CINCINNATI — The Pittsburgh Steelers halted Cincinnati’s early-season surge with a 30-27 victory Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, handing the Bengals their first loss of the year after a game marked by self-inflicted mistakes. The Steelers improved to 2-1 while Cincinnati fell to 2-1.
Special teams miscues played a decisive role. A roughing-the-kicker penalty extended a Pittsburgh drive that ended in a touchdown, and a muffed Bengals punt recovered by the Steelers set up Chris Boswell’s 33-yard field goal with 2:15 remaining — the eventual winning margin.
The Bengals still had time to respond after Boswell’s kick and possessed two timeouts, but a late turnover ended their comeback bid. Following pressure from Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, quarterback Joe Burrow tried to avoid a sack and throw the ball away; Harmon dislodged the ball and Pittsburgh recovered, effectively icing the game. Burrow described the play as “Trying to take a shot at the end zone. Trying not to take the sack, trying to get the ball out. Fumbled it.”
The late turnover capped a strong statistical day for Burrow, who completed 28 of 37 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns, including a fourth-down score that gave Cincinnati a 27-24 lead with 13:29 left. The game also highlighted a persistent issue for Burrow in late-game situations: according to ESPN Research, dating to the start of the 2024 season he is tied for the league lead in lost turnovers in the fourth quarter or overtime, with eight interceptions and four lost fumbles in that span.
Coach Zac Taylor summed up the loss succinctly: “We just didn’t close it out.” Burrow called for teammates to “take ownership of their roles” and play smart situational football, and receiver Ja’Marr Chase noted the mistakes are “something that we can control.” For a team aiming to snap a three-year postseason drought and contend for championships, the mistakes in all three phases offered a clear area for correction.
