble on Houston’s first six possessions.

Going without DeAngelo Williams Steelers fans wondered how the Steelers running game would fare considering how last year’s Wild Card game went against the Bengals.