CINCINNATI — In an electrifying matchup, Russell Wilson showcased his skills by throwing for a remarkable 414 yards along with three touchdowns, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a hard-fought victory over the Cincinnati Bengals with a score of 44-38 on Sunday.
This performance marked not only a season high for Wilson but also the second-most passing yards in his career, complemented by his third game surpassing the 400-yard milestone. Previously, he achieved 452 yards against the Houston Texans in October 2017 while playing for the Seattle Seahawks.
Completing 29 of his 38 pass attempts, Wilson helped the Steelers (now at 9-3) bounce back following a defeat against the Cleveland Browns, which ended in a 24-19 scoreline on November 21. Although he did throw an interception in the first quarter that was returned for a touchdown by the Bengals, his overall performance was key to the win.
The Bengals, who are now 4-8, experienced their fourth loss in the last five games, further jeopardizing their playoff chances as they fell to 1-5 at home this season. The match witnessed a high-scoring first half, which ended with the Steelers leading 27-21. This was the highest-scoring first half in the long-standing rivalry between both teams. During this half, Wilson recorded 257 passing yards, setting a personal best for a first half in his career.
Najee Harris contributed significantly to the Steelers’ offense with a 10-yard rushing touchdown, while Chris Boswell added two field goals. Harris ended the game with totals of 75 rushing yards and 54 receiving yards, with George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, and Pat Freiermuth also catching touchdown passes.
On the other side, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow performed admirably, completing 28 of 38 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. However, he hindered his own performance by fumbling earlier in the first half—an error that translated into a field goal for the Steelers—and throwing an interception in the second half. Burrow also fumbled again in the fourth quarter after being sacked by Steelers linebacker Nick Herbig, resulting in a 21-yard touchdown return by linebacker Payton Wilson.
For the Bengals, Chase Brown rushed for a touchdown, while Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Andrei Iosivas each caught a touchdown pass. Notably, the Bengals have struggled defensively, allowing 34 or more points in six games this season, with four of those occurrences happening in the last five matches.
Injury updates noted that Calvin Austin III was ruled out due to a head injury sustained in the second half.
Looking ahead, the Steelers are set to host the Cleveland Browns next Sunday, while the Bengals are scheduled to travel to face the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, December 9.
