Instant analysis after Bengals rout Steelers, complete season sweep
The Cincinnati Bengals beat the brakes off the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, a 41-10 lopsided affair that moved the home team to 7-4.
Those Bengals came out firing and jumped to a 31-3 halftime lead on a day where almost everything seemed to go right. The first half was perhaps the most complete two quarters the team has played in years.
Right after the big win, let’s take a look at game notes and numbers to know.
Quick Hits
— Bengals went bully mode from the opening gun, making it obvious they were lining up to feed Joe Mixon and testing whether the Steelers could stop it. They couldn’t — Joe Burrow and Co. picked up 75 yards on a lengthy opening drive, capped off by a rushing score for Burrow.
— Eli Apple’s redemption arc continued with a pick of Ben Roethlisberger on Pittsburgh’s first drive, which he took back 50 yards. The Bengals couldn’t cap it off with a touchdown, but Apple’s good play is encouraging for a late-season stretch.
— Tee Higgins Moss’d a Steelers defender for a deep passing score to make it 17-3. It’s a great sign for the Bengals. With defenses focused on Ja’Marr Chase, Mixon can still carve them up and Higgins can still make plays. Feels like the offense is gearing up for the playoffs.
— Mike Hilton pulled off the pick-six against his former team before the half closed. Great play, of course, but don’t forget the strong pressure that forced Big Ben into a bad throw, too.
— Trey Hendrickson broke a team record by recording a sack.
— Evan McPherson made a field goal from 50-plus yards in the second half. A week earlier, he made three of those. The value of having a kicker who can do that shouldn’t be overlooked — it could be especially important in the playoffs.
— Riley Reiff left the game with an ankle injury. They might’ve held him out for precautionary reasons in a blowout, but it’s something to watch. The team can’t afford to lose the stable presence at right tackle now.
— Center Trey Hopkins suffered a knee injury and was also questionable to return. Unfortunate, as he was finally getting back to pre-injury form.
Key Stat
5.2: Yards per carry for the Bengals on Sunday (5.9 for Mixon). They did whatever they wanted on the ground, which opened things up for all the other impressive stats on the sheet. It was a dominant showing by the offensive line and Mixon made the most of it.
Game Balls
Joe Mixon: After a stellar showing last week, Mixon was doing it again on Sunday to the tune of 28 carries for 165 yards on a 5.9 average with two touchdowns. That’s a career-high in yardage for the superstar.
Tee Higgins: With the Steelers focused on stopping Chase, Higgins came up big with six catches for 114 yards and the 32-yard score.
Top Takeaway
Playoff-bound: The win doesn’t guarantee a playoff berth, but this is clearly a Bengals team heading places. They smacked around an inferior opponent on Sunday while not suffering any distractions and/or mental issues given the historical context between the teams. The offense looks deadly even if Chase isn’t having a big day and the defense remains consistently solid.
List
Bengals vs. Steelers game recap: Everything we know from Week 12
