CHRISTOPHER PANSINO – OVATHLETICS.COM
The Steelers dominated Monday night’s game for the first three quarters, but allowed the Bengals to get back into the game in the fourth quarter.
The took a commanding 27-7 lead going into the fourth quarter, but like last seasons matchup they allowed Cincinnati to get back into the game allowing them to narrowing the lead to 27-12. The Bengals would get as close as the Steelers 12 yard-line with 40 seconds left before Carson Palmer’s pass to Jordan Shipley was broken up at the two by James Harrison and Ike Taylor.
The Steelers would lose a few key players across the offensive line tonight forcing them to rotate thought their backups in order to fill out a complete line. Center Maurkice Pouncey would injure his lower right leg early in the game, but luckily he was not seriously injured and would return to the game late in the fourth quarter.
Others on the line were not so lucky including Chris Kemoeatu and Max Starks who both left the game. Kemoeatu left with a right ankle injury and would not return. Starks on the other hand would return to fill in when Pouncey went down, but was pulled again once he return. The extent of his injury was not known, but was probably minor as he returned to the game.
Rashard Mendenhall ran for a 1-yard touchdown and would post an impressive game down the stretch. Mendenhall rushed for just under a hundred yards and a solo touchdown. But his late fourth quarter one-man drive to eat 5-minutes off the clock was what put the Steelers in position to seal the game.
However, Jeff Reed missed the kick from 46 yards and gave Cincinnati the ball back with four minutes to go. Reed went 2/3 today with a long field goal of 53 yards. However, with the pressure to perform Reed has constantly comes up short in tight games.
Another highlight of the game came in the second half when Antwaan Randle El’s threw a 39-yard touchdown to Mike Wallace to open the fourth quarter. Randle El, who played quarterback in college, has had a history of doing these kinds of trick plays, including most famously in Super Bowl XL. Randle El is now 21 of 26 in his career for 281 yards and five touchdowns.
The Steelers were also the benefactors of some good special teams plays. Rookie Emmanuel Sanders hit on Cincinnati’s Bernard Scott allowed Jason Worilds, also a rookie, to pick up the fumble.
Then later the Steelers Williams Gay blocked a punt by Kevin Huber allowing Pittsburgh to take over deep in Cincinnati territory.
However the Steelers had their fair share of mistakes tonight including a fumble by Ward set up Cincinnati on the Steelers 38. A few plays later and Palmer had them in the end zone.
And the Steelers woes did not stop there as they continued to give life to Cincinnati late in the ball game. Ben Roethlisberger floated a pass to Heath Miller that was intercepted by Roy Williams giving them the ball back at the Steelers 36 with 10:06 to go.
Then Reeds missed 46-yard field goal gave them the ball back with 3:59 to go. However the Steelers managed to hold off a historic comeback. If the Bengals had come back from a 20-point deficit it would have been the worst comeback loss in Steelers history.
The Steelers improved to 6-2 (2-1) and will look toward next Sunday night’s game against the New England Patriots, a team the Steelers have struggled with in the past.
