PITTSBURGH — On a frigid day on the North Shore, the Steelers’ faint flame of playoff hopes fizzled even more. A two-game winning streak was not to be, and neither was a season sweep of the Bengals, who made just about every play necessary on offense and simply let the Steelers offense beat itself yet again in a 37-30 win Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.
The Steelers (3-7) couldn’t do anything with a 20-17 halftime lead, moving in fits and starts in the third quarter before shutting down almost entirely in the fourth until their last-minute touchdown. Cincinnati (6-4) keeps itself firmly in the AFC postseason picture.
Kenny Pickett showed flashes in the first half of his first AFC North clash. He avoided picks and allowed George Pickens to pick on Bengals defenders all day to the tune of their best connection yet. But he didn’t do enough after halftime, and his offensive line struggled against a Bengals front rushing with alacrity. Pickett finished with 265 yards on 25-of-42 passing, with four of those catches, 83 of the yards and his lone touchdown going to Pickens.
