Pittsburgh Review

In a highly anticipated matchup on December 1, 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers faced off against the Cincinnati Bengals in a crucial Week 13 game. The question looming over the Steelers' season was whether they could triumph in a high-scoring contest against one of the NFL's formidable offenses.

The Bengals, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, had scored 25 or more points in seven of their previous 11 games. Playing on Cincinnati's home turf, the Steelers knew an aggressive approach was necessary from the start.

After forcing a punt on Cincinnati's opening possession, Pittsburgh's offense took to the field with quarterback Russell Wilson at the helm. Despite an early setback when Wilson's fourth pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Cam Taylor-Britt, Wilson quickly rebounded. He led his team downfield to connect with George Pickens for a 17-yard touchdown.

"We wanted to come out and attack because we knew what they would give us," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. "That's what I mean about the depths of these waters in these divisional relationships. It is not checkers — it's chess."

The offensive momentum continued as Wilson delivered a 23-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III and Najee Harris added a 10-yard rushing score. Two late field goals by Chris Boswell gave Pittsburgh a 27-21 lead at halftime.

Wilson maintained his form in the second half, throwing another touchdown pass to Pat Freiermuth and completing an impressive performance with 29 completions out of 38 attempts for 414 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. A defensive highlight came when rookie Payton Wilson returned a fumble by Burrow for a touchdown, extending Pittsburgh's lead to 41-24.

"It was fun," said Russell Wilson regarding his near career-high yardage total during his 13-year NFL career. "We just had a great time. We knew it was going to be a heavyweight fight."

Ultimately, the Steelers secured victory with an outstanding offensive display that saw them accumulate a season-high total of 520 yards. Ten players caught passes during the game, with seven gaining at least 29 receiving yards each.

Najee Harris contributed significantly with 129 total yards—79 rushing and six receptions totaling 54 yards—as Pittsburgh triumphed over Cincinnati in this memorable shootout.