Points still scarce, but offense gains more than 400 yards as Steelers hold off Bengals

CINCINNATI — Never has an offensive performance that produced one touchdown looked so promising for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the first game without Matt Canada serving as offensive coordinator, the Steelers surpassed 400 yards for the first time in their past 59 tries while beating the Cincinnati Bengals, 16-10, on Sunday at Paycor Stadium.

Under interim coordinator Eddie Faulker and play-caller Mike Sullivan, the Steelers totaled 421 yards, the first time they exceeded 400 since Week 2 of the 2020 season. It was a feat they never achieved in all 44 games with Canada calling the offensive plays before his dismissal last week.

“It was a big day for us,” said tight end Pat Freiermuth, who set career highs with nine catches for 120 yards. “It felt nice moving the ball at will.”

Kenny Pickett had a season-high 278 passing yards and Najee Harris a season-best 99 yards rushing in a win that improved the Steelers to 7-4 and knocked the Bengals further into last place in the AFC North at 5-6.

Although the Steelers continued their struggles producing points — Harris scored on a 5-yard run, and Chris Boswell kicked three field goals — they reached Bengals territory on eight of their nine possessions as the offense bore little resemblance to the one Canada oversaw.

Pickett threw confidently over the middle, completing almost half his passes to his tight ends, and the Steelers converted a season-best eight third downs. Pickett even threw the occasional deep ball down the sideline, and the Steelers didn’t have a single three-and-out for the game while possessing the ball for more than 37 minutes.

“Those guys did a great job preparing us this week,” Pickett said. “We did a great job of coming together and staying together at a time of adversity.”

Even wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens had little reason to complain after combining for seven catches for 108 yards.

“The energy was different,” Johnson said. “We were moving the ball, playing as one, and we were able to get the job done today.”

Pickett completed 24 of 33 attempts, with Freiermuth serving as his most used-target. Entering the game with nine catches for 60 yards on the season, Freiermuth matched his season total in receptions and doubled his yardage in his second game since returning from a hamstring injury.

It all happened with Faulkner and Sullivan running the show from the sideline, the place where Canada called plays for the final three games of his tenure.

“We just looked at each other and said, when something like this happens, we all have to play for each other,” center Mason Cole said. “We all had a hand in Matt’s firing. We didn’t play well enough for him to keep his job. We felt like we had to make it right for the guys who are still here.”

Still, the Steelers were held to one offensive touchdown for the seventh time in 11 games. They also finished shy of the 16.5 points they were averaging this season under Canada’s watch.

“We have to continue to move from here and build on it,” Freiermuth said.

Meanwhile, the Steelers smothered a Bengals offense that started journeyman Jake Browning in the wake of Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury. The Bengals had just 25 yards rushing, T.J. Watt finished with two of the Steelers four sacks and safety Trenton Thompson had an interception that set up the go-ahead score.

Holding a 7-3 lead, the Bengals moved to the Steelers 20 on the opening drive of the second half. Thompson, starting because of injuries to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal, stepped in front of a pass near the sideline and intercepted Browning.

“Right place, right time, right call,” Thompson said.

The turnover set up a 14-play, 79-yard touchdown drive that gave the Steelers a 10-7 lead with 1 minute, 34 seconds left in the third on Harris’ 5-yard run. The Steelers had seven first downs, including a few third-down completions to Freiermuth that moved the chains.

“With sequencing like that, playing complementary football is important,” coach Mike Tomlin said.

The next time the Steelers had the ball, Johnson had a 12-yard catch on third down, and Pickett found Pickens for 43 yards to convert another third down. This led to Boswell’s 34-yard field goal with 8:03 left.

Boswell kicked his third field goal, from 33 yards, with 2:51 to play. Cincinnati cut the deficit to one score on Evan McPherson’s 47-yard field goal with 2:04 on the clock. The Steelers recovered the onside kick and, with the Bengals out of timeouts, they ran out the clock.

Despite moving the ball into Cincinnati territory on five of their six possessions in the first half, the Steelers trailed 7-3 at the break. They had a season-high 221 yards (to Cincinnati’s 98), possessed the ball for 19 minutes and totaled 10 first downs, yet had only a 41-yard Boswell field goal to show for it.

“I don’t know that the score was reflective of the way we were operating,” Tomlin said.

The Steelers missed a chance to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Johnson couldn’t hold onto a pass as he tumbled out of the back of the end zone. Johnson appeared to have possession before he exited the end zone, but Tomlin didn’t challenge the call.

Jaylen Warren fumbled on the next play, and the Bengals recovered. It was a mistake the Steelers were able to overcome thanks, in part, to a revitalized offense.

“There are still things to clean up, for sure,” Cole said, “but this definitely was a step in the right direction.”