October 17, 2025 • 27 mins
The Steelers fell intro the trap last night when they fell once again to another AFC North road opponent on a Thursday night game, this time to the Joe Flacco-led Bengals.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Gets a snap, here's the kick. The kick is on
its way, and that kick, as you can hear from
roy to crowd here is good. With seven second remaining
at pake Course Stadium.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Make it oh and nine on Thursday night football in
road Divisional games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and nine and
twelve overall, we are not and seemed to never be
ready for some football when the calendar says Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
You know how that song we were just talking about
it yesterday, waiting all day for what should be Thursday night.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Well we waited all day and we were left disappointed.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Welcome into another edition of the Steelers Standard here on
Steeler Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network. I am
at Troup and joining me is Jacob Brect. Jacob, I
guess the Steelers were not due last night to break
the streak. As I said yesterday, it started out good
but quickly unraveled in the second and third quarters as
Joe Flacco once again leads the way against the Black
and Gold, pulling off twenty unanswered points and that game
(01:02):
winning Phield goal right at the end that you just
heard Rob King and Max Starks here on the Steelers
Audio Network describe Unfortunately the Steelers go down. I'm shocked, Jacob,
not so much about the result, because we talked about
all the intangibles that were in play with Tomlin and
the Steelers and their struggles on Thursday night. I'm more
shocked of how it happened, the struggle against not being
(01:22):
able to stop the run, the struggle of letting Jamar
Chase do what he did on you last night, and
then on the flip side on offense, there were some highlights,
but there were also other times where they just simply
went three and out with with no umph to their offense,
and ultimately they go to four and four and two
now on the season.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, I mean, it's what we've been calling for all
year long, and it's we want consistent football, You want
a full sixty minutes, and we.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Have not gotten that yet.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
They, as you mentioned, they may managed to put up
thirty one points on the night. Aaron Rodgers had four
touchdown passes, but there were owning laws. It's hard to
imagine that it sounds kind of selfish or not even selfish,
but sounds kind of spoiled. Rather that we're saying thirty
one points wasn't enough well, when your defense is playing
(02:12):
that bad, yeah, it wasn't enough.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
And so you're left winning more out of your offense.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
And say, guys, don't just score on the and the
first drive of the game and then wait until the
fourth quarter to have those back to back touchdown drives.
You gotta do something in the middle. But honestly, it
does sound very spoiled of us to say thirty one
points wasn't enough, But considering how poorly the defense played,
that was the case.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
And one sequence for and we're gonna get into our
quarter by quarter recap here in a second, but in
one sequence for the Bengals, they punted on their first
two possessions. Then they went touchdown, touchdown, field goal, field goal, touchdown,
field goal, punt, and then field goal at the end.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So in the middle of all.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
That seven straight possessions in which they put up points,
it was really, really unbelievable. You're sitting there watching as
a Steeler fan, drive after drive and they just they
couldn't stop. Jamar Chase targeted last night an NFL record
so far here in twenty twenty five, twenty three times,
sixteen catches, one hundred and sixty one yards and a touchdown.
(03:15):
T Higgins not a bad night either, six catches for
ninety six yards. We'll get into the stats in our
next segment for both of these two teams, but those
are the two things that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Stood out with me along with the running game.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
A running game that was absent all season long for
the Cincinnati Bengals and Chase Brown eleven carries one hundred
and eight yards average is nine point eight yards per carry.
He was averaging less than three yards per carry coming in.
They just couldn't They couldn't stop the run, and they
couldn't stop Joe Flacco, who finishes the night with big
numbers as well as he goes over three hundred yards
three hundred and fifty yards almost passing with three touchdowns,
(03:47):
no interceptions either. That was the other thing. Could not
get any turnovers. Now last night, again, it was just
one thing after another. It started out good, and let's
get into our state of the standard key moments in
Week seven Bengals thirty three, Steelers thirty one. First quarter,
early third and one Rogers the DK metcalf for thirty
nine yards to the Bengals thirty one, and the Steelers
drive was moving third and six Rogers connects with John
(04:09):
Smith for a ten yard touchdown pass. It capped a
eight play, sixty nine yard scoring drive in four minutes
and nine seconds and the Steelers Jacob had an early
seven to nothing lead and they had the momentum.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah, I mean, it's hard again. I come back to
the word spoiled because we know the narrative following the
seat the team last year was that they had zero
opening touchdown drives and lo and behold. Through six games,
they've done it three times so far. It's incredible that
they've turned that around. But it's just frustrating to know
(04:43):
that that wasn't the tone setter. You remember yesterday and
you laid out a key to the game, get that
early lead. Well that's exactly what they did. They did
and it didn't matter because that defense was just bending
and bending and bending and breaking all night long.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
So it didn't matter.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
I know that you got out to the early lead
seven to nothing, then ten to nothing in the second quarter,
because they came right back and tied it up ten
ten and then or not ten ten, but they took
the lead.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Actually, you mentioned it the third opening touchdown drive possession
to start this to start a game this season zero
last season points on the opening drive for the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Even gets better than that.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Five of the last six games they've at least gotten
a field goal or a touchdown on their opening drive.
But yeah, third straight opening possession touchdown drive to start
a game here this season. Excellent pass protection two for Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Early on.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
He had eight point six to three seconds to make
that touchdown throw, which is just amazing, something that was
lacking the first few games of the year, when he'd
have the ball in his hand for about a second
he was under a pass rush and would have to
dump it throw it away. Last night was not the case,
at least early on. Rodgers had plenty of time in
eight point six three seconds to make.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
That touchdown pass.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Keano Benten sack of Flacco on the Bengals first drive
and watch closing in as well, and the Steelers defense
looked good early on the Bengals connection to Lacko to
Higgins on third and long, but the drive stalls, Chase
stopped on the next third down by Thornhill, and the
Bengals again punt on their first two opening offensive possessions.
The Steelers, meanwhile, they moved the ball pass midfield towards
the end of the first quarter, Rogers extending plays, He
(06:14):
finds John Who's Smith for a first down, and at
the end of the first quarter the Steelers led seven
to nothing. The tight ends were active early once again,
the second straight game in which the Steelers featured their
tight ends, John new Smith, Darnell Washington, and we'll get
to Pat Fryermuth a little bit later, but the tight
ends were active early in this game, and they were
trying to attack the middle of the field, something we
talked about yesterday.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, I mean, the tight ends were use a plenty
yesterday and I hate to do this, Ed spoiled right,
something that we were calling for all season long, to
see more of attacking the middle of the field than
using your tight ends more. Well, guess what they did
on offense. They did exactly that they got. They got
(06:55):
good usage out of all four tight ends. Darnell got involved,
John new Smith uninvolved. Pat Farnmoth obviously had the biggest
night of his season so far. Connor Hayward was involved
and nearly had a touchdown catch on that opening drive
if you remember, it was in the corner of the
end zone. Luckily, Aaron Rodgers on the next play was
able to extend on third and long, third and six,
(07:15):
I believe, and eventually find John Newsmith in the end zone.
But it's just it's so frustrating to think how much
went right on offense and yet you still lost the game.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Here is the turning point of the game for me
last night, and it happened early in the second half.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I have a feeling I know where you're going, but
hit me.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Second quarter.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
So the Steelers leads seven to h and they have
complete control this football game. As I said, what did
I say last night? Take an early lead. I looked
at you on the way out yesterday after a show.
I said, yeah, like the first like maybe a couple
of touchdowns earlier. Fourteen to nothing lead would feel really
good in this game on a Thursday night in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So here's the turning point.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Jalen Warren in the second quarter breaks a touchdown run,
but it's called back due to a Fraser hold at
the center position YEP.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Which I thought was kind of ticky tacking because I
thought Rogers had rolled out out far enough that the
hold wasn't consequential. But now I agree it's a massive
turning point because you take four points off the board.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
This whole sequence the Zach Fraser hold so the touchdown
doesn't hold up. Then the Steelers go for it on
fourth and one, but a false start on Connor Hayward. Well,
that wasn't on Connor Hayward. It was up front, I
believe on I can't remember. It was an offensive lineman.
I think that moved.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Early on the right side.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
But Connor Hayward had to sneak he had the first down,
which would have kept the drive going.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
So back to back penalties.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
One takes a touchdown off the board, the next Neglat's
a fourth and one first down that would have kept
the drive going, so they have to settle for a
Boss forty one yard field goal. The Steelers take a
ten to nothing lead with ten twenty six left in
the half, twelve play fifty one yard drive with seven
minutes and nineteen seconds taken off the clock, they would
have been up fourteen to nothing. They had the momentum early,
(08:53):
but instead they're only up ten nothing. Those two penalties
prevent them from taking ultimate control of this football game.
And then what comes next was twenty straight points scored
by the Bengals. In my opinion, Jacob not being able,
not being able to put that ball in the end
zone on two different opportunities costa Steelers this football game
last night because the whole game shifted after that. The
(09:14):
entire environment, the whole stadium, everything in this football game
went the Bengals way for the next two quarters, the
second and third quarters.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
We're about to go through.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
That play that you talked about, the Connor Hayward push
push right. Yeah, they called it on the right guard,
but if you watch the replay, it was like the
entire right side of the offensive line they all jumped
early on that play. But yeah, I mean it's a
great point ed I mean, like you said, you walk
away with three points instead of seven, and then the
Bengals come on a tear and score twenty unanswered.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I really feel if they if they score there and
go fourteen to nothing, the crowds completely out of this.
They have control at that point. You could just manage
the rest of the game. But it gave the Bengals life.
And on the very next play, the first play on
the next drive for the Bengals, they start with a
big twenty eight yard run by Chase Brown to the
Steelers forty five yard line, and the Bengals were often
rolling third and ten.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Flacco to Chase. He keeps the drive.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Away alive, gets away from the pass rush, keeps the
drive alive. Bengals running effectively with Brown Flacco to Chase, touchdown,
rolled incomplete no control. They overturn it, but then on
the very next play, Flaco hits Chase again for an
eight yard touchdown. Pass interference called on Ramsey has declined,
look more on Chase, by the way, they were both
battling back and forth, but they called it on Ramsey.
(10:29):
The Steelers still led ten to seven with four to
forty two left in the half, but the Bengals were
back in the game and they started building momentum and
again twenty straight points from that sequence on.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yeah, just a backbreaker, really when you look at that
early in the game. I mean, I think even though
Ed you know, you were saying fourteen to nothing, you
silence a crowd, ten nothing for that offense and or
for that defense should have been enough. Right for that
Steelers defense, considering how Higatt's pain and considering how how
well they'd been doing the last three games. Remember they
(11:01):
came into that game. Nineteen sacks in the last three
games combined. I mean, they were showing great signs of
improvement all across the board, and you had such a
mismatch up front. I know, the receivers, you know, talking
about we'll get into detail about Jamar Chase versus Ramsey
versus Joey Porter, and then what the damage that T
Higgins did on an individual level, But up front, that
(11:23):
offensive line is so weak, and we talked about it
for so long yesterday, saying Joe Flacca was forty years old.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Just knock him down a bit and you should be okay.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Well, guess what they finished with two sacks, one coming
on the first drive, the second one coming on the
second to last drive of the game. So what, you
went fifty six minutes of an entire game, I mean
not fifty what maybe a little less, but so you
went in nearly an entire game without registering a sack,
and it felt like there was just no pressure up
the middle or up front at all all night long.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Everything we talked about yesterday that they had to do,
they didn't, And one was keeping Flacco alive in this game.
And when I say that, just giving him opportunities, and
they did early on, and he took full advantage later
on the second quarter. On the next Steeler drive, Rodgers
takes a deep shot fifty yards down field and it's
picked off by Jordan Battle at the Bengals twenty four
yard line. The Bengals Chase Brown opens up that next
(12:16):
drive with a thirty seven yard run. Ramsey called with
another pass interference on Chase sixth lee or excuse me,
that wasn't Ramsey, that was Joey Porter, junior NFL leading
sixth pass interference of the season. Then Flacco to Higgins
on a twenty nine yard touchdown and the Bengals took
their first lead of the game, fourteen to ten, with
two point fifty two.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Left in the half.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
That was another important sequence of events because the Steelers
get the ball back after giving up the touchdown, and
the momentum starts to swing towards the Bengals way, and
then Rogers takes a shot and I don't mind that shot.
Take the shot down field, but Jordan battles right there,
he intercepts the football and then the Steelers secondary again
burned by Chase and that receiving corp. Higgins caps it
(12:56):
off with the twenty nine yard touchdown.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
The Steelers do move the ball before the two minute warning.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Rodgers the Warrens of the forty seven then past midfield,
but then Rogers intercepted again. With just forty three seconds
left before halftime, Metcalf strips the football away, or excuse me,
Metcalf has the football stripped away by DJ Turner and
again the Steelers, if they can just get even a
field goal there Jacob before halftime to make it a
one point game at halftime, fourteen to thirteen, you're right
(13:22):
in the game.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Instead, it goes the other way.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
The Bengals go right down the football field quickly and
they kick a forty nine yard field goal by McPherson
to make it seventeen to ten at halftime. Yikes, ten
to nothing lead wiped out seventeen on answered giving up.
You go into the locker room, and I'm sure they
looked around and said, what just happened?
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Right?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
But I go back to that sequence in the second quarter.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Yeah, man, I don't.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
I don't think I think the game was lost in
the second quarter, right, That's where you saw the floodgates
really open for Cincinnati. That's where you saw the offense
kind of stall for Pittsburgh. That's where you saw the
mistakes on offense come out for Pittsburgh. And I think
you know, even though it could have led to just
three points, that's still a huge swing. The fact that
(14:04):
you didn't come up with any point at the end
of that second half, and I think everyone was saying,
you need to score something here because you've done really
nothing since exactly because you had done really nothing offensively
since going up ten to nothing.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
You needed to get back in your favor.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Not just in your favor, but you need to do
something right because you were going down regardless. But if
you were going down seventeen sixteen, that feels some or
seventeen thirteen, Okay, you scored points. You remember going into
half time, we were saying you had to score before
the half because the Bengals were gonna get the ball
to open up the second half and they were gonna
(14:40):
have the chance to continue with their momentum.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
And it's just so it really was just a really
bad quarter.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I think that's when you saw the two biggest runs
by Chase Brown. I think he busted open for a
twenty seven yard gain in the second quarter. I think
he had a thirty seven yard gain, if not in
the second quarter, than early in the third quarter.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
But yeah, it's just a I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
The turning point could easily be pinpointed to that that
one drive where they only came away with three points
because of the holding call on Zach Frazer, then the
false start on the Connor Hayward push push play simply because.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
They weren't able beyond that.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Remember that the ten points they scored, they really did
nothing the rest of that half and then into the
third quarter.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
And give credit to Joe Flacco.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
I mean absolutely, I don't think there's a more valuable
member of that Cincinnati team right now than Joe Flacco.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
If Browning's the quarterback, the Steelers win that game last.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Night, and that's why they made that move. And that's
no doubt my mind.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I completely agree, and I think the Browns fans are
kicking themselves saying, how the hell do we give up
this guy? And or not only that, but what the
hell kind of offense are we running that we couldn't
get anything out of Joe Flacco. But I made this
point yesterday Joe Flacco playing alongside Jamar Chase and t Higgins.
(16:02):
Those are the two number Those are one A and
one B in terms of the best receivers he's ever
played with. I know Steve Smith came in, but that
was scored the end of his career. He wasn't nearly
the Steve Smith and he was in Carolina. You just
give him the football. He's a gunslinger. He's he's got
the arm, clearly. I mean he was slinging it. Who
(16:22):
is that backup tight end that the the Bengals had.
They have, like, I'm not even gonna go near it.
I'll let you maybe try it. They have.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
What Bill Crawford say this morning, I don't he called
him something.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, but it was a I mean, they got everyone involved, right.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
This stat just popped up here on my screen for
Joe Flacco to Jamar Chase, twenty three targets are the
most by a cornerback to a single receiver since Antonio
Brown in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
About that, that's tough.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
That's a tough pill to swallow.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Let that sink in for a second.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Okay, let's get into the second half breakdown for you
on last night's unfortunate result for Steeler Nation and Bengals
win thirty three to thirty one on Thursday Night Football.
The Steelers now going to a zero to nine lifetime
as a franchise on Thursday Night Football in road divisional games.
Second half, the struggles continued for the Steelers defense as
the Bengals open up that second half. As Jacob alluded
(17:16):
to having won the coin toss to start the game
and defer to the second half. They take the opening
second half kickoff, and they continue to run effectively with
Chase Brown. Flacco hits Chase Jamar Chase again on a
couple more passes. The Slants were killing him last night.
Slay and Porter struggling in this game, little pass rush
no One. Getting home fourth and one at the Steeler nine,
they go Ford, Flacco sneaks, he converts for a first down,
(17:39):
but the Steelers ultimately hold the Bengals to a twenty
three yard field goal by McPherson, the Bengals twenty unanswered
points at that point of the football game. They led
twenty to ten with seven to fifty five left in
the third. A captain opening second quarter scoring drive for
the Bengals of fourteen plays, sixty three yards and seven
minutes and five seconds taking off the clock. That was
the second seven minute plus scoring drive for the Bengals
(18:02):
in this football game at that point.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, it's just it's remarkable what the Bengals accomplished on
offense all across the board, right the passing offense, the
rushing offense, the time of possession battle, the lack of
sacks taken, the lack of turnovers or rather just zero
turnovers on the night, winning that turnover battle two to nothing.
You remember, we came into this game saying, the Steelers
(18:24):
are plus seven in the turnover category and the Bengals
are minus four, so do with that what you will.
And the Steelers did not do that. Yeah, like you said,
I mean, you gotta credit the Bengals. You gotta credit
Joe Flacco for the job he did. They did not
shy away even when the Steelers were coming back. And
we'll get to the fourth quarter in a bit, but
(18:46):
they just came out of that second half and said,
we're not gonna just, you know, forget that the first
half happen.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
We're gonna we're gonna keep up the momentum.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Here, Steelers down twenty to ten with seven to fifty
five left, in the third they get the work game well,
good kick return sets the Steelers up at their own
thirty nine yard on their side, they're thirty nine. Warren
with a couple of big runs just past midfield. He
ran the ball good last night too. Again, we'll get
to our stats in our next segment, but he went
over one hundred yards last night, which was encouraging.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I mean that if there's any silver lining, it's that
Gilian Wore was able to take advantage. But I think
that silver lining kind of gets overshadowed by the fact
that they didn't give him the ball more.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Yeah, because they were playing catch up, they could afford
to run the ball.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Though he was average. I don't even know what he
finished with his averages.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
It got sixteen carries one hundred and twenty seven yards
seven point nine yards per pos.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Come on, and he.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Only got the ball sixteen times to your points because
they were playing from behind.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
He disappeared.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
He can't run the football when you're chasing points, especially
in the second half of a football game. So Warren
a few big runs, gets some pass midfield. Rogers converts
on a third down to Roman Wilson, who had a
few catches last night, had some big moments.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
He did down to.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
The Bengals ten and then the touch they went with
a tight end screen to Washington that loses eight yards
on third in eighteen, third and forever. Really, at that
point it looked like Aaron Rodgers the Pat Friar Youth
for a nineteen yard touchdown pass of beauty from Rogers.
The youth Bengals twenty Steelers seventeen with three fifty five
left in the third. It kept a nine play sixty
(20:16):
one yard scoring drive in four minutes and the Steelers
end the Bengals twenty to oh run.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Bengals next drive, though, is still no pressure on Flacco.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
He converts another third down sleigh beating again Chase another catch.
The Bengals had third and goal as the second or
third quarter came to an end and they led twenty
to seventeen. The first play of the fourth quarter, Flacco
strikes again, this time to the tight end Noah Fan
on a five yard touchdown pass and the Bengals just
like that, back up twenty seven seventeen, ten point lead,
(20:46):
eight play sixty seven yard scoring drive in three minutes
and fifty eight seconds Flaccu's third touchdown game, third touchdown
of the game, Jacob.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
And here's a stat for you.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
It was the fifth time with three hundred yards and
three touchdown pass is an age forty or older in
NFL history. So it's only happened five times at a
quarterback who's forty years old or older has thrown for
three hundred yards and three touchdown passes. And Joe Flacco
was the fifth to do it last night.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yeah, a lot of first for the Bengals last night,
including Joe Flacco who is not known to be a Bengal.
He's only been a Bengal for ten days or two weeks.
But yeah, I mean you thought that after that long
drive by the Bengals to open up the second half
where you held them to three points, right, you thought, okay,
maybe that's a step in the right You slowed the
(21:33):
flooding down a little bit, and then you responded, like
you mentioned with the pat firing me touchdown, and then
what happens You let up another scoring drive that took
up majority of the field.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
I mean, the Bengals just were never.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
It never looked like they were really struggling to gain yards, right,
whether it was on the ground or through the air,
and they responded in due by getting another touchdown. Drive,
as you mentioned, just couldn't get a stop, could not,
for the life of them, could not get.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
A stop just even just hold them to a field
goal in any of these situations. But a touchdown just
it takes all the momentum out of the air. Any
momentum you got on your scoring touchdown drive on the
previous possession is gone.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
It's wiped off, It's completely wiped out.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Warren answers on the next drive for the Steelers with
another big run of thirty seven yards down to the
Bengals thirty seven yard line. Rogers to Friarmuth nineteen yards
to the Bengals eighteen a third down pass completion to
Washington for a first down. Steelers look good again. They
had second in goal from the two, and then Rogers
hits Darnell Washington for a two yard touchdown pass. Bengals
(22:37):
twenty seven to twenty four, with eleven h six left,
Steelers scoring drive, seven plays, seventy three yards, three minutes
and fifty four seconds taken off the clock, but the.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Bengals drive again again.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
The Steelers get a touchdown and the Bengals respawn every time.
It just it was over and over and over again.
As the game went on into the fourth quarter. You
desperately needed a stop and the Steelers just couldn't do it.
They do hold him to a forty five yard field goal.
On the next drive, Bengals go back up thirty to
twenty four. Was six fifty eight left. At least at
that point, Jacob, you're within six. You didn't give up
a touchdown again. You held them to three, even though
(23:10):
they did move the ball down the field pretty easily.
You hold them to three and at this point thirty
to twenty four, and kark Parpstreek said this, he goes
everybody in Cincinnati right now is thinking final score thirty
one to thirty. I was thinking the same thing, but unfortunately,
in the back of my mind, we can't get a
stop on Flacco. If they do it, they better do
it with like thirty seconds left in the game. And
we know what came after that.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yeah, just I mean, like you actually just mentioned ed,
you know, on those touchdown drives, just hold them to
a field goal.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
You'd feel a lot better.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Well, I don't know if I one hundred percent agree
I agree with, yeah, three points is better than seven.
But the fact that after that touchdown drive, the Bengals
still scored six more points after that, they they just
couldn't get a stop. You remember an important stat to
know that you I think pointed out earlier. The Bengals
only punted three times in the entire game. One time,
(23:59):
I mean the entire second half they got the Steers
got one suck get off the tire.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Second half, No, they could not.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
They just couldn't get off the field. And that continued
after that sequence. The Steelers go three and out on
their next offensive possession, a punt with five sixteen left
in the game, but they pushed the Bengals back to
their ten yard line, So you feel fairly good about that.
And Cam Hayward and TJ. Watt they finally get home together.
They sacked Flacco at the Bengals fourteen. It forces third
down and long. The defense holds when they had to
(24:28):
at that point, and the Bengals punt. And then with
two forty six left, the Steelers started their own forty
four yard line. Rogers the Roman Wilson at midfield. Another
big catch by Wilson, but holding on Jones brings it
back to the Steeler thirty two called.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
On Rodrick Johns.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Roderick Jones brings it back to the Steeler thirty two.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Can I have of Broughderick Jones between that and then
if you remember earlier in the game on the touchdown pass, he.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Tackles Aaron Rodgers. What are you doing?
Speaker 2 (24:54):
And you saw Rogers reaction, right, yeah, I did. I
saw not happy. He was not happy and he shouldn't be.
I mean, you can get our absolutely at his age,
it's like a big defensive lineman taking the guy.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Gotta be smarter, Rogers.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Though, on the next play again the Steers were pushed
back all the way back to their own thirty two
yard line, third and forever, and Rogers the friar youth
for sixty eight yards probably the most exciting play of
the game.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Will probably lately one of the one of the most
exciting plays by the offense all year.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
We'll play that clip probably at the start of our
next segment. But from sixty eight yards out, friar youth
takes it in and it was a thirty one to
thirty Steer lead. But the bad news Jacob and I
thought this was too much time left on the clock
two twenty one left way too much time for Joe Flacco,
and the Bengals do exactly that. They moved down field
very quickly, chased across midfield again on the slants, Higgins
(25:47):
takes the ball inside the five. He slides to save
uh not didn't want to go into the end zone
to give the Steelers any hoper chance left late in
this game.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
He slides smartly, smart play, and then they're.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Able to run the clock down to just seven seconds
left in the game. Is McPherson hits the game winner
from thirty six yards out. Bengals thirty three, Steelers thirty one. Yuck,
yuck and yuck.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
I think you could argue the most impactful play at
that game was the heads up play by t Higgins
to just slide down at like the five yard line.
I know there are people out there arguing saying he
should have gone into the end zone because nothing is guaranteed.
But Edvard McPherson, you know, he's been pretty good ever
since the game into the league in like twenty twenty
(26:28):
one or so, pretty reliable, and they were on the
five yard line end. I mean, that is a chip
shot of all chip shots and the.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Steelers were out of timeouts.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
And you know, it wasn't this weird game like in
twenty sixteen with the Vontez perfect hit in pac Man
Jones fighting Joey Porter's senior. It wasn't twenty twenty one
where you had a pick six by Minka and that
block field goal at the end, at the end of regulation.
There wasn't like the flukiness to this game that you
(26:58):
saw in previous Steelers and Bengals. Matt they were going
to win that game on that go ahead field goal,
and that's what they did. And I applaud to you
Higgins for having the wherewithal for being selfless in that moment.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
But yeah, it just the Steelers just did it to themselves.
What can you say?
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Bengals thirty three, Steelers thirty one, Pittsburgh goes to four
and two. Meanwhile Cincinnati improves the three and four. When
we come back, Jacob and I will get into our
standard report, key stats and notes from the week seven
loss last night. It is the Steelers Standard with Ed
Troop and Jacob Bret here on Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio Network.
Gets a snap, here's the kick. The kick is on
its way, and that kick, as you can hear from
roy to crowd here is good. With seven second remaining
at pake Course Stadium.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Make it oh and nine on Thursday night football in
road Divisional games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and nine and
twelve overall, we are not and seemed to never be
ready for some football when the calendar says Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
You know how that song we were just talking about
it yesterday, waiting all day for what should be Thursday night.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
Well we waited all day and we were left disappointed.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Welcome into another edition of the Steelers Standard here on
Steeler Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network. I am
at Troup and joining me is Jacob Brect. Jacob, I
guess the Steelers were not due last night to break
the streak. As I said yesterday, it started out good
but quickly unraveled in the second and third quarters as
Joe Flacco once again leads the way against the Black
and Gold, pulling off twenty unanswered points and that game
(01:02):
winning Phield goal right at the end that you just
heard Rob King and Max Starks here on the Steelers
Audio Network describe Unfortunately the Steelers go down. I'm shocked, Jacob,
not so much about the result, because we talked about
all the intangibles that were in play with Tomlin and
the Steelers and their struggles on Thursday night. I'm more
shocked of how it happened, the struggle against not being
(01:22):
able to stop the run, the struggle of letting Jamar
Chase do what he did on you last night, and
then on the flip side on offense, there were some highlights,
but there were also other times where they just simply
went three and out with with no umph to their offense,
and ultimately they go to four and four and two
now on the season.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, I mean, it's what we've been calling for all
year long, and it's we want consistent football, You want
a full sixty minutes, and we.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Have not gotten that yet.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
They, as you mentioned, they may managed to put up
thirty one points on the night. Aaron Rodgers had four
touchdown passes, but there were owning laws. It's hard to
imagine that it sounds kind of selfish or not even selfish,
but sounds kind of spoiled. Rather that we're saying thirty
one points wasn't enough well, when your defense is playing
(02:12):
that bad, yeah, it wasn't enough.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
And so you're left winning more out of your offense.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
And say, guys, don't just score on the and the
first drive of the game and then wait until the
fourth quarter to have those back to back touchdown drives.
You gotta do something in the middle. But honestly, it
does sound very spoiled of us to say thirty one
points wasn't enough, But considering how poorly the defense played,
that was the case.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
And one sequence for and we're gonna get into our
quarter by quarter recap here in a second, but in
one sequence for the Bengals, they punted on their first
two possessions. Then they went touchdown, touchdown, field goal, field goal, touchdown,
field goal, punt, and then field goal at the end.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
So in the middle of all.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
That seven straight possessions in which they put up points,
it was really, really unbelievable. You're sitting there watching as
a Steeler fan, drive after drive and they just they
couldn't stop. Jamar Chase targeted last night an NFL record
so far here in twenty twenty five, twenty three times,
sixteen catches, one hundred and sixty one yards and a touchdown.
(03:15):
T Higgins not a bad night either, six catches for
ninety six yards. We'll get into the stats in our
next segment for both of these two teams, but those
are the two things that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Stood out with me along with the running game.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
A running game that was absent all season long for
the Cincinnati Bengals and Chase Brown eleven carries one hundred
and eight yards average is nine point eight yards per carry.
He was averaging less than three yards per carry coming in.
They just couldn't They couldn't stop the run, and they
couldn't stop Joe Flacco, who finishes the night with big
numbers as well as he goes over three hundred yards
three hundred and fifty yards almost passing with three touchdowns,
(03:47):
no interceptions either. That was the other thing. Could not
get any turnovers. Now last night, again, it was just
one thing after another. It started out good, and let's
get into our state of the standard key moments in
Week seven Bengals thirty three, Steelers thirty one. First quarter,
early third and one Rogers the DK metcalf for thirty
nine yards to the Bengals thirty one, and the Steelers
drive was moving third and six Rogers connects with John
(04:09):
Smith for a ten yard touchdown pass. It capped a
eight play, sixty nine yard scoring drive in four minutes
and nine seconds and the Steelers Jacob had an early
seven to nothing lead and they had the momentum.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah, I mean, it's hard again. I come back to
the word spoiled because we know the narrative following the
seat the team last year was that they had zero
opening touchdown drives and lo and behold. Through six games,
they've done it three times so far. It's incredible that
they've turned that around. But it's just frustrating to know
(04:43):
that that wasn't the tone setter. You remember yesterday and
you laid out a key to the game, get that
early lead. Well that's exactly what they did. They did
and it didn't matter because that defense was just bending
and bending and bending and breaking all night long.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
So it didn't matter.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
I know that you got out to the early lead
seven to nothing, then ten to nothing in the second quarter,
because they came right back and tied it up ten
ten and then or not ten ten, but they took
the lead.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Actually, you mentioned it the third opening touchdown drive possession
to start this to start a game this season zero
last season points on the opening drive for the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Even gets better than that.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Five of the last six games they've at least gotten
a field goal or a touchdown on their opening drive.
But yeah, third straight opening possession touchdown drive to start
a game here this season. Excellent pass protection two for Rodgers.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Early on.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
He had eight point six to three seconds to make
that touchdown throw, which is just amazing, something that was
lacking the first few games of the year, when he'd
have the ball in his hand for about a second
he was under a pass rush and would have to
dump it throw it away. Last night was not the case,
at least early on. Rodgers had plenty of time in
eight point six three seconds to make.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
That touchdown pass.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Keano Benten sack of Flacco on the Bengals first drive
and watch closing in as well, and the Steelers defense
looked good early on the Bengals connection to Lacko to
Higgins on third and long, but the drive stalls, Chase
stopped on the next third down by Thornhill, and the
Bengals again punt on their first two opening offensive possessions.
The Steelers, meanwhile, they moved the ball pass midfield towards
the end of the first quarter, Rogers extending plays, He
(06:14):
finds John Who's Smith for a first down, and at
the end of the first quarter the Steelers led seven
to nothing. The tight ends were active early once again,
the second straight game in which the Steelers featured their
tight ends, John new Smith, Darnell Washington, and we'll get
to Pat Fryermuth a little bit later, but the tight
ends were active early in this game, and they were
trying to attack the middle of the field, something we
talked about yesterday.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, I mean, the tight ends were use a plenty
yesterday and I hate to do this, Ed spoiled right,
something that we were calling for all season long, to
see more of attacking the middle of the field than
using your tight ends more. Well, guess what they did
on offense. They did exactly that they got. They got
(06:55):
good usage out of all four tight ends. Darnell got involved,
John new Smith uninvolved. Pat Farnmoth obviously had the biggest
night of his season so far. Connor Hayward was involved
and nearly had a touchdown catch on that opening drive
if you remember, it was in the corner of the
end zone. Luckily, Aaron Rodgers on the next play was
able to extend on third and long, third and six,
(07:15):
I believe, and eventually find John Newsmith in the end zone.
But it's just it's so frustrating to think how much
went right on offense and yet you still lost the game.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Here is the turning point of the game for me
last night, and it happened early in the second half.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I have a feeling I know where you're going, but
hit me.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Second quarter.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
So the Steelers leads seven to h and they have
complete control this football game. As I said, what did
I say last night? Take an early lead. I looked
at you on the way out yesterday after a show.
I said, yeah, like the first like maybe a couple
of touchdowns earlier. Fourteen to nothing lead would feel really
good in this game on a Thursday night in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
So here's the turning point.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Jalen Warren in the second quarter breaks a touchdown run,
but it's called back due to a Fraser hold at
the center position YEP.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Which I thought was kind of ticky tacking because I
thought Rogers had rolled out out far enough that the
hold wasn't consequential. But now I agree it's a massive
turning point because you take four points off the board.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
This whole sequence the Zach Fraser hold so the touchdown
doesn't hold up. Then the Steelers go for it on
fourth and one, but a false start on Connor Hayward. Well,
that wasn't on Connor Hayward. It was up front, I
believe on I can't remember. It was an offensive lineman.
I think that moved.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Early on the right side.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
But Connor Hayward had to sneak he had the first down,
which would have kept the drive going.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
So back to back penalties.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
One takes a touchdown off the board, the next Neglat's
a fourth and one first down that would have kept
the drive going, so they have to settle for a
Boss forty one yard field goal. The Steelers take a
ten to nothing lead with ten twenty six left in
the half, twelve play fifty one yard drive with seven
minutes and nineteen seconds taken off the clock, they would
have been up fourteen to nothing. They had the momentum early,
(08:53):
but instead they're only up ten nothing. Those two penalties
prevent them from taking ultimate control of this football game.
And then what comes next was twenty straight points scored
by the Bengals. In my opinion, Jacob not being able,
not being able to put that ball in the end
zone on two different opportunities costa Steelers this football game
last night because the whole game shifted after that. The
(09:14):
entire environment, the whole stadium, everything in this football game
went the Bengals way for the next two quarters, the
second and third quarters.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
We're about to go through.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
That play that you talked about, the Connor Hayward push
push right. Yeah, they called it on the right guard,
but if you watch the replay, it was like the
entire right side of the offensive line they all jumped
early on that play. But yeah, I mean it's a
great point ed I mean, like you said, you walk
away with three points instead of seven, and then the
Bengals come on a tear and score twenty unanswered.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I really feel if they if they score there and
go fourteen to nothing, the crowds completely out of this.
They have control at that point. You could just manage
the rest of the game. But it gave the Bengals life.
And on the very next play, the first play on
the next drive for the Bengals, they start with a
big twenty eight yard run by Chase Brown to the
Steelers forty five yard line, and the Bengals were often
rolling third and ten.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Flacco to Chase. He keeps the drive.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Away alive, gets away from the pass rush, keeps the
drive alive. Bengals running effectively with Brown Flacco to Chase, touchdown,
rolled incomplete no control. They overturn it, but then on
the very next play, Flaco hits Chase again for an
eight yard touchdown. Pass interference called on Ramsey has declined,
look more on Chase, by the way, they were both
battling back and forth, but they called it on Ramsey.
(10:29):
The Steelers still led ten to seven with four to
forty two left in the half, but the Bengals were
back in the game and they started building momentum and
again twenty straight points from that sequence on.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Yeah, just a backbreaker, really when you look at that
early in the game. I mean, I think even though
Ed you know, you were saying fourteen to nothing, you
silence a crowd, ten nothing for that offense and or
for that defense should have been enough. Right for that
Steelers defense, considering how Higatt's pain and considering how how
well they'd been doing the last three games. Remember they
(11:01):
came into that game. Nineteen sacks in the last three
games combined. I mean, they were showing great signs of
improvement all across the board, and you had such a
mismatch up front. I know, the receivers, you know, talking
about we'll get into detail about Jamar Chase versus Ramsey
versus Joey Porter, and then what the damage that T
Higgins did on an individual level, But up front, that
(11:23):
offensive line is so weak, and we talked about it
for so long yesterday, saying Joe Flacca was forty years old.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Just knock him down a bit and you should be okay.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Well, guess what they finished with two sacks, one coming
on the first drive, the second one coming on the
second to last drive of the game. So what, you
went fifty six minutes of an entire game, I mean
not fifty what maybe a little less, but so you
went in nearly an entire game without registering a sack,
and it felt like there was just no pressure up
the middle or up front at all all night long.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
Everything we talked about yesterday that they had to do,
they didn't, And one was keeping Flacco alive in this game.
And when I say that, just giving him opportunities, and
they did early on, and he took full advantage later
on the second quarter. On the next Steeler drive, Rodgers
takes a deep shot fifty yards down field and it's
picked off by Jordan Battle at the Bengals twenty four
yard line. The Bengals Chase Brown opens up that next
(12:16):
drive with a thirty seven yard run. Ramsey called with
another pass interference on Chase sixth lee or excuse me,
that wasn't Ramsey, that was Joey Porter, junior NFL leading
sixth pass interference of the season. Then Flacco to Higgins
on a twenty nine yard touchdown and the Bengals took
their first lead of the game, fourteen to ten, with
two point fifty two.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Left in the half.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
That was another important sequence of events because the Steelers
get the ball back after giving up the touchdown, and
the momentum starts to swing towards the Bengals way, and
then Rogers takes a shot and I don't mind that shot.
Take the shot down field, but Jordan battles right there,
he intercepts the football and then the Steelers secondary again
burned by Chase and that receiving corp. Higgins caps it
(12:56):
off with the twenty nine yard touchdown.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
The Steelers do move the ball before the two minute warning.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Rodgers the Warrens of the forty seven then past midfield,
but then Rogers intercepted again. With just forty three seconds
left before halftime, Metcalf strips the football away, or excuse me,
Metcalf has the football stripped away by DJ Turner and
again the Steelers, if they can just get even a
field goal there Jacob before halftime to make it a
one point game at halftime, fourteen to thirteen, you're right
(13:22):
in the game.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Instead, it goes the other way.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
The Bengals go right down the football field quickly and
they kick a forty nine yard field goal by McPherson
to make it seventeen to ten at halftime. Yikes, ten
to nothing lead wiped out seventeen on answered giving up.
You go into the locker room, and I'm sure they
looked around and said, what just happened?
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Right?
Speaker 1 (13:40):
But I go back to that sequence in the second quarter.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Yeah, man, I don't.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
I don't think I think the game was lost in
the second quarter, right, That's where you saw the floodgates
really open for Cincinnati. That's where you saw the offense
kind of stall for Pittsburgh. That's where you saw the
mistakes on offense come out for Pittsburgh. And I think
you know, even though it could have led to just
three points, that's still a huge swing. The fact that
(14:04):
you didn't come up with any point at the end
of that second half, and I think everyone was saying,
you need to score something here because you've done really
nothing since exactly because you had done really nothing offensively
since going up ten to nothing.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
You needed to get back in your favor.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Not just in your favor, but you need to do
something right because you were going down regardless. But if
you were going down seventeen sixteen, that feels some or
seventeen thirteen, Okay, you scored points. You remember going into
half time, we were saying you had to score before
the half because the Bengals were gonna get the ball
to open up the second half and they were gonna
(14:40):
have the chance to continue with their momentum.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
And it's just so it really was just a really
bad quarter.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I think that's when you saw the two biggest runs
by Chase Brown. I think he busted open for a
twenty seven yard gain in the second quarter. I think
he had a thirty seven yard gain, if not in
the second quarter, than early in the third quarter.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
But yeah, it's just a I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
The turning point could easily be pinpointed to that that
one drive where they only came away with three points
because of the holding call on Zach Frazer, then the
false start on the Connor Hayward push push play simply because.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
They weren't able beyond that.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Remember that the ten points they scored, they really did
nothing the rest of that half and then into the
third quarter.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
And give credit to Joe Flacco.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
I mean absolutely, I don't think there's a more valuable
member of that Cincinnati team right now than Joe Flacco.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
If Browning's the quarterback, the Steelers win that game last.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Night, and that's why they made that move. And that's
no doubt my mind.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I completely agree, and I think the Browns fans are
kicking themselves saying, how the hell do we give up
this guy? And or not only that, but what the
hell kind of offense are we running that we couldn't
get anything out of Joe Flacco. But I made this
point yesterday Joe Flacco playing alongside Jamar Chase and t Higgins.
(16:02):
Those are the two number Those are one A and
one B in terms of the best receivers he's ever
played with. I know Steve Smith came in, but that
was scored the end of his career. He wasn't nearly
the Steve Smith and he was in Carolina. You just
give him the football. He's a gunslinger. He's he's got
the arm, clearly. I mean he was slinging it. Who
(16:22):
is that backup tight end that the the Bengals had.
They have, like, I'm not even gonna go near it.
I'll let you maybe try it. They have.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
What Bill Crawford say this morning, I don't he called
him something.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, but it was a I mean, they got everyone involved, right.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
This stat just popped up here on my screen for
Joe Flacco to Jamar Chase, twenty three targets are the
most by a cornerback to a single receiver since Antonio
Brown in twenty fifteen.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
About that, that's tough.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
That's a tough pill to swallow.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Let that sink in for a second.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Okay, let's get into the second half breakdown for you
on last night's unfortunate result for Steeler Nation and Bengals
win thirty three to thirty one on Thursday Night Football.
The Steelers now going to a zero to nine lifetime
as a franchise on Thursday Night Football in road divisional games.
Second half, the struggles continued for the Steelers defense as
the Bengals open up that second half. As Jacob alluded
(17:16):
to having won the coin toss to start the game
and defer to the second half. They take the opening
second half kickoff, and they continue to run effectively with
Chase Brown. Flacco hits Chase Jamar Chase again on a
couple more passes. The Slants were killing him last night.
Slay and Porter struggling in this game, little pass rush
no One. Getting home fourth and one at the Steeler nine,
they go Ford, Flacco sneaks, he converts for a first down,
(17:39):
but the Steelers ultimately hold the Bengals to a twenty
three yard field goal by McPherson, the Bengals twenty unanswered
points at that point of the football game. They led
twenty to ten with seven to fifty five left in
the third. A captain opening second quarter scoring drive for
the Bengals of fourteen plays, sixty three yards and seven
minutes and five seconds taking off the clock. That was
the second seven minute plus scoring drive for the Bengals
(18:02):
in this football game at that point.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, it's just it's remarkable what the Bengals accomplished on
offense all across the board, right the passing offense, the
rushing offense, the time of possession battle, the lack of
sacks taken, the lack of turnovers or rather just zero
turnovers on the night, winning that turnover battle two to nothing.
You remember, we came into this game saying, the Steelers
(18:24):
are plus seven in the turnover category and the Bengals
are minus four, so do with that what you will.
And the Steelers did not do that. Yeah, like you said,
I mean, you gotta credit the Bengals. You gotta credit
Joe Flacco for the job he did. They did not
shy away even when the Steelers were coming back. And
we'll get to the fourth quarter in a bit, but
(18:46):
they just came out of that second half and said,
we're not gonna just, you know, forget that the first
half happen.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
We're gonna we're gonna keep up the momentum.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Here, Steelers down twenty to ten with seven to fifty
five left, in the third they get the work game well,
good kick return sets the Steelers up at their own
thirty nine yard on their side, they're thirty nine. Warren
with a couple of big runs just past midfield. He
ran the ball good last night too. Again, we'll get
to our stats in our next segment, but he went
over one hundred yards last night, which was encouraging.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I mean that if there's any silver lining, it's that
Gilian Wore was able to take advantage. But I think
that silver lining kind of gets overshadowed by the fact
that they didn't give him the ball more.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Yeah, because they were playing catch up, they could afford
to run the ball.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
Though he was average. I don't even know what he
finished with his averages.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
It got sixteen carries one hundred and twenty seven yards
seven point nine yards per pos.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Come on, and he.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Only got the ball sixteen times to your points because
they were playing from behind.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
He disappeared.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
He can't run the football when you're chasing points, especially
in the second half of a football game. So Warren
a few big runs, gets some pass midfield. Rogers converts
on a third down to Roman Wilson, who had a
few catches last night, had some big moments.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
He did down to.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
The Bengals ten and then the touch they went with
a tight end screen to Washington that loses eight yards
on third in eighteen, third and forever. Really, at that
point it looked like Aaron Rodgers the Pat Friar Youth
for a nineteen yard touchdown pass of beauty from Rogers.
The youth Bengals twenty Steelers seventeen with three fifty five
left in the third. It kept a nine play sixty
(20:16):
one yard scoring drive in four minutes and the Steelers
end the Bengals twenty to oh run.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Bengals next drive, though, is still no pressure on Flacco.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
He converts another third down sleigh beating again Chase another catch.
The Bengals had third and goal as the second or
third quarter came to an end and they led twenty
to seventeen. The first play of the fourth quarter, Flacco
strikes again, this time to the tight end Noah Fan
on a five yard touchdown pass and the Bengals just
like that, back up twenty seven seventeen, ten point lead,
(20:46):
eight play sixty seven yard scoring drive in three minutes
and fifty eight seconds Flaccu's third touchdown game, third touchdown
of the game, Jacob.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
And here's a stat for you.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
It was the fifth time with three hundred yards and
three touchdown pass is an age forty or older in
NFL history. So it's only happened five times at a
quarterback who's forty years old or older has thrown for
three hundred yards and three touchdown passes. And Joe Flacco
was the fifth to do it last night.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
Yeah, a lot of first for the Bengals last night,
including Joe Flacco who is not known to be a Bengal.
He's only been a Bengal for ten days or two weeks.
But yeah, I mean you thought that after that long
drive by the Bengals to open up the second half
where you held them to three points, right, you thought, okay,
maybe that's a step in the right You slowed the
(21:33):
flooding down a little bit, and then you responded, like
you mentioned with the pat firing me touchdown, and then
what happens You let up another scoring drive that took
up majority of the field.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
I mean, the Bengals just were never.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
It never looked like they were really struggling to gain yards, right,
whether it was on the ground or through the air,
and they responded in due by getting another touchdown. Drive,
as you mentioned, just couldn't get a stop, could not,
for the life of them, could not get.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
A stop just even just hold them to a field
goal in any of these situations. But a touchdown just
it takes all the momentum out of the air. Any
momentum you got on your scoring touchdown drive on the
previous possession is gone.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
It's wiped off, It's completely wiped out.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Warren answers on the next drive for the Steelers with
another big run of thirty seven yards down to the
Bengals thirty seven yard line. Rogers to Friarmuth nineteen yards
to the Bengals eighteen a third down pass completion to
Washington for a first down. Steelers look good again. They
had second in goal from the two, and then Rogers
hits Darnell Washington for a two yard touchdown pass. Bengals
(22:37):
twenty seven to twenty four, with eleven h six left,
Steelers scoring drive, seven plays, seventy three yards, three minutes
and fifty four seconds taken off the clock, but the.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Bengals drive again again.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
The Steelers get a touchdown and the Bengals respawn every time.
It just it was over and over and over again.
As the game went on into the fourth quarter. You
desperately needed a stop and the Steelers just couldn't do it.
They do hold him to a forty five yard field goal.
On the next drive, Bengals go back up thirty to
twenty four. Was six fifty eight left. At least at
that point, Jacob, you're within six. You didn't give up
a touchdown again. You held them to three, even though
(23:10):
they did move the ball down the field pretty easily.
You hold them to three and at this point thirty
to twenty four, and kark Parpstreek said this, he goes
everybody in Cincinnati right now is thinking final score thirty
one to thirty. I was thinking the same thing, but unfortunately,
in the back of my mind, we can't get a
stop on Flacco. If they do it, they better do
it with like thirty seconds left in the game. And
we know what came after that.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yeah, just I mean, like you actually just mentioned ed,
you know, on those touchdown drives, just hold them to
a field goal.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
You'd feel a lot better.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Well, I don't know if I one hundred percent agree
I agree with, yeah, three points is better than seven.
But the fact that after that touchdown drive, the Bengals
still scored six more points after that, they they just
couldn't get a stop. You remember an important stat to
know that you I think pointed out earlier. The Bengals
only punted three times in the entire game. One time,
(23:59):
I mean the entire second half they got the Steers
got one suck get off the tire.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Second half, No, they could not.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
They just couldn't get off the field. And that continued
after that sequence. The Steelers go three and out on
their next offensive possession, a punt with five sixteen left
in the game, but they pushed the Bengals back to
their ten yard line, So you feel fairly good about that.
And Cam Hayward and TJ. Watt they finally get home together.
They sacked Flacco at the Bengals fourteen. It forces third
down and long. The defense holds when they had to
(24:28):
at that point, and the Bengals punt. And then with
two forty six left, the Steelers started their own forty
four yard line. Rogers the Roman Wilson at midfield. Another
big catch by Wilson, but holding on Jones brings it
back to the Steeler thirty two called.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
On Rodrick Johns.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Roderick Jones brings it back to the Steeler thirty two.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
Can I have of Broughderick Jones between that and then
if you remember earlier in the game on the touchdown pass, he.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
Tackles Aaron Rodgers. What are you doing?
Speaker 2 (24:54):
And you saw Rogers reaction, right, yeah, I did. I
saw not happy. He was not happy and he shouldn't be.
I mean, you can get our absolutely at his age,
it's like a big defensive lineman taking the guy.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
Gotta be smarter, Rogers.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
Though, on the next play again the Steers were pushed
back all the way back to their own thirty two
yard line, third and forever, and Rogers the friar youth
for sixty eight yards probably the most exciting play of
the game.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Will probably lately one of the one of the most
exciting plays by the offense all year.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
We'll play that clip probably at the start of our
next segment. But from sixty eight yards out, friar youth
takes it in and it was a thirty one to
thirty Steer lead. But the bad news Jacob and I
thought this was too much time left on the clock
two twenty one left way too much time for Joe Flacco,
and the Bengals do exactly that. They moved down field
very quickly, chased across midfield again on the slants, Higgins
(25:47):
takes the ball inside the five. He slides to save
uh not didn't want to go into the end zone
to give the Steelers any hoper chance left late in
this game.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
He slides smartly, smart play, and then they're.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Able to run the clock down to just seven seconds
left in the game. Is McPherson hits the game winner
from thirty six yards out. Bengals thirty three, Steelers thirty one. Yuck,
yuck and yuck.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
I think you could argue the most impactful play at
that game was the heads up play by t Higgins
to just slide down at like the five yard line.
I know there are people out there arguing saying he
should have gone into the end zone because nothing is guaranteed.
But Edvard McPherson, you know, he's been pretty good ever
since the game into the league in like twenty twenty
(26:28):
one or so, pretty reliable, and they were on the
five yard line end. I mean, that is a chip
shot of all chip shots and the.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Steelers were out of timeouts.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
And you know, it wasn't this weird game like in
twenty sixteen with the Vontez perfect hit in pac Man
Jones fighting Joey Porter's senior. It wasn't twenty twenty one
where you had a pick six by Minka and that
block field goal at the end, at the end of regulation.
There wasn't like the flukiness to this game that you
(26:58):
saw in previous Steelers and Bengals. Matt they were going
to win that game on that go ahead field goal,
and that's what they did. And I applaud to you
Higgins for having the wherewithal for being selfless in that moment.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
But yeah, it just the Steelers just did it to themselves.
What can you say?
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Bengals thirty three, Steelers thirty one, Pittsburgh goes to four
and two. Meanwhile Cincinnati improves the three and four. When
we come back, Jacob and I will get into our
standard report, key stats and notes from the week seven
loss last night. It is the Steelers Standard with Ed
Troop and Jacob Bret here on Steelers Nation Radio, part
of the Steelers Audio Network.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.