WHERE: Heinz Field
TIME: 4:25 PM ET
DATE: December
30, 2018
TV: CBS
ATTENDANCE: 63,874
93%
CAPACITY: 68,400
Referees: Barry Anderson, Gary Arthur, Carl
Cheffers, Greg Meyer, Tony Meyer, Mike Spanier, Eugene Hall, Clark Land
The win they needed but at times didn't act like they
particularly wanted finally secured, the Pittsburgh
Steelers lingered on the Heinz Field turf after a sluggish
16-13 victory over Cincinnati on Sunday and turned their eyes to the massive
videoboard in the south end zone.
A season filled with promise six weeks ago before things
came undone boiled down to something entirely out of Pittsburgh's control:
whether Cleveland could pull off a stunning rally in Baltimore. As a decidedly
out-of-place chant of "Let's Go Browns" reverberated and Cleveland
marched into Ravens' territory, a third straight AFC North for the Steelers
seemed possible.
Then Cleveland rookie quarterback Baker
Mayfield threw a late pick. The Ravens held on. Optimism
evaporated. Replaced by a mix of harsh reality and a hint of wistfulness.
The Steelers (9-6-1) firmly believe they would be a tough
out in the playoffs. Instead, they won't get the chance. The team that appeared
assured of a fifth consecutive playoff berth following a six-game midseason
winning streak instead will miss the postseason for the first time since 2013
after Indianapolis beat Tennessee later Sunday to lock down the final wild-card
spot.
"It just sucks," Steelers guard David
DeCastro said. "How hard we work, how much effort we put
in. To go from 7-2-1 to where we are now is heartbreaking."
And avoidable. Yet four losses in five games -- all of which
the Steelers led at some point in the second half -- forced them to enter Week
17 needing to beat the injury ravaged Bengals and a hope surging Cleveland
could upset the Ravens on the road.
"It's just tough," said Pittsburgh running
back James Conner,
who ran for 64 yards in his return to the lineup after missing three games with
a sprained left ankle. "We're relying on somebody else to advance."
The team that stressed it wouldn't spend all afternoon
scoreboard watching certainly looked distracted as Cincinnati took a 10-3
halftime lead. Pittsburgh eventually rallied behind quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger -- who threw for 287 yards and a touchdown
despite missing injured star receiver Antonio Brown to
finish with a career-best and NFL-high 5,129 yards passing -- and new
kicker Matt McCrane booted
three field goals, the last a 35-yarder with 1:56 to go that put the Steelers
ahead to stay.
Pittsburgh held on when Cincinnati backup quarterback Jeff Driskel's
fourth-down pass intended for Josh Malone fell
incomplete with 1:08 to go. Roethlisberger then took a pair of knees to run out
the clock, setting the stage for the bizarre sight of the Steelers and
thousands of black-and-gold clad fans cheering on the Browns.
For a few anxious minutes, the dominoes appeared to be
falling into place. When they didn't, Pittsburgh didn't place blame on
Cleveland but countless missed opportunities.
"It just makes me mad that as a leader of this group,
we put ourselves in this situation like this, looking for others to do our
job," Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward said. "Cleveland played a
heck of a game ... it's frustrating and as a leader of this group it's just
unacceptable."
Roethlisberger vowed to return for a 16th season. He turns
37 in March and doesn't think Pittsburgh's window is closing as long as the
offensive line in front of him remains intact.
"I still feel good," he said. "We keep that
line together, that'll give us a good fighting chance."
MARVIN'S MURKY FUTURE
Joe Mixon rushed
for 105 yards for the Bengals but Cincinnati (6-10) -- which entered Sunday
with 18 players on injured reserve, including quarterback Andy Dalton and
wide receiver A.J. Green- lost for the seventh time in eight games and head
into another offseason unsure about the future of longtime head coach Marvin
Lewis.
Cincinnati's season turned at home against the Steelers back
in October, when the Bengals let Pittsburgh go down the field in the final
minute to pull out a 28-21 victory on Antonio Brown's 31-yard catch and run
with 10 seconds to play. An avalanche of injuries and losses followed. Lewis
headed to the locker room surrounded by cameras, which he found
"ridiculous" after his beat-up squad took the Steelers basically to
the wire.
"I think it's sad (my status) is the only thing they
can point to," Lewis said. "This isn't about me. This is about this football
team and what they do. To make this about one person. It's not about one
person. This is my job. That's it."
INJURIES
Bengals: WR Cody Core left
late in the first quarter with a left elbow injury. Core was hurt while diving
for a pass deep down the left sideline. ... LT Cordy Glenn injured
his left ankle after getting rolled up on during a scrum following fumble by
Driskel in the third quarter. Safety Brandon
Wilson left in the second half with a chest injury and tight
end Matt Lengel exited
with a left knee issue.
Steelers: Brown missed his first game of the season while
dealing with a knee injury. Pittsburgh also sat starting safety Sean Davis (quadriceps)
and inside linebacker Vince
Williams (toe).
UP NEXT
Bengals: Owner Mike Brown will meet with Lewis to decide
whether a 17th season is in the offing for the winning coach in franchise
history.
Steelers: While head coach Mike Tomlin is on firm ground,
changes to the coaching staff could be made. Defensive coordinator Keith
Butler's unit struggled to create turnovers and the special teams were a mess
under coordinator Danny Smith.
SCORING SUMMARY
|
SECOND QUARTER
|
CIN
|
PIT
|
|
|
Bengals
|
TD
12:37
Shawn Williams 58 Yd Interception Return (Randy Bullock
Kick)
7 plays, 27 yards, 3:19
|
7
|
0
|
|
Bengals
|
FG
2:12
Randy Bullock 49 Yd Field Goal
12 plays, 51 yards, 6:31
|
10
|
0
|
|
Steelers
|
FG
0:00
Matt McCrane 39 Yd Field Goal
9 plays, 34 yards, 2:12
|
10
|
3
|
|
THIRD QUARTER
|
CIN
|
PIT
|
|
|
Steelers
|
TD
3:50
JuJu Smith-Schuster 11 Yd pass from Ben Roethlisberger
(Matt McCrane Kick)
3 plays, 74 yards, 1:25
|
10
|
10
|
|
FOURTH QUARTER
|
CIN
|
PIT
|
|
|
Steelers
|
FG
8:35
Matt McCrane 47 Yd Field Goal
13 plays, 48 yards, 7:19
|
10
|
13
|
|
Bengals
|
FG
6:17
Randy Bullock 32 Yd Field Goal
5 plays, 52 yards, 2:18
|
13
|
13
|
|
Steelers
|
FG
1:56
Matt McCrane 35 Yd Field Goal
12 plays, 58 yards, 4:21
|
13
|
16
|
GAME LEADERS
PASSING YARDS
CIN: J. Driskel12-24,
95 YDS
PIT: B. Roethlisberger31-45,
287 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
RUSHING YARDS
CIN: J. Mixon 13 CAR,
105 YDS
PIT: J. Conner 14 CAR,
64 YDS
RECEIVING YARDS
CIN: A. Erickson6 REC,
63 YDS
PIT:
J. Washington3 REC,
64 YDS
|
CIN
|
PGH
|
|
|
Time of Pos
|
25:38
|
34:22
|
|
1st Downs
|
9
|
18
|
|
Rushing
|
5
|
5
|
|
Passing
|
4
|
13
|
|
Penalty
|
0
|
0
|
|
3rd Down Conv
|
3-12
|
5-15
|
|
4th Down Conv
|
0-1
|
2-2
|
|
Total Net Yards
|
196
|
343
|
|
Total Plays
|
46
|
66
|
|
Avg Gain
|
4.3
|
5.2
|
|
Net Yards
Rushing
|
125
|
65
|
|
Rush Attempts
|
18
|
20
|
|
Avg Rush Yards
|
6.9
|
3.3
|
|
Net Yards
Passing
|
71
|
278
|
|
Comp. - Att.
|
12-24
|
31-45
|
|
Yards Per Pass
|
3.0
|
6.2
|
|
Sacked - Yards
Lost
|
4-24
|
1-9
|
|
Penalties -
Yards
|
9-85
|
9-70
|
|
Touchdowns
|
0
|
1
|
|
Rushing TDs
|
0
|
0
|
|
Passing TDs
|
0
|
1
|
|
Other
|
0
|
0
|
|
Turnovers
|
0
|
1
|
|
Fumbles - Lost
|
2-0
|
1-0
|
|
Int. Thrown
|
0
|
1
|
|
Punts - Avg
|
6-43.0
|
5-37.6
|
|
Return Yards
|
88
|
88
|
|
Punts - Returns
|
1-1
|
3-20
|
|
Kickoffs -
Returns
|
4-87
|
3-68
|
|
Int. - Returns
|
1-0
|
0-0
|
|
Kicking
|
3/3
|
4/4
|
|
Extra Points
|
1/1
|
1/1
|
|
Field Goals
|
2/2
|
3/3
|
|
Red Zone Eff.
|
0-1 -0%
|
1-3 -33%
|
|
Goal to Go Eff.
|
0-0 -0%
|
0-0 -0%
|
|
Safeties
|
0
|
0
|
Cincinnati Passing
|
C/ATT
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
INT
|
SACKS
|
QBR
|
RTG
|
|
|
12/24
|
95
|
4.0
|
0
|
0
|
4-24
|
20.9
|
60.2
|
|
|
TEAM
|
12/24
|
71
|
4.0
|
0
|
0
|
4-24
|
--
|
60.2
|
Pittsburgh
Passing
|
C/ATT
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
INT
|
SACKS
|
QBR
|
RTG
|
|
|
31/45
|
287
|
6.4
|
1
|
1
|
1-9
|
51.6
|
84.2
|
|
|
TEAM
|
31/45
|
278
|
6.4
|
1
|
1
|
1-9
|
--
|
84.2
|
Cincinnati
Rushing
|
CAR
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
LONG
|
|
|
13
|
105
|
8.1
|
0
|
51
|
|
|
2
|
13
|
6.5
|
0
|
12
|
|
|
3
|
7
|
2.3
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
TEAM
|
18
|
125
|
6.9
|
0
|
51
|
Pittsburgh
Rushing
|
CAR
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
LONG
|
|
|
14
|
64
|
4.6
|
0
|
16
|
|
|
3
|
3
|
1.0
|
0
|
5
|
|
|
2
|
2
|
1.0
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
1
|
-4
|
-4.0
|
0
|
-4
|
|
|
TEAM
|
20
|
65
|
3.3
|
0
|
16
|
Cincinnati
Receiving
|
REC
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
LONG
|
TGTS
|
|
|
6
|
63
|
10.5
|
0
|
13
|
6
|
|
|
1
|
15
|
15.0
|
0
|
15
|
3
|
|
|
2
|
8
|
4.0
|
0
|
9
|
5
|
|
|
1
|
6
|
6.0
|
0
|
6
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
2.0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
1.0
|
0
|
1
|
5
|
|
|
TEAM
|
12
|
95
|
7.9
|
0
|
15
|
21
|
Pittsburgh
Receiving
|
REC
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TD
|
LONG
|
TGTS
|
|
|
3
|
64
|
21.3
|
0
|
47
|
3
|
|
|
7
|
57
|
8.1
|
0
|
17
|
9
|
|
|
7
|
40
|
5.7
|
0
|
12
|
8
|
|
|
3
|
39
|
13.0
|
0
|
22
|
6
|
|
|
5
|
37
|
7.4
|
1
|
12
|
10
|
|
|
3
|
30
|
10.0
|
0
|
20
|
3
|
|
|
1
|
16
|
16.0
|
0
|
16
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
2.0
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
2.0
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
|
|
TEAM
|
31
|
287
|
9.3
|
1
|
47
|
44
|
Cincinnati
Fumbles
|
FUM
|
LOST
|
REC
|
|
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
TEAM
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
Pittsburgh
Fumbles
|
FUM
|
LOST
|
REC
|
|
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
TEAM
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Cincinnati
Defensive
|
TACKLES
|
MISC
|
|||||||
|
TOT
|
SOLO
|
SACKS
|
TFL
|
PD
|
QB HTS
|
TD
|
||
|
17
|
12
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
||
|
8
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
||
|
7
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
6
|
6
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
0.5
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
||
|
TEAM
|
70
|
51
|
1
|
3.5
|
6
|
7
|
2
|
|
Pittsburgh
Defensive
|
TACKLES
|
MISC
|
|||||||
|
TOT
|
SOLO
|
SACKS
|
TFL
|
PD
|
QB HTS
|
TD
|
||
|
8
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
7
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
||
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
2
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
||
|
3
|
2
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
||
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
||
|
TEAM
|
51
|
36
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
9
|
0
|
|
Cincinnati
Interceptions
|
INT
|
YDS
|
TD
|
|
|
1
|
58
|
1
|
|
|
TEAM
|
1
|
58
|
1
|
Pittsburgh
Interceptions
|
INT
|
YDS
|
TD
|
|
|
No
Pittsburgh Interceptions
|
Cincinnati
Kick Returns
|
NO
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
LONG
|
TD
|
|
|
4
|
87
|
21.8
|
26
|
0
|
|
|
TEAM
|
4
|
87
|
21.8
|
26
|
0
|
Pittsburgh
Kick Returns
|
NO
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
LONG
|
TD
|
|
|
3
|
68
|
22.7
|
27
|
0
|
|
|
TEAM
|
3
|
68
|
22.7
|
27
|
0
|
Cincinnati
Punt Returns
|
NO
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
LONG
|
TD
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
1.0
|
1
|
0
|
|
|
TEAM
|
1
|
1
|
1.0
|
1
|
0
|
Pittsburgh
Punt Returns
|
NO
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
LONG
|
TD
|
|
|
3
|
20
|
6.7
|
10
|
0
|
|
|
TEAM
|
3
|
20
|
6.7
|
10
|
0
|
Cincinnati
Kicking
|
FG
|
PCT
|
LONG
|
XP
|
PTS
|
|
|
2/2
|
100.0
|
49
|
1/1
|
7
|
|
|
TEAM
|
2/2
|
100.0
|
49
|
1/1
|
7
|
Pittsburgh
Kicking
|
FG
|
PCT
|
LONG
|
XP
|
PTS
|
|
|
3/3
|
100.0
|
47
|
1/1
|
10
|
|
|
TEAM
|
3/3
|
100.0
|
47
|
1/1
|
10
|
Cincinnati
Punting
|
NO
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TB
|
IN 20
|
LONG
|
|
|
6
|
278
|
46.3
|
0
|
1
|
52
|
|
|
TEAM
|
6
|
278
|
46.3
|
0
|
1
|
52
|
Pittsburgh
Punting
|
NO
|
YDS
|
AVG
|
TB
|
IN 20
|
LONG
|
|
|
5
|
189
|
37.8
|
0
|
4
|
48
|
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