Chris Boswell booted the go-ahead field goal and Derrick Harmon strip-sacked Joe Burrow in the final minute to lift the host Pittsburgh Steelers to a 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Pittsburgh (2-1) took a 30-27 lead with 2:15 left when Boswell connected from 33 yards, six and a half minutes after he tied the game with a 36-yard kick. Aaron Rodgers was 19-of-34 passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Steelers.
Burrow, who completed his first 14 passes for 96 yards, finished 28-of-37 for 282 yards and three touchdowns for Cincinnati (2-1). Ja’Marr Chase grabbed nine receptions for 98 yards and a first-quarter score, while Tee Higgins added six for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Facing fourth-and-2 at the Steelers’ 25, Burrow found tight end Mike Gesicki in stride as he blew past three defensive backs in the Pittsburgh secondary and made the full-extension grab while keeping his feet in. The catch with 13:33 to play put the Bengals on top 27-24 in the seesaw second half.
Rodgers directed the Steelers to first half leads of 7-0, 14-7 and 17-10. His first pass of the game went for 30 yards on a short cross over the middle to Jaylen Warren. He finished his first drive with a perfect lob to Roman Wilson for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Rodgers also found Ben Skowronek for a wide-open touchdown of 23 yards after Skowronek made a double move on safety Jordan Battle.
With Pittsburgh up 17-10 and driving for another score thanks to a defensive hold called on Cincinnati corner Tacario Davis, Rodgers had a pass over the middle deflect off the hands of Wilson and into the hands of Battle. The Bengals needed five plays to drive 53 yards for the tying score, with Higgins making a circus touchdown catch while sitting in the end zone to a secure a 17-17 halftime tie.
After a 38-yard Evan McPherson field goal gave the Bengals their first lead, the Steelers got a massive break when Cedric Johnson was called for a personal foul roughing the kicker when he slid into punter Cameron Johnston’s plant leg. Seven plays later, Rodgers found a wide-open DK Metcalf in the back of the end zone after defensive backs DJ Turner and Dax Hill ran into each other.
The Bengals lost a pair of key players in the first half, one on each side of the ball. Rookie receiver Colbie Young injured his right knee on the first offensive play of the game when Jaquan Brisker brought him to the ground.
Bengals safety Bryan Cook injured his right ankle on Cincinnati’s second defensive series and came out before halftime, replaced by Kyle Dugger.
–Field Level Media
