Broncos vs. Steelers: Pittsburgh’s Roethlisberger, Brown injured

A fumble, a defensive lapse, and two ugly penalties set up Pittsburgh’s winning field goal for an 18-16 victory on Saturday night – the second-most crushing playoff loss in Cincinnati history. After the hit the Bengals emotions got the best of them as running back Jeremy Hill ran out onto the field going after Steelers defenders.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) miraculously defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card Game to keep their hopes alive. Ben Roethlisberger provided the lift but the Bengals incurred two 15-yard penalties, one on Burfict and another on Adam Jones after Burfict hit Steelers widereceiver Antonio Brown. Sure, the Steelers fan base is not immune to these kinds of people as I have seen it first-hand on Twitter. However, for all the heroic moments that Burfict provided during the night, he made one inexcusable, boneheaded play that ultimately cost his team the game.

Andy Dalton has been to the postseason in each of his National Football League seasons, only this time he was injured, missing the annual disappointment.

Alex Smith threw a touchdown pass and Spencer Ware added a 5-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 27-0.

In the Steelers’ feisty win over the Bengals, Roethlisberger has suffered a sprained AC joint, and is now a major doubt to take the field against Denver next weekend.

Vontaze Burfict (55) sacks Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Take your bitch ass out of here …’ So I turned to him and said, ‘Why are you talking?’ I didn’t even touch him.

Saturday’s foul, which led to an unnecessary roughness call and was soon followed by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Bengals teammate Adam “Pacman” Jones, was just the latest of Burfict’s many on-the-field transgressions.

Reid gets his first playoff rematch against Belichick since the Patriots beat his Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in the Super Bowl 11 years ago.

“If Marvin Lewis can’t control his players, then maybe Marvin shouldn’t be on the sidelines coaching”, former Bengals quarterback and CBS analyst Boomer Esiason said after the game, according to Pro Football Talk/NBC sports. Before the Ravens Week Three matchup with the Bengals this season, wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and Burfict had words as both teams were leaving the field following pregame warm-ups.