The Cincinnati Bengals fell flat on Saturday in Week 16, taking a 34-11 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road.
It was an ugly one from the start for the Bengals, with quarterback Jake Browning making some bad decisions with the ball to end his hot streak that had previously led to three consecutive wins.
The explosive plays that harmed the Bengals all year defensively were especially frequent against a Steelers team desperate to salvage a season of their own, leading to a 24-0 hole before the offense could even get on the board.
Here’s a look at the notable notes and takeaways from the loss.
Quick Hits
— This one was ugly from the start, with the 80-plus-yard touchdown to George Pickens setting the tone and making it clear that the defense would have problems with explosives again.
— Rookie wideout Andre Iosivas was incredibly impressive throughout the day with Ja’Marr Chase out.
— It will be interesting to hear Jake Browning’s thoughts on the interception that cost the team three points in the endzone.
— The big touchdown to Tee Higgins was another nice reminder of what the star wideout can do, even if it came far too late in the game.
— Trey Hendrickson looked like he was nursing an injury whenever he was on the sidelines.
Key Stat
6.8: Yards per play for the Steelers on the day, a number that was nine-plus yards in the third quarter. It’s nearly impossible to win games when the defense coughs up a near-first-down on each play.
Game Balls
WR Tee Higgins: The No.1 on the day had an impressive five catches for 140 yards and the big score.
WR Andrei Iosivas: Four catches for 36 yards on the day for the rookie, but he had a massive gain down the field wiped out by a review and the degree of difficulty on his catches was stunning.
Top Takeaway
0-5: Hard to make the playoffs with a winless record in the division. That’s where things stand now before they play the Chiefs. Winning two in a row might still net them a playoff berth with help, but this defense against the Chiefs might go poorly, to say the least.
